For fairer EPZs: we breathe the same air but we don’t have the same salary!

From 1 ^er January 2025, nearly 10 million cars will be banned from circulation due to the establishment of Low Emission Zones (ZFE) in the 45 largest French cities. This concerns vehicles classified as Critair 3, i.e. cars put into circulation before 2005 for petrol engines and 2010 for diesel engines. This measure responds to the imperatives of improving air quality and reducing emissions of fine particles, which each year lead to more than 40,000 premature deaths.

But this ban on old cars will penalize the working classes who cannot afford to buy a newer car. However, the aid offered by the State and the communities remains very insufficient and varies from one metropolis to another. The inhabitants of the outskirts, “first on duty” living outside the towns where they work because of the cost of housing, are most often excluded from aid managed by the communities since they do not live there.

Millions of French people will soon be unable to travel. This explosive situation can degenerate into a major social conflict. If action must be taken to improve air quality, it must be done without penalizing the working classes. This is why we, elected communists from metropolises and agglomerations, are formulating proposals that are both ecological and social in scope to help households buy less polluting cars and develop alternatives to the individual car, in particular with public transport. common rail and road.

We propose to strengthen state aid for conversion: every household should be entitled to aid of €10,000 to buy a newer car, classified Critair 1 or 2, at an affordable price, new or used. The State must also offer zero-interest loans to support this household effort and grant exemptions (large families, elderly people). Finally, we must tackle the blind spot of the reduction of fine particles: the reduction at source of the particles emitted during the braking of cars by requiring the installation of capture systems on all cars.

Fairer and more effective traffic restrictions must also be considered: plug-in hybrid vehicles, the false nose of ecology, must no longer be eligible for public aid for conversion and a greater penalty must apply to private vehicles heavier.

At the same time as these adjustments, the public authorities must make major investments to develop less polluting alternative forms of mobility and to enable travel other than by car: 7 billion euros per year are needed to establish free urban transport – a measure which could be financed by a reform of the mobility payment, the rate of which would be progressive and based on the salaries and resources of the companies concerned. The fight against inequalities therefore mainly involves public policies aimed at providing better service to populations living in peri-urban or sparsely populated areas and improving the coordination of the various modes of transport (correspondences and adapted timetables). Investments for the creation and development of metro networks (Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille, Lyon, etc.), trams and buses must also be increased by 3 billion euros per year. It is also essential to commit 5 billion euros of additional investment per year, in particular to develop interurban rail links and TER. Finally, it is necessary to invest 1 billion euros per year to create cycle facilities in dense urban areas – investments that are relatively inexpensive and quick to implement to promote a mode of transport that is non-polluting and more efficient than the car for journeys of less than 5 km (and 10 km by electric bike).

We, elected communists and citizens, will participate in the debates in the cities concerned to defend these proposals and lead the battle for social justice and the environment.

First signatories:

Jacques Baudrier, deputy mayor of Paris, metropolitan councilor for Greater Paris (75) co-host of the PCF national “mobility” commission

Nicolas BERON PEREZMunicipal Councilor and Vice-President of Grenoble-Alpes Métropole (38)

Linda BOUCHICHA Deputy Mayor of Martigues, Metropolitan Councilor Aix Marseille Provence (13)

Ian BROSSATDeputy Mayor of Paris, Metropolitan Councilor for Greater Paris (75)

Emilie CABELLOdeputy mayor of Montpellier, delegate for universal accessibility, metropolitan councilor (34)

Patrick Casesregional councilor of Occitanie (66)

Yasmina CHADLI, Advisor to the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg and Municipal Councilor of Strasbourg (67)

Cyril CINEUX, Deputy Mayor of Clermont-Ferrand and Metropolitan Councilor of Clermont Métropole (63)

Jean-Marc COPPOLA, deputy to the mayor of Marseille, metropolitan councilor Aix Marseille Provence (13)

Raphael DEBUmetropolitan councilor of Lyon (69)

Zoe DESBUREAUXmunicipal and metropolitan councilor of Amiens (80)

Olivier ESCOTSDeputy Mayor of Bordeaux and Metropolitan Councilor of Bordeaux Métropole (33)

Bruno Ferriermunicipal councilor and community councilor of Nîmes Métropole (30)

Jean-Claude FEUGASmunicipal councilor of Lormont, metropolitan councilor of Bordeaux Métropole (33)

Gerard FRAU, deputy mayor of Martigues and metropolitan councilor Aix Marseille Provence (13)

Agnes FRESCHEL, Deputy Mayor of the 1st sector of Marseille and vsMetropolitan Councilor Aix Marseille Provence (13)

Pierre Garzon, Mayor of Villejuif (94), co-host of the PCF’s national « mobility » commission

Jean-Luc GIBELINVice-President of the Occitanie Region in charge of mobility for all and transport infrastructure (30)

Clara GIMENEZVice-President for City Policy, Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole (34)

Eric GUELLEC, Deputy Mayor of Brest, President of the group of elected Communists of Brest metropolis (29)

patrick HATZIGdelegate municipal councilor and Vice-President of the Métropole du Grand Nancy (54)

Pierre LACAZEMunicipal and metropolitan councilor in Toulouse (31)

Patrice LECLERC, Mayor of Gennevilliers, President of the Front de Gauche group and citizens of the Métropole du Grand Paris (92)

Hervé MARTINDeputy Mayor of Montpellier, Metropolitan Councilor and President of the Communist and Republican group at the town hall of Montpellier (34)

Claude MELLIERVice-President for road and rail infrastructure of Bordeaux Métropole (33)

Lucy MIZOULEDelegate Municipal Councilor and Metropolitan Councilor in Clermont Auvergne Métropole (63)

Andre Molino, Mayor of Septèmes-les-Vallons, metropolitan councilor Aix Marseille Provence (13)

Nathalie NailMunicipal and Community Councilor of Le Havre (76)

Alain PAGANOhead of the PCF’s ecology commission

Christian Pellicani 1st deputy mary of sector 1/7 Marseille, metropolitan councilor Aix Marseille Provence (13)

Morand PERRINmunicipal councilor in charge of soft mobility for the City of Nancy (54)

Edith PUGNETMayor of Cabestany and community councilor of the agglomeration of Perpignan (66)

George Rosso, Mayor of Le Rove, Vice-President of the Aix Marseille Provence metropolis (13)

Laura Rovera, district councilor for sector 2/3 of Marseille, metropolitan councilor for Aix Marseille Provence (13)

Franck Ribeyron, municipal councilor of Colomiers, metropolitan councilor of Toulouse (31)

Robin Salecroixvice-president of Nantes Métropole, president of the communist and republican group (44)

Agnes SAURATDeputy Mayor of Montpellier and Metropolitan Councilor Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole (34)

joseph SIMEONIMunicipal councilor and community councilor in Mulhouse Agglomeration (68)

Antoine SPLET, municipal councilor of Schiltigheim and adviser at the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg (67)

Nathalie TEISSIER, municipal councilor of Marseille and metropolitan councilor of Aix Marseille Provence (13)

Hulliya TURAN, Advisor to the Strasbourg Eurometropolis and Deputy Mayor of Strasbourg (67)

Bora YILMAZDeputy Mayor of Nancy, Councilor of the Metropolis of Greater Nancy and Regional Councilor of Grand Est (54)

John VILAmunicipal councilor of Cabestany and community councilor of Perpignan (66)