French city crit’air sticker restrictions

[Alf]

I have just been reading about the requirement to display a Crit’air sticker in many major French cities and that cars built before 1997 are not eligible and so cannot enter these cities between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday. Does anyone here have any experience with getting some sort of exemption for our age of car?

[Cees Klumper]

Based on my quick search, 'vehicules de collection' (oldtimer/classic car) are exempt from this requirement, at least until 2030. But the car must be registered as a 'vehicule de collection'. The Pagoda normally qualifies, however:
- mine for example I chose to have put on a regular registration, not 'collector'. So my Pagoda is not exempt
- foreign-to-France cars probably are also not exempt, since they cannot demonstrate they have the special collector car registration as French cars can

Maybe there are more rules or exemptions I did not note.

[RAY]

Calling Mr James Lester ............. He's the man who will know i,m sure.

[Alf]

Thanks for the research Cees. It’s quite a lot of cities where we need to be careful not to take our Pagoda’s as visitors then:
Aix-Marseille-Provence region
Bordeaux (coming in 2024)
Clermont-Ferrand
Grenoble
Lyon
Marseille
Montpellier
Paris
Reims
Rouen
Strasbourg
Toulouse

I checked the UK ULEZ situation and if you’re driving an historic vehicle (more than 40 years old) which is overseas registered you can apply for exemption as a matter of administration only.

[John K]

I too am wanting to check if we are exempt as a classic car driving in France, Switzerland & Italy. Online information isn't clear...

[JamesL]

Well, I had a bit of a panic when I took my 280 into Paris at the start of June. I saw the signs and then forgot to do anything about it until the following day. Some research said I’d need one but it was already too late. So I resigned myself to a ticket.
It’s yet to arrive…

[RAY]

Alf, re the London ULEZ.

As long as your pagoda is registered on the log book as Historic you wont have to pay the ULEZ charge, but ........ you will have to pay the Congetion Charge for central London regardless, no way out of that one im afraid.

Ray

[Alf]

Yep! Drive into central London relatively frequently so already registered for CC autopay.

Was interested whether London makes it possible for non UK registered historic cars to avoid ULEZ charges and penalties (and it does if you notify in advance) as French cities seem to make no provision for this

[Alf]

Am interested to see if you actually get a ticket James. Wondering if French ANPR can read our silver on black plates!

[yves]

Alf, for the plates it depens of the desk you use . For instancewhen youpasson the isle of Re bridge you must go through a desk with some body inside. The system doesn.t read your plates siver on black 🙄

[Brennie]

It’s funny.. I drove into the congregation charge zone in London the other day ( black plates, raised silver numbers & letters) and did not get charged?
An anomaly perhaps…

[RAY]

It,s also funny, now you mention it Brennie, some time ago I drove into Central London and forgot to pay the charge and never did get a fine.

May be it is the black and silver plates, happy days !

[Merc_Girl]

To be honest, whilst we were in the EU, I believe there was a mural agreement that data could be shared in regard to motoring infractions.  Now we have left the EU, I’m not too sure if there is still a requirement on the UK Government  to provide any ‘foreign’ nation with details of a UK citizen, given it would come under GDP and we are no longer tied to former agreements.

Obviously, if a serious crime, such as a murder, then information is shared as I believe we still have an arrangement with inter pol.

Not sure if that helps?

Alternatively have revolving number plates installed, aka mr bond himself!

Of course, this would not prevent an on the spot fines!!

[Merc_Girl]

Further to my previous comment, please see further information below



Exchange of information on road safety-related traffic offences
3.6 The Agreement also provides for the exchange of vehicle and vehicle keeper data for the purpose of investigating certain specific road safety related traffic offences. Prior to the UK's departure from the EU, such information was exchangeable under the Cross Border Exchange Directive (EU/2015/413), which was transposed into UK law by Regulation 27B of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002 and facilitated by the European Car and Driving Licence Information System ("EUCARIS"). Regulation 27B was subsequently revoked by the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 and the UK’s access to EUCARIS ceased from 1 January 2021.

[Alf]

After some further investigations researching a possible trip to Strasbourg, it seems that at least for the moment you can apply for some exemption passes. Not sure if there are similar schemes for all the cities. https://derogations-zfe.strasbourg.eu/

[Merc_Girl]

Unless these are on the spot fines being given, it is very unlikely that our European cousins can track Uk residents as we are no longer part of the mechanism to share data 😁

[stickandrudderman]

I've also heard anecdotally that black/silver plates are illegible to Criminal Khan's cameras.

[Cees Klumper]

Seems to me those who willingly break the law are the criminals (whether they think they can get away with it or not).

[stickandrudderman]

Black/Silver number plates are not illegal provided your car is old enough to wear them.