After a first successful experiment in Allier, barrier-free tolls are continuing their deployment in France. This technological revolution, which promises fluidity and ecological gains, is however debated.
Two years after its inauguration on the A79 in Allier, free-flow tolling is gaining ground. A few weeks after the deployment on the A14 in the Paris region, the Sanef concessionaire revealed to Journal du Net the date of the implementation of this system on a new motorway.
With free-flow tolling, the concept is simple: no more traditional toll barriers where you have to stop. Portals equipped with cameras and sensors detect the passage of vehicles, identify their license plate and category. For holders of an electronic toll badge, nothing changes: the debit remains automatic. For others, payment must be made within 72 hours of purchase, either online or at a tobacconist in the Nirio network.
The advantages highlighted are numerous. “By removing the need to slow down sharply and stop, free-flow tolling provides a smoother journey,” explains the Ministry of Transport. The system would also allow a significant reduction in fuel consumption, estimated at 9.5 million liters per year thanks to the elimination of stopping and restarting phases.
However, the device is not unanimous. The consumer defense association UFC-Que Choisir sounded the alarm in February 2023, pointing out several dysfunctions: lack of information along the highway, difficulties in accessing the website for payment and a system severe overcharging for occasional users.
User testimonies confirm these concerns. In an interview with Capital magazine, Jean-François Vermont recounts his misadventure: “475 euros for 21 kilometers of motorway, who can pay such an amount?” protests this motorist whose initial bill of 10.60 euros was is seen increased due to late payment. The penalty system is particularly criticized: after the regulatory 72 hours, an increase of 90 euros applies, followed by a possible fine of 375 euros in the event of non-regularization.
It is in this context that the Sanef company announces a new major step: the A13, a strategic axis linking Paris to Normandy, will switch to free flow in mid-December 2024. 210 kilometers of this major axis will thus become the longest section French motorway equipped with this system.
This transformation is part of a broader plan to modernize the French motorway network. In accordance with the 2019 mobility orientation law, free-flow tolling is expected to become widespread. On the one hand, existing motorways will gradually be redeveloped, such as the A14 and soon the A13. On the other hand, all new motorway concessions will have to integrate this system, like the A79.
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