• Environmentalists have decided to expand the low-emission zone: on January 1, 2026, all diesel vehicles without Crit'Air 0 or 1 stickers will be banned from circulation.

  • A five-month consultation has been launched, the first public meeting on the subject is scheduled for Monday, from 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.

  • What accompaniments?

    What alternatives to the private car?

    What solution to replace diesel?

    So many questions on which the majority is expected.

In less than five years, around 80% of the vehicles in the vehicle fleet in circulation in the Lyon metropolitan area will be banned. A direct consequence of the strengthening of the ZFE (low emissions zone) recorded by elected environmentalists. As of January 1, 2026, all diesel vehicles that do not have a Crit'Air 0 or 1 sticker will be banned.

The subject is delicate, the stakes enormous.

The metropolis of Lyon has launched a five-month public consultation to “define the implementation modalities and accompanying measures for this project”, deemed “too exclusionary”, “too fast”, “brutal” or “rigid” by most of the inhabitants who have already given their opinions on the site jeparticipe.grandlyon.com.

A first public meeting on the subject will be held on Monday, from 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.

The opportunity to raise the questions that will have to be resolved in order to succeed in this ZFE and to annoy a minimum of citizens.

What alternatives to diesel?

According to studies carried out by Atmo Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, out of all the annual nitrogen dioxide emissions emitted in the territory of the Lyon metropolitan area, “66% are linked to road traffic emissions, of which 96% come from diesel vehicles ”, reminds the community to justify its choice.

But what to offer instead?

Electricity is booming but still remains marginal.

While more than 185,000 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles were registered in 2020 in France (an increase of 300% compared to the previous year)

,

they only represent 11% of the market. Succeeding in the ecological transition will not be easy, the automobile industry having already requested aid of 17 billion euros from the State to switch to the electric motor. Otherwise, she could miss the date.

"In Lyon, there is a problem: there is no plan for the development of electrical terminals planned for the moment in the city or its agglomeration", underlines also Louis Pelaez, the president of the opposition group Inventer la Métropole tomorrow having called for the ZFE to be submitted to a local referendum.

“Since coming to power, environmentalists have not launched anything, he accuses.

However, if we want to develop this sector and remove the brakes, we must anticipate.

"

What solutions for the private car?

The ZFE as planned by Lyon environmentalists should concern 369,000 cars in 2026, or nearly 70% of households. The city's communist group recalled the need to develop public transport, calling for a new urban travel plan. If the city center of Lyon is rather well served by the TCL network, this is not the case in all the districts, nor in the other neighboring municipalities. The Val de Saône, constantly bottled, remains the poor relation. No strong line is still foreseen in the next Sytral mandate plan running until 2026. The west of Lyon could be satisfied with a highly controversial cable car line, which would in no way solve the traffic problems of the Point du Jour-Montée sector of Choulans, real black spots of the 5th arrondissement.

In addition, several citizens have already expressed their wish to see the frequency of buses increase in areas not served by the metro or tram. Especially in the evening, when it is difficult to do without a car, for lack of practical solutions. Sytral will have to quickly look into the issue since currently 60% of trips of less than 3 km in the metropolis are made by car.

Among the “new mobility” solutions defended by the majority, carsharing is struggling to take off.

“This is a false good idea.

This service has not yet managed to find its mode of operation in Lyon, as everywhere else, ”recalls Louis Pelaez.

“In the absence of a partnership established with the mayors of the municipalities concerned, it will not take, warns Gérard Collomb, former president of the agglomeration.

The city has decided to keep this skill and manage the problem on its own to save time.

But if it doesn't involve the mayors, it won't be effective.

"

What support to offer?

It is one of the alert points for all the metropolitan political groups. "Without support, this ZFE risks becoming a tool of destruction", fears the centrist Christophe Geourjon. “Finding a second-hand vehicle after 2011 eligible for Crit'Air 1 costs more than 9,000 euros for a city car. This budget is well beyond the possibilities of the popular classes, “France Insoumise elected officials worried when the measure was announced. "This measure will increase the social and economic divide of the agglomeration to become an area of ​​high exclusion", warns Louis Pelaez.

Financial support for the poorest households, as suggested in the online questionnaire, could be considered.

But what about other families or single people from the middle class, also forced to change their vehicles?

Without forgetting the craftsmen.

"If we do not solve the problem of delivery in town, we will not be able to succeed in this ZFE, analyzes Louis Pelaez.

Cargo bikes are very good, but they are marginal and that does not solve the problem of volumes.

"

“The aid exists for professional vehicles already concerned.

The metropolis helps up to 10,000 euros for a heavy vehicle and 5,000 euros for a utility, said the president of the metropolis Bruno Bernard.

At the same time, there is state aid.

"

Lyon

Lyon and Villeurbanne want to speed up carsharing before banning diesels in 2026

Society

Lyon: Diesel banned in the Low Emission Zone by 2026, more than half of the vehicles concerned

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  • Mobility

  • Diesel

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  • Lyon

  • Environment

  • Pollution