With the establishment of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Lyon on January 1, 2025, Crit’Air 3 vehicles will be banned. This is expected to bring a significant change for the residents of Lyon. In fact, according to INSEE, a quarter of the cars currently in circulation are affected.
60,000 cars soon to be banned in the Lyon LEZ
In a recent report, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) explores the consequences of implementing the LEZ in Lyon. Starting from January 1, 2025, vehicles with Crit’Air 3 (or higher) stickers will no longer be able to circulate in the Lyon metropolis. The cities affected are: Lyon, Caluire-et-Cuire, Villeurbanne, Bron, and Vénissieux. This will be a major change for the affected inhabitants.
According to INSEE, this new phase in the Lyon LEZ schedule could ban an additional 60,000 vehicles from entering the zone. The study authors specify that “a quarter of the total LEZ fleet will be banned. In the region, vehicles classified as Crit’Air 3 or higher represent 30% of the fleet. More than a third of vehicles are affected in Vénissieux, and just under a third in Bron.”
A little relief for Crit’Air 2 vehicles
Since January 1, 2024, cars classified as Crit’Air 4 and 5 have already been excluded from the zone. INSEE estimates that this first phase affected “only” 23,000 vehicles (about 7% of the automobile fleet). In total, 200,000 workers enter the LEZ daily for work. “Two-thirds commute by car,” according to the institute. Conversely, residents mainly use public transportation.
Starting from January 1, 2025, owners of a vehicle classified as Crit’Air 3 (or higher) who try to enter the LEZ will face a fine of 68 euros. While the Lyon metropolitan area schedule initially aimed to ban Crit’Air 2 vehicles by January 1, 2026, the deadline has been extended to 2028. This allows residents more time to prepare for this significant new phase.