• To reduce pollution in French metropolitan areas, low emission zones (ZFEs) have been set up from which the most polluting vehicles are excluded.

  • The Toulouse one should see the light of day in early October and this year would concern unclassified utility vehicles and heavy goods vehicles and Crit'Air 5.

  • The most polluting cars for individuals will not be affected until 2023, their owners can benefit from change premiums.

Last year, successive confinements allowed Toulouse residents to breathe better.

A breath of fresh air which ended and quickly signed the return of traffic jams during rush hour on the ring road.

And with them pollution.

Two years ago, 7,650 inhabitants of the Pink City were thus exposed to exceeding the limit values ​​of nitrogen dioxide, with harmful effects on health.

To reverse the trend, in Toulouse and other French metropolises, the state has made the establishment of low-emission zones (ZFE) compulsory, areas where the most polluting vehicles are excluded.

That of the Toulouse metropolitan area will soon be effective on a perimeter surrounded by the ring road and the Arc-en-Ciel ring road, to the west.

“We are setting the last modalities for the beginning of October.

We have chosen a progressive EPZ which will not affect individual vehicles until 2023, ”explained Jean-Luc Moudenc, President of Toulouse Métropole.

Commercial vehicles and heavy goods vehicles starting this year

As soon as the order is taken, heavy goods vehicles and utility vehicles with a Crit'Air 5 sticker and those not classified will no longer be able to enter the ZFE perimeter, i.e. a little less than 2,500 vehicles that come to the metropolis every day.

“In 2022 this will concern the same Crit'Air 4 vehicles, ie around 8,000 utility vehicles and heavy goods vehicles.

The following year, it will be the turn of the Crit'Air 5 light vehicles and in 2024 the Crit'Air 4 cars ”, explains François Chollet, vice-president of the metropolis in charge of Ecology, sustainable development and transition. energetic.

Premiums up to 20,000 euros to change

During the consultation that took place on the subject this summer, he realized that there was a misunderstanding about the measure.

“Some believed that all diesel vehicles were going to be banned, thinking they were going to be forced to change cars.

Others told us that they were being taken by the throat, but it is important to remember that individuals will not be affected until 2023, ”recalls the elected official.

To help those who would be concerned to change their vehicle, whether they are craftsmen or owners of an old jaw harp, a support system has been put in place.

And some have already used it.

Companies with fewer than 50 employees, the first to be affected, can benefit from a maximum premium of 20,000 euros within the limit of three polluting vehicles replaced or the purchase of three cargo bikes.

Individuals are also eligible, subject to the condition of resources, for aid when buying or renting a cleaner car or a bicycle.

"For the moment, 70% of the aid paid for a change of vehicle has been to the lowest income bracket", underlines François Chollet, recalling in passing that the Law allows the community to give transitional exemptions on a limited time for those who would have difficulty changing their old car.

Automated control, not before mid-2023

If the decree establishing the ZFE must be adopted soon, its application will certainly take longer.

At first, the authorities wanted to demonstrate “pedagogy”.

The checks to see if this measure is applied by the owners of the vehicles concerned will initially be random and carried out jointly by the national and municipal police.

Automated camera monitoring is not expected to be rolled out until mid-2023.

Without this video over-tagging, "there is a risk" of seeing the owners of old polluting jacks skip the line.

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