News

France switches to electronic toll collection

To ensure traffic fluidity, the toll booths between Paris and the Normandy coast will switch to electronic technology.

Since traffic is always at a standstill despite the six toll stations, an automatic registration of vehicles is to be installed by 2024. While such technology is already in use in the USA, Norway or Portugal, there is an initial test in France on a section of the A4 between Saarbrücken (Germany) and Metz.

The future technology is based on the so-called Télépéage. This will allow the tolls to be debited via electronic registration of the vehicle. So far, the reader behind the windscreen is still detected at the toll station when the vehicle passes through. In future, this will be possible at full speed via readers mounted on a kind of gantry. In addition, users can also register with their number plate on the internet and allow automatic debiting. In addition, it will be possible to pay afterwards via the website of the motorway operator or in tobacconists.

The abolition of the antiquated toll booths will save users 1.8 million hours of waiting time annually. In addition, 9.5 million litres of fuel would be consumed less, as the queues of cars would no longer jam in front of the toll booths and then have to start up again. The modernisation will cost 120 million euros and is to be financed by a minimal toll increase.

The changeover to electronic toll collection appears to be entirely suitable for promoting traffic fluidity. However, it should be noted that a quick farewell to all toll booths, especially on the southbound motorways heavily frequented by holidaymakers, is not to be expected any time soon. The A13 was specifically chosen because there are not so many foreigners on the road.