In 2026, a number of environmental obligations will apply to road haulage. They will have a direct impact on the use of certain vehicles, particularly older HGVs, and on how routes are organized in areas where traffic restrictions will become stricter. Each company will need to know which vehicles in its fleet will still be able to circulate without limit, and which may be subject to special rules depending on region or use.
These changes are designed to meet specific objectives: reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and harmonize practices across the country. To avoid imposed detours or the immobilization of a vehicle during an inspection, it is essential to understand what will change in 2026 and on what dates, and to have an adapted TMS.
The obligations applied to road transport are changing because several thresholds set by the French government and the European Union are due to expire in 2026. The authorities want to reduce emissions from heavy-vehicle traffic, which accounts for a significant proportion of carbon emissions, and improve air quality in areas where pollution levels remain high.
These changes mainly concern the use of older vehicles, Euro standards and certain zones where traffic will be conditional on the truck's level of emissions. The Ministry of Ecological Transition and the regions have already announced that restrictions will become stricter, with a progressive timetable depending on the territory (and transport regulations 2026).
The aim is not to immediately transform transport modes, but to encourage companies to identify vehicles that will become restricted, adjust their routes and anticipate future rules rather than be confronted with them at the last moment.
The changes planned for 2026 are part of a set of texts that have already been adopted: the Climate & Resilience Act (2021), European Regulation (EU) 2019/1242 on CO₂ limits, the European Air Quality Directive (2008/50/EC), ZFE-m regulations, and Euro standards on heavy-duty vehicle emissions.
These references structure the traffic restrictions, pollution limits and monitoring obligations applied to road freight transport.
From 2026 onwards, a number of conurbations will be applying Article 27 of the French Climate & Resilience Act, which requires Low Emission Mobility Zones ( ZFE-m ) to progressively exclude :
City councils and metropolises are relying on :
This means that the right to circulate will depend on :
Hauliers will have to check, city by city, the restrictions planned for January 1, 2026.
European Regulation (EU) 2019/1242 sets binding CO₂ emissions reduction targets for new heavy-duty vehicles:
In France, these targets are set out in the Stratégie Nationale Bas Carbone (SNBC), which calls for a gradual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for the entire road transport sector.
In concrete terms for companies :
Even if not all transport SMEs will be subject to CSRD reporting, they will be impacted by obligations to transmit information linked to:
These data will enable us to meet :
They are based on several texts: directive 2008/50/EC on air quality, AFIR regulation on infrastructure for alternative fuels, and the 2019 LOM law, which encourages the sector's energy transition.
In addition to the ZFE-m, in 2026 several territories will apply local rules that may restrict heavy goods vehicle traffic. Regional prefectures have the power to adapt traffic conditions according to air pollution levels or the sensitivity of certain roads.
When thresholds set by the Environment Code or European Directive 2008/50/EC are exceeded, they can introduce temporary restrictions, impose relief routes or reserve certain routes for the lowest-emission vehicles.
These decisions do not all follow a national timetable: each region can define its own rules via decrees, depending on air quality, the state of the road network or local safety requirements. For a haulier, this means regularly checking the information published by the prefecture or metropolis concerned before committing to a journey, especially in the case of urban deliveries or regional transport.
The obligations that will be reinforced in 2026 will have concrete consequences for carriers who do not comply with the rules in force. Checks will be carried out by local authorities, the DREAL and, depending on the area, by municipal police forces responsible for enforcing traffic restrictions. The risks are not confined to penalties: they can also have a direct impact on day-to-day business.
A vehicle that fails to comply with the environmental criteria in force in a ZFE-m may be immediately refused access to a street, transit route or delivery zone.
In some areas, this may prevent access to an unloading point, or make the journey much longer, increasing fuel consumption, kilometers driven and associated costs.
These restrictions are often laid down in prefectoral or metropolitan bylaws. In the event of non-compliance :
Penalties vary from region to region, as each region or metropolis applies its own air pollution and traffic criteria.
Clients, especially those committed to limiting pollution, are increasingly demanding that carriers comply with local environmental directives.
A vehicle that emits too much can :
This risk is all the greater in regions where restrictions on heavy goods vehicles are applied progressively.
A truck that can no longer travel on a regular route will be forced to take a longer route. This can lead to :
These detours can also cause delays on subsequent rounds, complicating the company's operational management.
If several vehicles in a fleet become subject to restrictions, the company risks having fewer trucks available for certain areas.
This can lead to :
The changes planned for 2026 do not require the replacement of an entire fleet, but they do call for a precise vision of the vehicles used and the areas in which the company operates. Anticipating them now means avoiding access refusals, costly detours or having to stop a truck during a local inspection.
To determine which trucks are likely to be restricted, it is useful to check several criteria:
This step makes it possible to quickly isolate vehicles that could be affected by traffic restrictions in ZFE-m or by local bylaws.
Environmental directives vary widely from one territory to another. Some cities have stricter criteria than others, and prefectures may decide to restrict heavy-vehicle traffic during air pollution episodes. Before planning a tour, it is essential to consult the information published on the ZFE-m websites, by the DREAL or directly by the metropolis concerned. This avoids discovering on arrival that a vehicle can no longer access a street, a quay or a transit route.
Even without modifying the fleet, certain actions have an immediate impact on fuel consumption and emissions:
These adjustments often make it possible to maintain access to sensitive areas without major investment.
Vehicle inspections are increasingly based on precise data: year of registration, Crit'Air classification, Euro standard, emission levels and average fuel consumption. Keeping this information up to date facilitates route planning, and enables us to respond rapidly to requests from clients for information on the environmental impact of transport. A well-documented fleet also makes it possible to anticipate future renewals without waiting for a sudden restriction.
When rules change in a region or conurbation, it is often possible to adjust operations without immediately replacing vehicles:
These adjustments allow us to maintain business flexibility, without immobilizing or interrupting service.
The rules that will apply in 2026 won't revolutionize the whole business, but they will change the way we travel in certain areas and use older vehicles. By knowing the criteria applied in the ZFE-m, identifying the trucks likely to be restricted and following local by-laws, a transport company can avoid access refusals, costly detours and tour interruptions.
Anticipating these changes simply means keeping control of your operations and adapting your fleet at the right pace, without last-minute constraints.