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The Senate has just publish the results of a large online consultation whose objective was to understand the general feeling about the deployment of low emission zones (ZFE). Result: the French have expressed their dissatisfaction and say they are largely opposed to the deployment of the EPZs.
Between April 17 and May 14, 2023, the French had the opportunity to respond to the consultation initiated by the Senate about EPZs, this perimeter in which the most polluting vehicles are not allowed to circulate, permanently or temporarily, in large agglomerations. The results of this survey reveal the very low acceptability ” Population. In effect, 86% of individuals say to themselves ” unfavorable to the deployment of EPZs.
Proof that the subject interests the French, this online consultation shows a record participation rate according to the senators. Indeed, never had a senatorial consultation gathered so many opinions: 51,300 citizens played the game (93% individuals and 7% professionals). According to the results of this survey, the main fear expressed by the French would be the widening of social and territorial inequalities.
1 – Results of the consultation on mobility low emission zones #ZFEm
In April, the #ComDevDurSénat opened a consultation to analyze the implementation of this system.
More than 50,000 people participated, a record for a Senate consultation. pic.twitter.com/VnPZ3afVyb
— Senate (@Senate) May 25, 2023
According to Philippe Tabarot (LR), senator for the Alpes-Maritimes and rapporteur for the control mission on the ZFEs, “ this success testifies to the many concerns that this device generates among the French “. In concrete terms, 86% of individuals and 79% of professionals having answered say to themselves ” opposed to the deployment of EPZs “. Moreover, some cities have already backtracked. This is particularly the case of Lyon or Reims.
In February, Bruno Bernard, ecologist president of the Metropolis of Lyon, announced that the ZFE schedule would be relaxed. A few weeks later, it was the mayor of Reims, Arnaud Robinet, and the president of Greater Reims, Catherine Vautrin, who communicated on the establishment of a five-year moratorium for this measurement. Among the testimonies collected within the framework of the senatorial consultation, some citizens believe that it is a question of ” a technocratic measure which, moreover, creates a real break in equal access to the city center depending on whether you are well off or not ».
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Initially, the generalization of ZFEs in France was provided for by law to entry into force in 2025, in the 43 agglomerations of more than 150,000 inhabitants. According to analysts who have looked at the results of the consultation, “ the feeling varies a lot from one socio-professional category to another, 25% of executives being in favor of EPZs against 11% of employees and 4% of workers ».
It can be seen that the first obstacle to the deployment of ZFEs is the cost of acquiring clean vehicles. 77% of individuals still consider it too high. Then comes the accessibility of the metropolis deemed insufficient from peri-urban or rural areas and the too rapid implementation of traffic restrictions.
5 – On this subject, the consultation also shows that the information on the aid provided for acquiring a clean vehicle is considered insufficient by a large majority of professionals. pic.twitter.com/p0er8WN3Iu
— Senate (@Senate) May 25, 2023
