use of blue badge on French autoroutes

[jonmar]

Can anyone give me any further information on the Caravan Club's statement that vehicles that are classed as 'category 2' on French autoroutes and are showing a Blue Badge can get a reduction to the 'category 1' toll? It sounds too good to be true and would rely on ones toll being taken by a real live person and not merely a machine. Has anyone actually tried/proved this? We shall have to wait until next year now to try it out.

 

 

[Retread24800]

A Class 2 vehicle which has been adapted for Disabled use can be charged class 1 provided that the Registration document reflects the changes, just carrying a blue card does not qualify.

http://www.autoroutes.fr/fr/classification-des-vehicules.htm

 

see the notes at the bottom of the page

Les véhicules de classe 2 aménagés pour le transport des personnes handicapées bénéficient de la classe 1. C’est la mention « handicap » sur la carte grise du véhicule qui permet l’attribution de la classe 1.

 

 

 

[Derek Uzzell]

The subject was discussed within this earlier forum thread

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/French-toll-charges/28994/

 

and is mentioned towards the bottom of this webpage

 

http://www.autoroutes.fr/en/services-for-disabled-people.htm

 

In principle, it's not a driver's/passenger's Blue Badge that allows a Category 1 autoroute tarif to be applied to a Category 2 vehicle, but evidence that the vehicle involved has been designed/modified for 'disabled' use. When a forum-member said "...my husband has a disabled badge but van is not modified, its a bit hit and miss but usually we get regraded as Class 1" I commented as follows:

 

"This is a useful autoroutes-related leaflet:

 

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

 

The 'rules' for Class 2 vehicles that have been adapted for disabled people being able to attract Class 1 toll-charges are explained in more detail. There are specific rules for French-registered vehicles that define what needs to be on the vehicle's registration document to permit the Class 1 toll to be applied. For non-French-registered vehicles, the advice is merely to choose the 'manual' lane when approaching the toll-booth or, at automatic-only toll-stations, to seek help using the intercom facility.

 

Autoroute tolls relate to vehicles not people. As Syd emphasised, the Class 2 to Class 1 toll-charge concession only applies to vehicles that have been modified for disabled use. In principle, if a Class 2 vehicle has not been modified for disabled use it does not qualify for the concession, even if everybody travelling in it has a disabled badge. It's easy to imagine, though, that such a rule may not be applied rigorously and (as you've found) that presentation of a disabled badge will usually result in a Class 1 toll-charge."