VIDEO. Toll barriers on the A13 between Paris and Normandy: it's over!

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For two nights, between December 9 and 11, 2024, on the toll stations, entrances and exits of the A13 motorwaymore than 200 people were on the ground to switch the axis linking Paris and Normandy into free flow. A change involving the disappearance of toll barriers and new automations to take to pay for your trip.

” It is the biggest revolution of the A13 motorway and even highways in France since they existed. We have been stopping at tolls for 60 years, since 5 a.m. this morning, we no longer stop,” underlined Arnaud Quémard, the general director of the Sanef group, on the air of Sanef 107.7. A big change what confirms François Cornierdirector of construction at Sanef, recalling:

This is the first time in France that an existing highway has been converted into a free flow.

For Sanef, this shift includes several benefits like the fluidity and one reduction of the environmental footprintallowing for example to “save 30 minutes» on a journey between Paris and Caen on busy days, save 30,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions but also, ultimately, “ return 28 hectares to nature ».

Payment within 72 hours

With the free flow, no more stops at the toll: payment is made after the trip. In fact, physical toll barriers are replaced by porticos equipped with sensors and cameras . “Technology makes it possible to photograph the plates registrationand to detect the presence of an electronic toll badge which must be well positioned on the windshield. Each vehicle is thus identifiedand the amount of the toll is calculated according to its category and the journey taken,” specifies Sanef.

Payment is made once the entire journey is completed, within 72 hours . « Pour payerthere exists several solutions », recalls François Cornier who details: with the electronic toll badge “ well positioned » ; on the Sanef website where you can create your customer account and associate your license plate “which allows you to receive notifications by SMS to remember to pay” or trigger a direct debit if you register your credit card; finally it is possible to pay in a physical point of sale of the Nirio network, in tobacco shops.

To avoid inconvenience and fines, the signage has been reinforced along the 210 km of A13. “We have more than 200 panels which have been installed, and large additional banners of 20 by 3 meters will be deployed to draw attention to this change”, specifies François Cornier who recognizes that this new automatic payment system may take a few months, recalling that the first late payment gives rise to a reminder letter granting an exceptional additional period.

Since 2018, we have had a first free-flow barrier, in the east of France, in Boulay, and we know that it takes several months before 95% of motorists spontaneously pay their toll. Of the 8 million users who use this route between Paris and Normandy each year, 80% use it occasionally. We know that there is a whole audience to reach who are not recurring motorway users.

From temporary lanes to dismantling of toll sites

If the free flow switch is operational, all the work is not finished, since the toll structures are still present. “Currently, at the toll location, motorists travel on a temporary lane limited to 70 km/h», explains François Cornier.

The circulation will switch to the centeron new redeveloped lanes, without toll barriers or traffic restrictions, before mid-2026. Until then, demolition workbarriers will be carried out from spring 2025. The project will be definitively completed in 2027, after thedemolitionof theprovisional wayandbuildingsfor deartificialization.

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