Did you know ? Whatever your vehicle, circular in Toulouse will cost you dearly without this sticker
By Guillaume Laurent
Published on
No, you haven’t arrived from Crit’Air thumbnail if your vehicle is recent, if it runs on biofuels, or even if it is electric…
Contrary to this shortcut which is spreading at high speed V on social networks and among many motorists, despite the report to 2024 of the entry into force of automated controls, the precious sesame is already mandatory, regardless of the age of the vehicle, and its engine, to enter and circulate Toulouse, where the Mobility Low Emission Zone (ZFE-m) – which aims to improve air quality in the Pink City – is now in force. She is even since the 1uh March 2022! Make the point.
The sticker already compulsory for all motorists
“As regards the control of vignettes”, indicates the prefecture of Haute-Garonne to Toulouse news“It should be remembered that these are compulsory in the EPZs”. And the State services also point out: “They are also compulsory in the event of implementation of differentiated traffic decided by the prefects in the event of a pollution episode”.
“Several emergency measures are taken by the prefectural decree of October 26, 2017 organizing the emergency system in the event of an episode of ambient air pollution in the Haute-Garonne department. In the event of exceeding the levels of alert and persistence of the episode of air pollution over several days, the prefect of the department may decide, on a case-by-case basis, after consultation with a committee of experts, to limit the circulation of vehicles in according to their polluting emissions (Crit’Air vignettes)”.
Motorists have not had to worry about this problem for five years, because as the prefecture reminds us, “to date, this measure has not been implemented in the department”but it could well be in the future, plunging thousands of motorists without Crit’Air vignettes into illegality.
Camera checks “from the second half of 2024”
Implemented since March 2022 in Toulouse in order to reduce air pollution, the ZFE-m has so far been imperceptible and totally painless for road users, but it will soon be equipped with automated checks. The government intends to set up a system of “control-penalties” via radars equipped with cameras allowing automated reading of license plates, which apply on the edge and inside the perimeter concerned.
The initial measure, planned for 2023, has finally postponed for a year, as announced by the government on Tuesday 25 October. “It will be effective from second half of the year 2024″, a precise Christophe Bechuthe Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, following the first ministerial committee on ZFE-m, which brought together representatives of the territories and the government.
By 2025, all towns with more than 150,000 inhabitants will have to have set up these zones which should definitively ban the most polluting vehicles, he also specified. As for Toulouse, “the deployment of technical devices” is in the cards, recalls the prefecture, which comes under the Ministry of Ecology. “The State is already working on this alongside local authorities in order to achieve this by 2024”.
Clearly: from mid-2024, it will be better to be in good standing when circular inside the ZFE, because these checks will be carried out by automated reading of the plates. And by then? If for the moment the risk of sanction is reduced, it is not zero, because the forces of order can very well verbalize you now.
The police can control the thumbnails… but are they already lining up?
Last October, the vice-president of the Metropolis in charge of ecology Francois Chollet had also indicated to Toulouse news than in the Pink City, “about sixty fixed cameras will be deployed” by the State to control vehicles within the perimeter of the ZFE. But even before the entry into force of these automated checks by camerashe rocks :
“The vehicle sticker is already checked by the national police or the municipal police (…) When you are arrested, you have to present your papers and [les forces de l’ordre, ndlr] control now the Crit’air sticker”. How many offenses have been identified in this area by the national and municipal police in the perimeter of the ZFE in Toulouse? Almonds have they already been dressed, and how much? When questioned, the town hall and the prefecture both kick in touch on this subject.
Which routes and vehicles are affected by the ZFE?
In the fourth largest city in France, the perimeter of the ZFE encompasses all of Toulouse, inside the ring road, plus a small part of Colomiers and Tournefeuille, ie a perimeter of 72 km². Its implementation is, it should be remembered, progressive.
– Since March 1, 2022, Crit’air 5 and unclassified vans, vans and heavy goods vehicles can no longer circulate.
– Since September 1, 2022: the same utility vehicles and Crit’air 4 certified heavy goods vehicles can no longer circulate.
– From January 1, 2023: all motorized vehicles (including private cars) certified Crit’air 4, 5 and unclassified, could no longer drive.
– From January 1, 2024: all motorized vehicles up to Crit’air 3, could no longer drive.
From 2024, only vehicles certified Crit’air 2.1 and electric or hydrogen vehicles will be authorized to circulate within the zone.
According to the estimates of Toulouse Métropole, 47,000 vehicles could therefore be banned from circulation from January 1, 2024. But we repeat: whatever the classification of your vehicle, the vignette is already compulsory for driving in Toulouse!
A fine between 68 and 135 euros
If he has not affixed the Crit’Air sticker to his windshield, any motorist and other heavy goods vehicle driver, whatever his vehicle, is now likely to be considered as offender. In the event of non-compliance with the ZFE, the user is liable to a fixed class 3 fine, i.e. 68 euros for light vehicles and light commercial vehicles, and 135 euros for heavyweights.
Still very abstract for the general public, the ZFE risks becoming in the coming months, when the fines will really fall, a very concrete subject for motorists… After prevention, here are the sanctions.
Why lead times are getting longer and longer
For those who do not yet have this famous Crit’Air sticker, the request can be made entirely online. To pay avoid the scams that abound on the Internet, It’s necessary buy it directly from the official government website, offset a payment of €3.67, postage included for shipment to France.
Namely that it is sometimes necessary to be patient to obtain the precious sesame: several users testify indeed to having waited over a month before receiving their sticker in Toulouse, after ordering it on the government website. As for knowing why the deadlines have lengthened, whereas it only took a few days to obtain it so far, the prefecture has passed the ball back to the ministry: “The system for issuing vignettes is national”, explains -she. “The long delays can be explained by an influx of orders vignettes in connection with the entry into force of several ZFEms or new restrictions on existing ZFEms”.
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