Anyone heard of Crit-Air?

[coldel]

I am heading off on a road trip next weekend, will be stopping in Strasbourg and its suddenly been brought to my attention this https://www.crit-air.fr/en.html

Reading through Strasbourg is listed as a ZPA which means if pollution is bad, then our group will need to get vignettes to arrive/leave our hotel overnight as we enter then leave the outer suburbs of Strasbourg where the hotel is.

Any advice? I noticed that it doesn't allow vignettes for pre 1997 cars which mine is, does that mean that if the ZPA gets announced whilst there I cannot drive the car out the hotel and on to the next destination?

Never heard anyone mention this on any Euro road trip before...so struggling to work out what the scenarios are here...

[TooMany2cvs]

Crit'air is the French emission sticker you need to get into various urban centres. It's based on the Euro emissions level - 1997 is the start of Euro2.

https://www.crit-air.fr/en/information-about-the-c...

I think historics get a pass on it - for French cars, it'd be based on being Carte Grise (V5C) Collection, but for UK-reg being 40yo "Historic" tax class would do it.

Edited by TooMany2cvs on Monday 23 July 12:26

[coldel]

TooMany2cvs said:

Crit'air is the French emission sticker you need to get into various urban centres. It's based on the Euro emissions level - 1997 is the start of Euro2.

https://www.crit-air.fr/en.html

Thanks, yes I read that on the link in my OP. What isn't clear is what if you car is pre-1997, can you simply not drive it or is it exempt? We will be in a hotel on the outskirts of Strasbourg for less than 24 hours (arrive 5pm Sunday leave 8am Monday) how do we get a sticker delivered in that time?

[TooMany2cvs]

coldel said:

What isn't clear is what if you car is pre-1997, can you simply not drive it or is it exempt?

Can't drive.

Well, can, but it'll get expensive...

coldel said:

We will be in a hotel on the outskirts of Strasbourg for less than 24 hours (arrive 5pm Sunday leave 8am Monday) how do we get a sticker delivered in that time?

Strasbourg is just ZPA, to date, so it'll only be an issue if the air's really bad on that day.
https://www.crit-air.fr/en/information-about-the-c...

There is a central ZCR coming, but not yet.
https://www.crit-air.fr/en/information-about-the-c...

[coldel]

TooMany2cvs said:

Strasbourg is just ZPA, to date, so it'll only be an issue if the air's really bad on that day.
https://www.crit-air.fr/en/information-about-the-c...

There is a central ZCR coming, but not yet.
https://www.crit-air.fr/en/information-about-the-c...

OK thanks, well thats just bloody ridiculous. My car gives out a lot less pollution than your average range rover with a sticker on it.

So how do the others get stickers if we arrive on Sunday and then it says Monday is a ZPA day? How do we get them for Monday 8am?

[Truckosaurus]

You'll only need the sticker if Monday is declared a pollution day (which will be announced the day before).

BTW Official site is this one => https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/demande-ext/...

[coldel]

Truckosaurus said:

You'll only need the sticker if Monday is declared a pollution day (which will be announced the day before).

BTW Official site is this one => https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/demande-ext/...

If you order that that sticker be delivered out to a hotel on Sunday will it be there on Monday?

[TooMany2cvs]

coldel said:

OK thanks, well thats just bloody ridiculous. My car gives out a lot less pollution than your average range rover with a sticker on it.

It's not exactly a new concept - Germany have been doing it for years, London's been doing it for trucks for years and soon for cars.

[Truckosaurus]

coldel said:

If you order that that sticker be delivered out to a hotel on Sunday will it be there on Monday?

Mine took a few weeks to arrive (3 or 4 from memory) so I doubt it.

Looking at the Paris zone (which is the only permanent one) Sundays seem to be ok for all 'cars' and the weekday zone starts 8am, so from your plans seem to fit in with that - even if there is a 'ban' in place on the Monday.

[krisdelta]

Truckosaurus said:

coldel said:

If you order that that sticker be delivered out to a hotel on Sunday will it be there on Monday?

