Name of the environmental zone: Environmental zone Vendée/La Roche-sur-Yon ZPAd - France
Date of entry into effect of the zone: 03-10-2017
Type of environmental zone: Zone of air protection, depending on weather conditions and activated after an early warning stage, if the pollutant values exceed, for example, > 50 µg/m³ for particulate matter and following the Prefect´s decision.
Not allowed to drive (temporarily): Vehicles without a badge and vehicles with insufficient badge class, depending on the level and duration of the air pollution peak.
Not allowed to drive (permanently): Information currently unavailable
Fines: 68-450 €
Area/extension of the environmental zone: The prefectural order concerns the entire Department of Vendée. In case of pollution peak, a specific release will define the borders of the activated zone and the implemented restrictions. The A83 and A87 highways within the Department of Vendée may be affected.
Special features: Depending on the type, duration and level of air pollution, the borders of one or several zones within the department change. The prefect can decide to ban several badge classes from traffic.
Contact of the environmental zone and exceptions: Information currently unavailable
Exemptions: Information currently unavailable
Environmental zone ZPAd
Do I need stickers or registrations?
If there is a peak in air pollution and the ZPAd zone is activated, each affected vehicle requires a valid French environmental sticker (Certificat qualité de l'Air) to enter the low emission zone. Otherwise, a fine of between 68 euros and 375 euros is to be expected.
You can find out whether a ZPAd zone is active and which vignette is affected by the driving ban in our Green-Zones App.
What is a ZPAd zone?
ZPAd ("zone de protection de l'air départementale") are air protection zones that apply to an entire department. It is not possible to define in advance in which local areas within the ZPAd traffic restrictions will occur due to a peak in air pollution. In the event of a peak in air pollution, the respective initial decree provides for specific traffic restrictions, so that only then is the area within the department determined in a specific police decree, in which specific measures are then taken. In theory, even an entire department could be affected by a concrete measure, but this is relatively unlikely.
In any case, the prefect of the department is responsible for imposing driving bans where necessary (e.g. in one or more communes, on a motorway or within the entire department), based on data supplied to him by the regional air protection institute. The Certificat qualité de l'Air Vignette, which must be excluded from traffic, is also decided in these cases.
How do I recognize the low emission zone?
ZPAd zones are only activated temporarily. The size and dimensions of the zone are completely individual. This is determined by the respective prefect, depending on the intensity of air pollution. Therefore there are no special signs for ZPAd zones.
The situation is different for the ZFE zones. There, the beginning and the end of the environmental zones are marked with signs. This shows a red circle as prohibition sign with the remark "Zones à Circulation Restreinte" (Restricted Zone). Who exactly is allowed to enter or not is not indicated by the entry sign.
In our Green Zones App we have a detailed map of each low emission zone. So you can easily see the boundaries and avoid penalties.
Are there other low emission zones in France?
Yes, a lot of them. France has over 30 different environmental zones. These differ in ZFE (permanent), ZPA (temporary) and ZPAd (temporary département) zones.
In our Green Zones App we have gathered together all the low emission zones in Europe and presented them clearly.
Good to know...
All current driving bans and further information are available in our Green-Zones App.
Bio-CNG as an alternative to electricity?
Electricity only has a good carbon footprint as long as it is not produced from fossil fuels. The situation is completely different with biogas, which is produced from renewable raw materials and therefore always has a good carbon footprint. Is biogas ultimately the better alternative to electric?
Portuguese Low Emission Zones explained
In Portugal, the environmental zones are called Zona de Emissões Reduzidas (ZER) (Emission Reduced Zone). There are only two of them, the smaller and stricter one being within the larger one. Both are located in Lisbon and are bordered by the River Tagus to the south.
Taxi industry is being turned upside down
The German Federal Taxi and Hire Car Association (BVTM) has presented a plan to electrify 80 percent of the taxi fleet by 2030. The paper, called Federal Roadmap eTaxi, focuses on promoting, demanding and networking.
Holidays with the motorhome
The Fiat Ducato is one of the most popular vans taken as the basis for a motorhome. But its emission class does not meet all the requirements for a carefree holiday. That is about to change.
Depression due to air pollution
The effects of air pollution not only damage the body, but also the psyche. This is what a Belgian study has found. More people go to the doctor or take sick leave when there is increased air pollution.
Motorbikes cleaner than cars
The Association of European Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) wants to work on significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time, jobs are to be secured, the environment protected and economic growth promoted. As the development of electric motorbikes is still in its infancy, the manufacturers also hope to further develop and use e-fuel.
Permanent Low Emission Zones in France explained
The French system for preventing urban and regional pollution is very comprehensive. France tries to curb air pollution with the help of six stickers called Certificat qualité de l'Air. The stickers categorise the different vehicles according to their pollutant emissions. Older vehicles that produce a lot of exhaust fumes get the worst class 5, or if they are even older, no sticker at all. In the meantime, you need such a sticker in many cities, as otherwise you will no longer have access and will have to pay high fines if you enter anyway.
E-truck from Mercedes goes into series production
The transport industry has realised: With its heavy freighters, it is part of the problem of air pollution both in cities and on the busy routes between cities and distribution centres. Mercedes-Benz has now started to produce its first e-truck in series. And thus has a decisive advantage in Europe's low-emission zones.
How zero-emission zones become a success
One of the biggest challenges facing the electrification of transport is the charging infrastructure. Even if more and more drivers opt for an electric model, it will fail in everyday life due to the lack of sockets on the road. One solution is sockets integrated into street lamps. In Berlin, they already wanted to test this by equipping some street lamps with plugs. In London and Arnhem, they are already further along.
Norway: 25 % luxury tax for electric cars
Anyone who has an electric car in Norway pays hardly any tax on it. This applied to 78 percent of new purchases made so far in 2021 and to 55 percent of purchases in the previous year. Norway thus leads the electric quota in Europe. The citizens of Norway will also have to hurry, because from 2025 onwards, no more passenger cars and light commercial vehicles with internal combustion engines will be allowed to drive in the country.