Question 8520 — mountain

Summary

Law No. 2016-1888 on the modernization, development and protection of mountain territories of December 26, 2016 adds, in its article 27, article L. 314-1 of the Highway Code providing that the State representative determines, after opinion of the mountain committee, the equipment obligations of vehicles during the winter period. A Council of State decree, taken after consulting the National Mountain Council, must set the terms and conditions application of this article. To prepare the drafting of this text, the Ministry of the Interior has started consultations with the various stakeholders (prefects of mountain areas, Ministry of Transport, tire manufacturers, professional road transport organizations and user associations). The decree will be issued this winter, with entry into force planned for winter 2019/2020. The draft decree currently plans to add a new section to the highway code to allow the prefects of departments forming part of a mountain range to make it compulsory, in a list of municipalities chosen in mountain areas after consultation with local elected officials, the possession or installation of equipment for users. With the aim of homogeneity, the obligation period will be unified at the national level, from November 1 of year N to March 31 of year N+1. The development of obligations to own or wear removable (snow chains, etc.) and/or non-removable (snow tires, winter tires) equipment depending on the type of vehicle is the subject of discussions with stakeholders. Several existing studies have shown that “M+S” winter tires also carrying the “3PMSF” label have better performance than other “M+S” tires. At the end of a transitional period which will be specified in the decree, they will become the only non-removable equipment required. In addition, new tests on snow-covered roads will be conducted this winter to evaluate the performance of winter tires under different vehicle, load and road configurations, in order to complete current knowledge of their performance. Vehicle obligations in terms of detention or port equipment will be specified in the light of the results of these tests. The existing “B26” signs indicating the obligation to wear chains in the event of snow on certain sections of road will be maintained, including if the municipality is not affected by the obligation for winter equipment. In addition, the regulations on road signs (interministerial decree on road signs of November 24, 1967 and its instruction interministerial of October 22, 1963) will soon be updated so that these signs also authorize the circulation of light vehicles and light utility vehicles equipped with winter tires this winter. Finally, work will also be carried out to create signage for municipalities which will be affected by the new winter equipment obligations, in order to warn users traveling there.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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• Frédéric Barbier · auteur

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