France in Focus

I have read lately that motorways will shortly not have toll barriers and all tolls will be paid by either vehicle recognition or a toll tag.
My take on this is the motorway system will make HUGE savings.

Toll tags will be withdrawn within a couple of years

The number of cloned number plates will rise exponentially.

Most frequent users of motorways will not notice the extra charges from cloned plates due to the lack of info provided by the service provider.

The onus will be on the driver to record their trips and challenge the fraudulent trips and provide proof - how and will many people bother for small sums from an app based system?

Am I indulging in conspiracy theory?

I went through this on the last trip to StY - maybe on A71 - that may be a pilot, but it is already here.

It is weird at first - but the Sanef bip'n'go telepeage tag was detected and beeped at intervals - so I assume all is OK.

As for ANPR billing (like ULEZ and Dart in UK)- I have mixed opinions as cloned plates will just become more prevalent.

For someone who doesn't have a tag or anything like that, will the ANPR camera refer to the data base to get the address of the car owner? I assume the system won't know the driver's credit card details and just grab the money when it sees the plate (or a clone). If a cloned plate is detected I am guessing that in the usual French way the owner will be expected to cough up the cash and then pursue a refund somehow. How will he be expected to prove it wasn't his car picked up by the camera?

Hotrodder wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2024 5:28 pm For someone who doesn't have a tag or anything like that, will the ANPR camera refer to the data base to get the address of the car owner? I assume the system won't know the driver's credit card details and just grab the money when it sees the plate (or a clone). If a cloned plate is detected I am guessing that in the usual French way the owner will be expected to cough up the cash and then pursue a refund somehow. How will he be expected to prove it wasn't his car picked up by the camera?

I think they are expecting motorway users to load the app and register. Fine and dandy if you have a smart phone.
You are thinking exactly the same as me about false plates. The innocent will be guilty until they can prove otherwise nd all the admin falls on you to prove it too.

Headers wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2024 7:06 pm You are thinking exactly the same as me about false plates. The innocent will be guilty until they can prove otherwise nd all the admin falls on you to prove it too.

Perhaps a photo of your carte grise would suffice. Would someone with false plates have a good forged carte grise ? One or two might, but perhaps not the number that you seem to be worrying about.

Isn't the issue that someone goes through a fast peage with cloned plates and you get the bill. It doesn't matter whether anyone else has a CG - it never gets examined.

niemeyjt wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2024 11:10 pm Isn't the issue that someone goes through a fast peage with cloned plates and you get the bill. It doesn't matter whether anyone else has a CG - it never gets examined.

yes it’s the push of the admin and onus to prove an error onto the individual that is the money spinner for the motorway managers.

Sounds like a disaster in the making to me. Luckily I never use motorways outside of Brittany and here they are all free.

The numbers of cloned plates are substantial but fortunately mostly Parisian plates. I recall the case of a farmer from the southwest being sent a speeding ticket when his tractor had never been more than a few km from his farm.

What happens with non French vehicles if/when tags are done away with?

'Non Barrier' drive thru toll stations were in existence back in 2017 when we left, we had a 'Bip-n-Go'.

France is far from alone in having a 'pay up - argue after' policy!

The first experience I have had of this idea is in Portugal is one of many When entering you type in your car registration and bank card details in a nearby service station well marked for foreigners as I was in a French campervan The Swiss have been doing this for years