LEZs in Europe.

Hi Peter,

We spend about 6 months every year touring Europe and have done so for many years. The answer to your query is that it is simple and cheap to comply with the regulations. You only need to bother about 2 countries. Germany and France. It costs about 5 euros each to register your vehicle. If you google emision zones and France or Germany you will get loads of people wanting to charge you rediculus ammounts to do it for you. Google emmision zones Berlin (for germany) of Paris (for France). Both these cities have easy to understand english websites to  help you to register. Basically you scan in a copy of your vehicles log book, pay about 5 euros by credit card and wait for your sticker to arrive. Your vehicle details are enteres in that counties database and you are OK to enter cities according to signage etc. My MH is based on a 2008 2.3l ducato base and ithas been given a Green sticker for Germany and a Yellow one for France. If you carry a motorbike as we do you need to register it in France but not in Germany. Any one heading to the South of France should be aware that if you use the Autoroute through the centre of Lyon parts of it require an emmisions sticker, known as a CritAir in France. Getting old so can't remember what its called in Germany.

John 

Go to Green Zones.eu on your computer and also load the Green Zones App. This app contains all the information (including individual maps) you require to determine whether you can enter low emission zones. As an example in the app go to Germany pick a city e.g. Cologne swipe down and click on "show access status" you will see the requirements for the badge (Umwelt Plakette) that you will be issued with.  Due to your vans age and engine Euro rating  (check this) it is unlikely you will be able to enter many zones in Germany, this isn't necessarily a problem as many are inner areas provided you don`t enter you will be OK. There is a charge for the badge but entry into zones incurs no further payment apart from a fine if you do not have the correct badge.

Belguim also has a couple of zones but can be easily avoided.

I didn’t realise that a CritAir certificate was needed to use the old route through Lyon which we often use. This can be quicker than the signposted peripheral route depending on the time of day. Does it require annual renewal?

You do not need a sticker to use the A6 through Lyon except if you are diverted off and then only if the level of pollution reaches a certain level. 

See the Green Zones App select France. select Lyon swipe down to "Show Access Status" and you can see details for each level of sticker. Today you can drive throughout Lyon with no sticker.

Thanks Tigi.  We did take a wrong turn once and up driving through parts of Lyon we didn't expect. Anyway, I wont be getting a sticker to guard against bad navigation!

We do this trip every year and recently stayed at the site near the A6 and visited Lyon for the day which I highly recommend. The one day travel pass is cheap and covers bus, tram, train and funicular. Generally we find that going South it is a good bet to go the direct route but returning North can be very bad with local traffic so you need to choose your time carefully. The signposted peripheral route is long and tedious with many lorries.