Recover vehicles from the conversion bonus to rent them at a lower cost to the most precarious households in rural areas: this is the subject of a bill from environmentalist senators, presented on Monday. “It seems totally absurd that so many cars are systematically destroyed” when they are destined for the scrapyard, protests the leader of the environmentalist senators Guillaume Gontard.
The group, which will probably include this proposal on the agenda during its next parliamentary “niche” in December, intends to authorize communities to recover the least polluting vehicles eligible for the conversion bonus, to make them benefit people “socially disadvantaged” through “low-cost” vehicle rental systems in rural areas. Several associations throughout France already offer this type of service, relying mainly on vehicle donations.
“This meets a real need”
The conversion bonus system allows individuals, subject to income conditions, to obtain assistance to acquire a low-polluting vehicle in exchange for scrapping an old vehicle. “It is a very concrete tool, a common sense device which responds to a real need”, explained Guillaume Gontard, during a press conference held by videoconference from a solidarity garage in Romans-sur-Isère (Drôme) .
Environmentalist senators are hopeful of convincing their parliamentary colleagues: in 2021, a similar amendment was adopted in the chamber against the advice of the government, as part of the “climate and resilience” law, before being abandoned during negotiations between senators and deputies in a joint committee.