Autoroute Charges

[Curtisden]

There have been loads of various views of french Autoroute advice on tool charges.

Some claiming that even if a MH is over 3m high it should still be charged class 2 and not 3.

Well this is the latest charging breakdown from the National ASFA web site.

Quite simple and clear I think.

[Derek Uzzell]

I don't think anyone (at least on these forums) has ever claimed that a motorhome over 3 metres high should legitimately be charged the Class 2 tarif. However, it's often been highlighted that French toll-booth attendants have tended to lump motorhomes as a species into Class 2, and charged the Class 2 tarif even when it should be fairly obvious the vehicle should be charged the Class 3 (or even the Class 4) tarif.

 

The full vehicle-classification listing is here:

 

http://www.autoroutes.fr/en/vehicle-classification.htm

 

and a leaflet showing the 2013 charges for the various autoroute sections can be downloaded from here:

 

http://www.autoroutes.fr/fr/les-principaux-tarifs-2013.htm

[Derek Uzzell]

An afterthought...

 

Autoroute tarifs are, in fact, less simple than the English-language vehicle-classification listing on the ASFA website makes them appear.

 

If the French-language version of the ASFA website is selected, towards the foot of the vehicle-classification page is "Télécharger le dépliant détaillé" that allows a leaflet to be downloaded.

 

This leaflet

 

http://www.autoroutes.fr/FCKeditor/UserFiles/File/ASFA%20CLASSE%20VEHICULE%20BD.pdf

 

defines the criteria (Les critères) that apply to each Class, and the Remarques section says about vehicle-height:

 

"N’ont pas d’incidence sur le calcul de la hauteur totale :

- Le chargement sur le toit d’un véhicule ou d’une remorque

- Les accessoires, tels que : antennes, coffres ou barres de toit, gyrophares, enseignes taxi, paraboles, lanternaux, panneaux solaires.

 

Ont une incidence sur le calcul de la hauteur totale :

- Les éléments ajoutés au véhicule de base, tels que : cellules habitables, climatiseurs, groupes frigorifiques."

 

Let's say a 2-axle motorhome with a 3500kg GVW has an overall height of 2.90 metres when it leaves the manufacturer's factory. At this point the vehicle falls into autoroute Class 2.

 

Add to the motorhome's roof an air-conditioner that increases the vehicle's height to 3.0 metres and the motorhome now moves to Class 3. However, if a 2.90m-high motorhome's height were increased to 3.0 metres (or above) by the addition of a solar panel, roof-box or sat-nav dome, or by strapping a load to the roof, the vehicle still qualifies as Class 2.

 

The GVW criterion was discussed here:

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Autoroute-toll-charges/31976/

 

and the potential for a Class 2 motorhome to be charged the Class 3 tarif due to it having roof-mounted accessories was mentioned by Patricia in the final posting of this 2010 thread:

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Camos-Dome/19334/#M209133

 

It should be anticipated that, if a motorhome's height is 3.0 metres or above, even if that height were attained by having 'stuff' (like a canoe!) on the roof that should be discounted when it comes to defining the vehicle's autoroute Class, the motorhome is probably going to be assessed as Class 3 by the equipment of an automated autoroute toll-booth.

 

It should also be evident from the above that it is possible for a 2-axle motorhome's overall height to be 3.0 metres (or above) and still qualify for the autoroute Class 2 tarif.

