ZFEs, those famous “low emission zones”, we talk about very regularly in the Auto Plus columns, especially recently when they are sometimes, if not often, called into question, particularly by certain elected officials.
However, these restrictions apply to an increasing number of cities and, as a result, more and more French people are also concerned.
A device that raises many questions from the French
But according to a recent study by Opinionway for Aramisauto, today less than one in two low-income families (46%) own a vehicle with a Crit’Air sticker, allowing them to drive in all regions.
This number, which may seem high, is mainly explained lack of knowledge about the Crit’Air system that remainswith more than four in ten low-income households admitting they don’t know their car’s Crit’Air (42%).
As several elected officials pointed out a few months ago, these ZFEs could be a vector of a “social divide” between the most modest, who cannot change to a newer and adapted model, and the wealthiest, who can more easily change cars. choosing, in particular, electric.
The French doubt the interest of ZFE
For most low-income households, the car remains the main tool for daily travel (90%), especially to get to work (75%).
And among the owners of the Crit’Air 4 and Crit’Air 5 models, which are already banned from circulation in the ZFE, 36% of them are ready to use a car, despite the driving ban. However, fewer of them consider it compared to last year (-6 points).
In general, among the French there is also a certain distrust of these ZEPs. In fact, 73% believe it is more of a restriction on motorists than a good measure for the environment. 39% of French also express real doubts about the effectiveness of measures to reduce pollution in the city. And despite all the political speeches about these ZFEs, 94% of Ile-de-France residents believe that this is a system aimed at forcing the renewal of the car fleet.
Read also:
• ZFE: According to some, they would benefit the automotive industry
• ZFE radars: how to spot them accurately?
• ZFE: What is the future impact on our way of life?
Source: Auto Plus
Robert is an experienced journalist who has been covering the automobile industry for over a decade. He has a deep understanding of the latest technologies and trends in the industry and is known for his thorough and in-depth reporting.