Expats and Britons travelling in France are being warned of fines they could face in the event that they drive by themselves on a busy motorway route with sophisticated new camera technology.
Motorists who drive on the popular A1 motorway in France without any passengers could face fines of up to €135 or £116 if they use the carshare lane.
New rules were originally introduced in September, but French police have given drivers a two-month grace period while people get used to the rules.
The A1 motorway, which extends from Paris to Lille, contains carshare lanes with solo drivers now potentially facing harsh fines.
Expats and Britons are being warned of the new road rules
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Since November 6, 2023, police have been pulling drivers over if they break the new rules and issuing them with fines, according to The Connexion.
The carshare lane system normally lasts between 6.30am and 9am and encourages people to share cars and slash traffic rates.
Drivers can use the left-hand lane if they are carrying more than one person, as well as zero emission vehicles, taxis and emergency services.
Frederic Dubus, commander of the CRS Autoroute Nord-Pas-de-Calais to France Bleu, said a grace period was given to help drivers acclimatise to the rules.
He added: “But to know whether this experiment is working, with a real effect on traffic, and to adapt it if necessary, the rules have to be enforced.”
In just one week, the police were registering 50 offences a day during the two-and-a-half hours that the carpool lane is active.
Commander Dubus added that the police would be handed a huge lifeline with the rollout of automatic speed cameras.
It is believed that they will be equipped with infrared, thermal imaging software to check how many people are inside each vehicle, The Connexion reported.
He added: “We'll be able to get the number plate, and with heat detection we'll be able to check how many people are in the vehicle.
“So the guy who thinks he’s clever by putting a doll next to him in the passenger seat won't get through, because the camera will detect that he's alone.”
The 131-mile stretch of Autoroute will often see police motorbikes instruct people to change lanes if they are not allowed in the carshare lane, followed by a second motorbike, equipped with a camera, filming the number plate.
Drivers who were in the carshare lane incorrectly could then be sent a €135 (£116) fine, although this is cut to €90 (£77) if paid within two weeks.
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The new thermal cameras are expected to roll out soon (stock image)
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The French authorities are already making a number of road changes to prepare for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games taking place in Paris.
It will see several popular areas of the city closed off the vehicle traffic, as well as a price hike in the cost of metro tickets for tourists.