52 towns unveil diesel ban plan

A TOTAL 52 towns in the Alpes-Maritimes are set to introduce a ban on certain diesel vehicles at times of high pollution.

From next year, drivers in certain towns in the department who own a diesel vehicle that is more than 15 years old will be obliged to display a traffic light-style sticker, which will dictate whether they can drive their vehicle during pollution peaks.

Vehicles displaying a red sticker will be banned from the roads during days of high pollution. Those displaying an orange sticker will be permitted on the roads some of the time, depending on the level of pollution, while those with green stickers will be unaffected.

In a statement, Nice town hall said that mayor Christian Estrosi had been conducting an environmental urban development policy intended to combat air pollution.

The 52 towns are:
Antibes, Aspremont, Auribeau-sur-Siagne, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Berre-les-Alpes, Biot, Cabris, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Cannes, Cantaron, Carros, Castagniers, Châteauneuf-Grasse, Châteauneuf-Villevieille, Colomars, Contes, Drap, Falicon, Gattières, Gourdon, Grasse, La Colle-sur-Loup, La Gaude, La Roquette-sur-Siagne, La Trinité, Le Bar-sur-Loup, Le Cannet, Le Rouret, Le Tignet, Mandelieu-la-Napoule, Mouans-Sartoux, Mougins, Nice, Opio, Pégomas, Peymeinade, Roquefort-Les-Pins, Saint-André-de-la-Roche, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Saint-Jeannet, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, Saint-Paul, Spéracèdes, Théoule-sur-Mer, Tourrette-Levens, Tourrettes-sur-Loup, Valbonne, Vallauris, Vence, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Villeneuve-Loubet

The initiative in the Alpes-Maritimes comes a month after Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo announced plans to ban diesel vehicles from the French capital by 2020, and comes in light of government plans to get tougher on diesel.

Photo: Bob Hall