France: Driving restrictions in major cities Feb. 27-28 (air pollution)

Event

Driving restrictions are in effect in the Paris and Lille regions through Wednesday, February 27, and in the Lyon region on Thursday, February 28, due to high levels of air pollution. Only vehicles with "Crit'Air" stickers type 0, 1, 2, or 3 are permitted to drive in designated zones detailed by local authorities. Drivers of cars with type 4 or 5 stickers will face fines.

In Paris, restrictions are in place in areas encompassed by the A86 ring road (not including the ring road itself) until 23:59 (local time) on Wednesday.

In Lille, restrictions are in place until Wednesday at 23:59 in areas encompassed by the A25, A1, A22, and D652 highways (not including the roads themselves). Speed limitations of 110 kph (68 mph) on highways will remain in place until Thursday at 10:00.

In Lyon and Villeurbanne, restrictions will be in place on Thursday beginning at 05:00. A full list of restrictions can be found on the police prefecture website.

Context

Pollution rating stickers - vignettes Crit'Air - became compulsory in 2017 for all registered vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc.) driving in or through Paris and other cities. The stickers come in six colors/numbers according to the amount of pollutants produced by the vehicle (from green to grey/0 to 5).

On a health-related note, elevated air pollution levels could be hazardous to certain groups ‒ e.g. children, seniors, pregnant women, and people suffering from asthma and other respiratory issues. Air pollution can be harmful to heart health and may make it more likely that some people will have a heart attack or stroke.

Advice

Individuals in the affected areas are advised to abide by the instructions issued by the authorities, to expect busier than normal conditions on public transit, and to limit strenuous outdoor activity during  periods of elevated pollution levels due to health concerns.