In Lille, €2 are paid for each avoided car trip

The Lille European Metropolis announces the launch of an “Ecobonus.” It will reward drivers who give up their cars or carpool.

The Lille metropolitan area will pay motorists willing to carpool or abandon their cars for alternative transportation. The Ecobonus will be implemented starting next year, on the A1 and A23 highways. It will only be valid during peak hours, i.e., from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the morning and from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the afternoon.

For each avoided car trip, the metropolitan area will pay €2, up to €80 per month. The reward can only be received by those who typically travel alone on the relevant routes during the specified times. To qualify, they must carpool, use public transportation, work remotely, opt for soft mobility options, or take a mixed trip where the car is only used to reach a train station. The Ecobonus will also be awarded to those who delay or advance their car trips to avoid peak hours.

Lille Ecobonus: documents to be provided

Before paying the €2, the metropolitan area will verify that the motorist is genuinely participating by requesting proof. The document must be submitted via a mobile application.

“With Ecobonus, we are responding to the climate emergency with concrete action: rewarding everyone who no longer uses their vehicle to travel on the congested main highways of MEL, in favor of soft mobility, carpooling, remote work, and shifting their arrival and departure times. It is an opportunity to directly influence user behavior, reward them to improve air quality“, explains Damien Castelain, President of MEL.

The Ecobonus will be in place from September 2023 to June 2024. Before that, interested drivers must indicate their interest between March and May 2023.

See also: Carpooling: a €100 bonus for beginners