 

However, if a 2-axle motorhome's height is 3.0 metres (or over) with no accessories or loads on its roof, or that height is produced by roof-mounted air-cooling equipment, the vehicle SHOULD NOT qualify as Class 2 and SHOULD attract the Class 3 tarif.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

how does it work, do they climb up a step ladder with a measuring tape at the toll booth :-S

[Mickt]

Anybody know charge on autoroute Boulogne to Abbeville class 2

[Curtisden]

Mickt - 2013-08-20 8:53 AM

 

Anybody know charge on autoroute Boulogne to Abbeville class 2

 

Distance: 79.57km dont 71.67 km on motorways

Time: 00H56

Traffic Impact: +00H02

Cost: 20.17 EUR

Toll 12.1 EUR | Fuel 8.07 EUR

[Guest JudgeMental]

No tape all electronic isn't technology wonderful..... more and more tolls now becoming automatic with card or cash payment. In the past when our 2.9 high, 3.500kg van with roof a/c unit was charged class 3 we just pressed the bell and complained and they changed it to class 2

[lennyhb]

One to look out for is the Liefkeshoek tunnel around Antwerp the normal route is to the south via the Kennedy tunnel, heavy traffic so out satnav automaticly recalculated the route via the Liefkeshoek tunnel, my fault I normally set it to avoid toll roads when abroad I'd forgotten.

Anyway my van is listed at 2.75m tunnel charges are up to 2.75m 6€, over 2.75m 19€, their electronic sensors picked up our van as over 2.75m and the guy in the booth claimed it was all electronic and nothing he could do about it. Jolly expensive ½ mile won't do that again.

[Derek Uzzell]

Mickt - 2013-08-20 8:53 AM

 

Anybody know charge on autoroute Boulogne to Abbeville class 2

 

There is a detailed list of autoroute tarifs by Class here:

 

http://www.sanef.com/var/sanef/storage/pdf/sanef_tarifs_web.pdf

 

The 2nd part of the file covers the Boulogne-Abbeville link and the exact tarif for a Clas 2 vehicle will vary from €9.5 to €12.7 depending on which Boulogne entrance and which Abbeville exit are involved.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

We were charged just over 12 euros for our PVC in June from the first toll booth for that bit. But that's about the only toll we ever pay, just a mind game to get us well on our way past Rouen if we are heading that direction. ;-)

[Derek Uzzell]

JudgeMental - 2013-08-20 9:40 AM

 

No tape all electronic isn't technology wonderful..... more and more tolls now becoming automatic with card or cash payment. In the past when our 2.9 high, 3.500kg van with roof a/c unit was charged class 3 we just pressed the bell and complained and they changed it to class 2

 

You'll appreciate from reading the above that an air-conditioner 'counts' towards a vehicle's overall height and, presumably, your motorhome's roof-mounted air-conditioning unit increased the overall height of your vehicle to (at least) 3.0 metres, where the Class 3 tarif applies.

 

I'm not suggesting that you were wrong to try to get the Class 3 tarif reduced to Class 2 (Saving money is GOOD!) Just that, if your motorhome + a/c was 3.0 metres (or over) high and was initially charged the Class 3 tarif, you had no legitimate cause for complaint.

[Guest JudgeMental]

Derek Uzzell - 2013-08-20 2:10 PM

 

JudgeMental - 2013-08-20 9:40 AM

 

No tape all electronic isn't technology wonderful..... more and more tolls now becoming automatic with card or cash payment. In the past when our 2.9 high, 3.500kg van with roof a/c unit was charged class 3 we just pressed the bell and complained and they changed it to class 2

 

You'll appreciate from reading the above that an air-conditioner 'counts' towards a vehicle's overall height and, presumably, your motorhome's roof-mounted air-conditioning unit increased the overall height of your vehicle to (at least) 3.0 metres, where the Class 3 tarif applies.

 

I'm not suggesting that you were wrong to try to get the Class 3 tarif reduced to Class 2 (Saving money is GOOD!) Just that, if your motorhome + a/c was 3.0 metres (or over) high and was initially charged the Class 3 tarif, you had no legitimate cause for complaint.

 

yes fully aware of situation, but that does not mean I have to accept it or believe it is right.....I dont see why 3.5 motorhomes are even class 2, when as private vehicles Spain and Italy charge us as same rate as cars...anyway it was just on automatic/unmanned stretches this occasionally happened, and now that retired avoid most tolls anyway....

[Mickt]

Thanks Dereck