France: Driving restrictions in Paris June 22 (air pollution)

Event

Driving restrictions will be in effect in the Paris region on Thursday, June 22, between 05:30 and midnight (local time) in a bid to reduce high levels of air pollution. The restrictions are currently set to expire at the end of the day but could be prolonged into the coming days if pollution levels do not fall. Only vehicles with "Crit'Air" stickers type 0, 1, 2, or 3 will be permitted to drive in the zone encompassed by the A86 ring road (not including the highway itself). Drivers of cars with type 4 or 5 stickers will face fines.

Context

As a reminder, pollution rating stickers - vignettes Crit'Air - became compulsory for French-registered vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc.) driving in or through Paris beginning in mid-January 2017, and became obligatory for foreign-registered vehicles on April 1. The stickers come in six colors/numbers according to the amount of pollutants produced by the vehicle (from green to grey/0 to 5).

On a health-related note, these conditions could be hazardous to certain groups - e.g. children, seniors, pregnant women, and people suffering from asthma and other respiratory issues. Air pollution can be harmful to heart health and may make it more likely that some people will have a heart attack or stroke.

Advice

Individuals in the Paris region are advised to abide by the instructions issued by the authorities, to expect busier than normal conditions on public transit, and to limit strenuous outdoor activity for health reasons.