Six new environmental zones have recently come into force in France covering the cities and surrounding areas of Toulouse, Annecy in Haute-Savoie, Angers in Maine-et-Loire, Chambery in Savoie, La Roche-sur-Yon in Vendée and Auch in Gers. Antwerp in Belgium has become a low-emission zone too, with Brussels, Ghent, Mechelen and Willebroek expected to follow later, while the German cities of Limburg and Regensburg have also introduced new environmental zones.

Those with larger and older vehicles such as motorhomes are more affected by LEZs. Many of the new French environment zones are sporadic and temporary – only applied in the event of particularly heavy air pollution.

How should you prepare?
Although the number and variety of LEZs can seem confusing, you just need to follow these basic guidelines.

• Check for details of any LEZs using links found on the Club website
• Many LEZs apply only to city centres, which are perhaps best avoided in larger vehicles anyway. Simply park or camp outside the city and use public transport instead.
• If visiting France, just apply for a Crit Air sticker (website above) comfortably in advance of your trip. The sticker is cheap, arrives quickly and lasts the lifetime of your vehicle. Then follow local signage for your category of vehicle.
• Download the Green Zones app on your smartphone. The app is designed to explain which countries have LEZs and which badges or vignettes you may need for your vehicle. Click here to find out more.