If Your Car Was Built Before 1997, You Won't Be Able To Drive In Paris
The French capital’s issues with pollution have been well documented, as have the city’s attempts to deal with it. A couple of years ago there was a bizarre experimental system coming into play where you’d only be allowed to drive on particular days based on the number your registration plate starts with, and there’s also been the creation of more pedestrian-only zones. But the latest move is the most drastic: starting 1 July, any cars registered before 1997 will be banned from the city centre on weekdays, along with motorbikes built before 1999.
Ignore the ban, and you’re looking at a €35 fine, rising to €78 at the start of 2017. The cars affected are thought to make up about 10 per cent of the capital’s cars, but given advances in emissions controls over the years, that could amount to a big reduction in smog. The measures are set to get a lot more drastic too: from 2020, Paris will ban any vehicle registered before 2010 from entering the city centre.
With pollution levels in Paris among the worst across Europe drastic measures are needed, but the move won’t be popular, particularly as it’ll penalise poorer motorists unable to afford a car new enough to escape the pre-1997 ban and the eventual pre-2010 ban.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
London wanted to try something like that didn’t they? Didn’t work out if I remember right
Their loss. There’s no reason to go there anyway.
But what about Disney World? /s
I live near Paris, and I drive a 1990 BMW E30. I think this law is good. This city doesn’t need our cars, and our cars don’t need this city.
With all these emission scandals those pre-1997 cars pollute much less :p
Not really.
To be fair to it. Its not like driving a car in Paris is exactly the best way of getting around.
True, I went on holiday to Paris last year and I found the best way to travel was by taking the metro everywhere and walking
Nope. Fastest is biking. Even on a motorbike I’m not always faster than when I’m cycling. But I still love riding my car by night when there is nobody, the city is beautiful when empty
Yet another brilliant idea of the environ-mentally handicapped.
I see what you did there. Hehe…
Like thats ever going to happen lol
It IS happening.
2010 is absurd. I can understand the 1997 ban but many people cannot afford to buy a car newer than a 2010.
They said that by 2020 so in 2020 it will be 2010 or newer, but it’s still a bit expensive
So I can’t drive F40 and F1 there ?
I can’t drive them anywhere else as well
You can on weekends. Also I imagine driving an F40 in dense traffic isn’t that fun. From my understanding the engine has a loud droning noise, the car gets incredibly warm inside and the seats are probably not the most comfortable to sit in when driving that slow.
That’s completely ridiculous, most of those “old” cars pollute much less than the recent big diesel cars (V12 TDI Q7, for example…)
They really don’t. If that V12 passes modern emissions tests it means its significantly cleaner than a 4-pot from the late 90s.