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Lyon introduces eco-lane!

An eco-lane will be installed in the French metropolis before Christmas. It is intended to reduce traffic through carpooling and thus save more than 22,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Eco-lanes are now becoming more and more popular in European cities. The concept involves reserving lanes for specific vehicles, such as public transport or city vehicles, but also for carpools. This provides incentives to share the car with other road users in order to make faster progress in the less busy eco-lanes.  

From 21 December, an environmental lane will now also be created in Lyon. This will be built on the M6 and M7 over a length of 8 km on the left lane in both directions. The city of Lyon hopes to save more than 22,000 tonnes of CO2 with the concept.  

On the M6 to the north of the metropolitan interchange, the environmental lane will be built between the Guard interchange (Dardilly, exit no. 33) and the Valvert interchange (Tassin-la-Demi-Lune, exit no. 36). On the M7 to the south, it will be located between the A450 and the Musée des Confluences. The environmental lane is reserved for vehicles with at least 2 people in them. Taxis and public transport are also allowed, as well as vehicles with a Certificat qualité de l'Air-E badge. This is only issued to vehicles with hydrogen or purely electric drive.

The regulation is valid on weekdays without time restrictions, i.e. from Sunday evening at midnight until Friday evening at midnight. At weekends, the left lane may be used by all vehicles. The active environmental lane can be recognised by light signals above the carriageway. A white diamond indicates that the environmental lane is active.

The city of Lyon has also developed a system to enable carpooling near the M6 and M7. For this purpose, ten covoit' minute stops have been set up. At these stops, which have been set up at the entrances and exits of the M6 and M7 near the bus stops, travellers can be collected by a driver. In 2021, an additional central stop will be set up near Place Carnot, quai du Docteur Gailleton between rue de Condé and rue des remparts d'Ainay.

The concept of spontaneously carpooling with strangers certainly takes some getting used to for some people. But it could be successful if it makes commuting to work faster and more comfortable.

You can find all the eco-lanes and their regulations in our Green-Zones app and on Green-Zones.eu.