Mine took a few weeks to arrive (3 or 4 from memory) so I doubt it.

Looking at the Paris zone (which is the only permanent one) Sundays seem to be ok for all 'cars' and the weekday zone starts 8am, so from your plans seem to fit in with that - even if there is a 'ban' in place on the Monday.

Just to add, you get a PDF emailed to you within @24hours showing that you've applied - so you can show any interested parties in France, if needed. Make sure you buy from the official site - there are lots of agency type sites charging 10x the cost (€4.41).

[coldel]

We are likely to take our money elsewhere, we can cancel the hotel at 24 hours notice so looks like its going to be a case of late change of plans. We cannot get the vignettes in time (as I understand it we need to have one even if there is no ZPA announcement in place)

[landmarker]

I would take a chance in this instance.

This will only apply to you after 8am on the Monday, in the city, and from what I've seen enforcement is almost non-existent outside of Paris

[Truckosaurus]

coldel said:

.... (as I understand it we need to have one even if there is no ZPA announcement in place)

that's not how I read it, but the various websites (official or not) are so poorly worded (as they all want to sell the stickers) it is hard to tell.

During my 2 visits to Le Mans this summer I didn't see any French cars with the stickers, just British cars. (but Paris is the closest zone, until Rouen joins later this year)

[coldel]

Truckosaurus said:

coldel said:

.... (as I understand it we need to have one even if there is no ZPA announcement in place)

that's not how I read it, but the various websites (official or not) are so poorly worded (as they all want to sell the stickers) it is hard to tell.

During my 2 visits to Le Mans this summer I didn't see any French cars with the stickers, just British cars. (but Paris is the closest zone, until Rouen joins later this year)

I cannot understand how you can react in a day to get a sticker, so must need them permanently?

[coldel]

Am quite confused now - wish there was a simply explanation on a site somewhere. Got a response from a lady in a company in Germany that monitors this and said you can drive in the zones on days there is no air pollution without a ticket, but I cannot understand how you can order one in time. Also none of the companies work weekends so you cannot do anything about it over weekends.

Seems like we are going to have to take a chance and risk the 68 euro fine...

[Truckosaurus]

There's no expiry date on the sticker so the idea is that you order it once and it'll last for several trip (or until they change the system - as I said elsewhere they seem to have got the numbering system the wrong way around as there's no way to add a new category when another EURO emission category comes along).

[krisdelta]

Just apply via the official site https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/demande-ext/... and pay €4.41 and by tomorrow night you'll have an email PDF version of the sticker you can show any enforcement folks, in lieu of the actual sticker arriving in a few weeks. Cheap insurance policy against bureaucracy

[coldel]

krisdelta said:

Just apply via the official site https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/demande-ext/... and pay €4.41 and by tomorrow night you'll have an email PDF version of the sticker you can show any enforcement folks, in lieu of the actual sticker arriving in a few weeks. Cheap insurance policy against bureaucracy

Yes I think the chaps are going to do that. Unfortunately my older car (which puts out a lot less pollution than the C63, 3.2l Porsche etc that will be in our convoy!) doesn't qualify to get a vignette.

Its not realistic to literally sit and wait out any ZPA enforcement so will need to take a chance and just go for it.

[TooMany2cvs]

coldel said:

...my older car (which puts out a lot less pollution than the C63, 3.2l Porsche etc that will be in our convoy!)...

I wouldn't bet on that.

Euro emission caps are all in g/km, not in %ages.

[coldel]

TooMany2cvs said:

coldel said:

...my older car (which puts out a lot less pollution than the C63, 3.2l Porsche etc that will be in our convoy!)...

I wouldn't bet on that.

Euro emission caps are all in g/km, not in %ages.

Happy to take that bet, given I know what cars they have and what I have. £100 just to make it easy on you? I take Paypal.

Anyway, solution is partial, they are putting it through the process and taking evidence of purchase, I will be taking a 68 euro fine in the event of bad day and police around.