The “voluntarist” scenario once envisaged by the metropolis of Bordeaux for the establishment of a ZFE (Low Emissions Zone), seems well and truly buried. As the vice-president in charge of energy transition Claudine Bichet (EELV) already hinted, last November in our columns, only vehicles categorized Crit’Air 4 and 5 [c’est-à-dire les moteurs diesel d’avant 2006 et les essence d’avant 1997] should not be concerned at first, announced this Wednesday the president of Bordeaux Métropole, Alain Anziani. And only from 2025, after a blank run in 2024.
“The big question is: do we want to regenerate a phenomenon like the yellow vests? worries Alain Anziani. The president of the metropolis thinks “of the inhabitants of Langon or the north of the Gironde who cannot afford to change vehicles” and to whom we will say: “you can no longer enter the metropolis. »
As a reminder, the ZFE must gradually exclude the most polluting vehicles from the circulation of large cities, in application of the “Climate and Resilience” law. Several cities, such as Strasbourg and Toulouse, have already started to set them up on their territory.
“Moving forward without fear”
Despite the fear of a return of “yellow vests”, the metropolis is however forced by law to set up a ZFE by 2025. And Alain Anziani assures that he is convinced of the merits of this measure. “I don’t know if there are 600 deaths a year in mainland France due to pollution, what is certain is that there are deaths due to pollution. Our life expectancy is also reduced by two to three years due to pollution. It is really a health issue, beyond being an issue of ecological transition, and it must be done in the interest of the population. But we have to explain it. »
The president of the metropolis therefore insists on the “progressive” nature of the measure. “If we only target Crit’Air 4 and 5 initially, for real implementation in 2025, this only concerns 7 to 8% of the car fleet in Gironde. It is important, and it will be necessary that we accompany these motorists in the change of their vehicle, but it is not monstrous either. We must be able to move forward without fear on this path. »
The minutes drawn up only from 2025
The choices will be decided around the month of June, at the end of the consultation which is in progress. “The only decision taken for the moment is the perimeter – the intra-ringroad, recalls Alain Anziani. For the rest, we will certainly move towards an educational scenario, that is to say that in 2023 we will do consultation, in 2024 we will set up the ZFE, but blank so as not to surprise the inhabitants, and in 2025 we will really apply the measure, with reports at 68 euros which will be drawn up for offenders. »
And after ? “The Crit’Air 3 thumbnail, we’ll see later” sweeps Alain Anziani. “We must above all look at the accompanying measures” to help the motorists concerned to change vehicles. According to the scenarios, these could cost “between 40 and 100 million euros. »
“We must also look at the exemptions that we grant, continues the president of the metropolis. Should we go as far as Toulouse, where neither craftsmen nor merchant suppliers are affected by the ZFE? That’s a lot of people though. But perhaps we should imagine passes for people who rarely go to the metropolis. It will be a big deal, there is a risk of yellow vests, but I think we can manage to dissipate it… ”