ZFE: the ban on Crit'Air 3 vehicles is postponed in this city
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The Eurometropolis of Strasbourg shows the differences with other municipalities. Set up in 2022, the Strasbourg ZFE has already produced concrete results in terms of air quality. Faced with these results, the local authorities are relaxing the initial timetable.
Reprieve for Crit'Air 3 in Strasbourg
To put it simply: Crit'Air 3 vehicles are granted a reprieve. Initially scheduled for the end of 2024, their ban has been postponed to December 31, 2026. The decision concerns in particular diesel cars over 14 years old and gasoline models over 19 years old.
This readjustment is accompanied by encouraging findings: a decrease in registrations of thermal vehicles and a significant strengthening of the public transport network. Pia Imbs, President of the Eurometropolis, also highlights the significant improvement in air quality since the establishment of the ZFE.
However, the implementation of ZFEs is not unanimous everywhere. In Bordeaux and Lyon, the timetables have been disrupted. Heated debates oppose different politicians. While environmentalists insist on the health imperative, other parties, particularly on the left, are worried about the social consequences.
They highlight the risk of increasing inequalities: low-income households are struggling to afford vehicles that comply with the new standards in the midst of an economic crisis.
The situation is particularly tense in Marseille with marked differences. Conversely, Toulouse joins Strasbourg in observing the positive effects of its ZFE on air quality.
Paris considers additional measures
Paris is an exception in this contrasting landscape. The capital plans to scrupulously respect the established timetable and even plans to go beyond it. Additional measures are being considered, such as restricting through traffic in certain districts or reducing the speed on the ring road to 50 km/h.
The challenge is enormous for decision-makers: reconciling the environmental emergency with the realities on the ground, without widening existing social divides.
