Crit'Air fines soar in crackdown on slow drivers

Anyone planning on driving in Paris should make sure they have their obligatory Crit'Air sticker before setting off, as tolerance towards those who do not have one has passed.

The stickers have been compulsory on all vehicles in the city since July 1, 2017, for motorists who wish to take their cars into the controlled area of the city - but officials said they would allow car owners a period of grace before issuing fines.

But, that period is over. Le Parisien reports a jump in the number of fines for vehicles without stickers. In the six months immediately after the vignettes became compulsory, 176 fines of between €68 and €135 were issued. Since the beginning of the year, the number of tickets issued has jumped to 3,339.

Read more: Drivers must have air pollution stickers

That figure is set to rise further in the weeks and months ahead, when traffic restrictions in the capital based on Crit'Air stickers are more likely to be imposed as typical late Spring and summer high-pressure weather systems are more likely to lead to spikes in air pollution.

Under Crit'Air rules, vehicles registered before 1997, and those bearing a Crit'Air 5 sticker can no longer drive in an area of Paris inside the périphérique between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday. Other vehicles can also be banned from entering the controlled zone depending on air pollution levels at the time.

The stickers are also compulsory in several other French cities, including Paris, Lille, Lyon, Toulouse, and Grenoble - while other cities and departments are expected to adopt the scheme.

To order a sticker log on to the official Crit'Air website - certificat-air.gouv.fr - and complete the online form. The website has an English-language section.

Since March 1, 2018, the cost of a sticker to a property in metropolitan France has been €3.62. For shipments overseas, to the UK for example, the price is €3.11 plus the cost of postage.