So how does it actually work? Do you have to stay out of the designated area on certain days if you have a particular coloured sticker? If so, how is this going to be communicated? Is there a website we can look at on the morning of travel or will we be dependant on local radio news (in French)?
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The certificate is a round sticker which must be displayed in a prominent position on your vehicle. It is a secure document.
There are 6 different types of certificates. Each certificate corresponds to a pollutant emissions.
Older vehicles are not eligible for a certificate.
What are the benefits and limitations associated with the certificate?
Depending on local decisions, using a certificate can offer you some advantages. It is required for driving in restricted traffic areas, and if there are high pollution levels, local authorities introduce differentiated traffic according to AQCs.
Should the authorities in the cities involved decide to restrict vehicle access on particular days, it enables them to bar entry, to say, all vehicles with 3, 4, or 5 stickers. Same idea as Athens did years ago with reg numbers.
My understanding, anyway.
------------- Mike
My advice is worth no more than the price paid for it
PS I think I read somewhere (maybe on here) that signs on the city approach can be turned on or off allowing/banning access, according to the perceived need.
------------- Mike
My advice is worth no more than the price paid for it
Quote: Originally posted by mikegalagher on 16/3/2017
PS I think I read somewhere (maybe on here) that signs on the city approach can be turned on or off allowing/banning access, according to the perceived need.
I hope that's the case! You'd think it would be, wouldn't you? I was just thinking if you had to listen to their traffic radio station. My French is pretty good and even I struggle a bit with the speed they rattle off the traffic news. I didn't fancy having to listen out for which badges were banned.
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Quote: Originally posted by mikegalagher on 16/3/2017
PS I think I read somewhere (maybe on here) that signs on the city approach can be turned on or off allowing/banning access, according to the perceived need.
I hope that's the case! You'd think it would be, wouldn't you? I was just thinking if you had to listen to their traffic radio station. My French is pretty good and even I struggle a bit with the speed they rattle off the traffic news. I didn't fancy having to listen out for which badges were banned.
Reading the whole thread again, I saw this from saucy:
Quote: Originally posted by Opensauce on 07/2/2017
How it appears to work is that if pollution rises above certain levels in the zone then only the least polluting vehicles are allowed in & not necessarily all sticker colours. There will be some sort of electric sign stating colour, I guess?
but I've been unable to find any other resource talking about how it will actually operate. So I'm no help whatsoever.
It initially applies to Paris, Lyon, and Grenoble, with another 22 cities expressing interest. So it wouldn't be out of the question for different cities to deploy different systems - c'est la vie, etc.
Quote: Originally posted by Kelper on 17/3/2017
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Do allow plenty of time ... may get worse as the holiday season approaches ... ?
My thoughts exactly.
------------- Mike
My advice is worth no more than the price paid for it
Quote: Originally posted by Whatamess on 18/3/2017
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Be aware that Germany is doing the same thing. I ordered one of those on Sunday too and their confirmation email went into our spam folder.
Nora
You'd think they'd do something valid across Europe. Otherwise if others follow we'll end up with stickers all round the windscreen if each country does its own thing.
------------- Mike
My advice is worth no more than the price paid for it
You need a sticker for France & a sticker for Germany. Positioning for both in lower right hand side of windscreen. Stickers must be permanently stuck to windscreen. That is the law.
Then your car fails MoT due to windscreen obstructions in line of sight. Or as a German once said to me...wait for it. "Your steering wheel on the right side is on the wrong side". How I laughed...
But for those who were, are, and always will be, you'd think if the aims were the same they'be able to agree common standards and have just the one sticker?
What happens if Italy and Spain decide to have something similar?
On our car I've now got a Bfd Met tip permit, a Swiss vignette, a NT car park pass, and a now a French Crit'Air sticker. No current plans to visit Germany, thankfully.
------------- Mike
My advice is worth no more than the price paid for it
Prague May/Jun 2017
Lake Annecy Aug 2017
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Trouble is the Paris Agreement is a UN thing, so it's each country for itself trying to get their emissions down. Strange in a way that we're not having these zones in places like Birmingham and Liverpool, as we were one of the first to get our knuckles rapped.
As such, it's not something the EU can get involved in, which is a bit of a shame because a single system, based on the EU emissions standards (as the French system is) would be great for all concerned. And we might stand a bat in hell's chance of getting something similar rolled out across UK cities. (I live in Bristol aka Gridlock City, and this is a heartfelt plea).