UK holidaymakers driving in more parts of France this summer risk being fined if they do not buy a windscreen emissions sticker before their trip, a motoring services company has warned.
The RAC said the number of areas across the country which require drivers to display a Crit’Air sticker rose to 12 last month, with the addition of Bordeaux and Clermont-Ferrand.
Motorists who failure to abide by the rule face a fine of 68 euros (£58), which rises to 180 euros (£154) if not paid within 45 days.
Fines will increase to up to 750 euros (£640) from next year when camera-based enforcement begins.
Crit’Air stickers cannot be bought locally.
They must be ordered in advance from a French government website at a cost of 4.61 euros (around £4).
The RAC urged drivers to avoid third-party websites which charge up to six times as much.
There are six different types of sticker, based on a vehicle’s air pollutant emissions.
It’s vital anyone travelling to Europe does their homework— Rod Dennis, RAC
The cleanest electric and hydrogen vehicles require green “0” stickers, while at the opposite end of the spectrum the most polluting diesel vehicles need “5” stickers.
Some areas of France restrict vehicle movements based on their sticker.
The capital, Paris, has the strictest regime, with some roads at specific times only open to cars bearing “0”, “1” or “2” stickers.
The RAC warned that other European countries such as Spain and Switzerland also have increasingly strict emissions regulations.
One country’s emissions sticker is not valid in another, so many UK tourists embarking on road trips covering several destinations will need to have multiple stickers.
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Many UK drivers will be familiar with clean air zones such as London’s ultra low emission zone, but they should also be ready to encounter them abroad this summer.
“It’s vital anyone travelling to Europe does their homework to see whether an emissions-based windscreen sticker is needed – and give themselves enough time to order one before their trip.
“Anyone without the right sticker or driving a non-compliant car into a low-emissions zone risks an on-the-spot fine.
“In France, six years after Crit’Air emissions stickers were first introduced in a bid to improve air quality, there are now 12 locations where British drivers’ movements can be restricted based on how much their cars emit.
“As time goes on, the regulations also get stricter and within a few years all but zero-emission vehicles will be banned from some city centres.”
