FOCUS – The anti-pol­lu­tion disc will be tes­ted in Grenoble from November. Not only in Grenoble, but also in Voironnais and Grésivaudan, all vehicles will have to dis­play the cor­rect colou­red disc, in order to be able to cir­cu­late freely during peak pol­lu­tion periods.

Grenoble will be the first city to take part in the expe­riment. The cer­ti­fi­cates of air qua­lity, more com­monly known as anti-pol­lu­tion discs, will be imple­men­ted from November 2015. Along with Strasbourg, unk­no­win­gly elec­ted, Grenoble is about to test the disc that, accor­ding to its colour, will open or close the city gates to vehicles.

The new disc in front of a pol­lu­ting die­sel vehicle. © Paul Turenne – pla​ce​gre​net​.fr

Parking and traf­fic cal­ming mea­sures are to be imple­men­ted, during peaks in pol­lu­tion levels ; the expe­riment will last for two months, up to the end of the year. « The idea is to gra­duate the mea­sures », says Yann Mongaburu, vice pre­sident in charge of metro­po­li­tan tra­vel. « Today, it’s ‘all or nothing’ and we need to take non-concer­ted action ! »

The idea is also to anti­ci­pate pol­lu­tion peaks. For example, limi­ting the maxi­mum speed on motor­ways to 70 km/h before the pol­lu­tion level increases, and not three days later…

No disc for pre-2006 die­sel and pre-1997 petrol vehicles

Following the minis­ter’s green light, the agglo­me­ra­tion was given one month to fina­lize its mea­sures. But already, some vehicles should be left in the garage…

Anti-pol­lu­tion discs to arrive in the Grenoble metro­po­lis in November

In Grenoble, the discs are sepa­ra­ted into seven colours, ran­king them from the least to the most pol­lu­tant vehicles. Top of the class ? The elec­tric vehicle. Bad stu­dents ? Diesel vehicles regis­te­red before 2006 and petrol vehicles from before 1997. These represent 30% of vehicles and do not even have the right to a disc…

Punishment ? Alternative mea­sures will be put in place, such as free public trans­port during high pol­lu­tion per­iods, but once again, eve­ry­thing is anticipation.

In a few days, all vehicle owners in the Grenoble area, as well as in Voironnais and Grésivaudan, will receive a disc in their mail­box, free of charge, com­plete with an expla­na­tion about the device

Lyon moto­rists pro­hi­bi­ted to circulate

The others ? What about dri­vers from Lyon, among others, who have not yet tes­ted the disc them­selves, in their own region ? “The disc is a kind of appro­val to cir­cu­late”, resumes Yann Mongaburu. “Those who don’t have it will not be able to circulate.”

Yann Mongaburu, vice pre­sident in charge of metro­po­li­tan tra­vel. © Paul Turenne – pla​ce​gre​net​.fr

All that remains is to enforce the device. How ? The cho­sen action is at best vague. “The ques­tion is not to punish ; sanc­tion is not the aim of the ope­ra­tion. It is to help the citi­zens to take up the chal­lenge. They do not unders­tand our inac­tion, but moto­rists are the first vic­tims of pollution.”

As well as being tes­ted in the metro­po­li­tan area, Voironnais and Grésivaudan will also be concer­ned. To the north and south of Grenoble, mea­sures will also be implemented.

This device will not appeal to eve­ryone, but per­haps it will prevent his­tory repea­ting itself. Indeed, in November 2012, schools had to can­cel cross coun­try run­ning in Grenoble, because of pollution.

Patricia Cerinsek

Traduction from Speak English Center

Phone : +33 4 76 50 39 79

1 ave­nue du Vercors, 38600 Fontaine FRANCE