ZFE Montpellier: Two Deputies Want to Abolish It

Sylvain Carrière and Nathalie Oziol, two deputies from Hérault, advocate for the complete abolition of the Montpellier Low Emission Zone (ZFE).

Representatives of the 2nd and 8th constituencies of Hérault have called on the Minister for Ecological Transition and Territories and the President of the Montpellier region regarding the schedule and implementation methods of the ZFE-m. They consider the ZFE-m to disproportionately affect the most vulnerable households.

The Mobility Low Emission Zone, or ZFE-m, is one of the French government’s flagship projects. It aims to fight pollution and improve air quality in cities. Several cities such as Lyon, Rouen, Strasbourg and Paris already have a zone, and this number is expected to reach 43 by 2025. The establishment of these ZFE-m will therefore apply to any city with more than 150,000 inhabitants. It is a measure designed to reduce health risks related to air pollution.

What do NUPES-elected deputies demand regarding the ZFE-m?

Deputies Sylvain Carrière and Nathalie Oziol of the NUPES party call for the complete abolition of the Montpellier ZFE-m. According to them, the zone “exacerbates inequalities” between the most vulnerable households and wealthier households. They have submitted an argument to the Minister of Transition and to the President of Montpellier’s regional council. This argument explains their view of the government’s exclusion policies.

The deputies highlight the difficulties faced by vulnerable households excluded from the city center with their Crit’Air 5 vehicles that are banned in the ZFE-m. Moreover, they emphasize “the hypocrisy” of the metropolitan authority regarding ecological transition. Metropolitan President Michaël Delafosse plans to support new road projects within the Montpellier metropolitan area.

This echoes a speech at a city council meeting on January 25th. Local Montpellier official Alenka Doulain then denounced the ZFE as a measure “of bourgeois ecology”. However, no arguments are provided for improving air quality, which is the main goal of the ZFE.

However, exemptions exist within the ZFE-m for certain vehicles. These allow merchants, public utility vehicles, and owners of collector cars to travel within Montpellier without adhering to circulation restrictions.

What aid is available for the transition to electric?

These protests by Sylvain Carrière and Nathalie Oziol do not take into account the already available support for the Montpellier metropolitan area for the transition. There are two main types of aid:

• National aid such as the eco-bonus, which is available to all individuals and professionals seeking to switch to 100% electric vehicles;
• Local level support programs.

Details about these aids and their conditions are available on the website of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole.

Also read: ZFE Green, a site to clarify the maze of ZFE-m