The information sign with a white diamond on a blue background is not a traffic lane only for Renault cars. It indicates a carpool lane. And in France, non-compliance is punishable by a fine of 135 euros.
The traffic lane marked with a diamond is mostly on the left. Until now, the sign existed only in France, tested since 2020 in Lyon, Grenoble and Strasbourg. The rhombus indicates (sometimes accompanied by an additional explanatory arrow) the lane for public transport, taxis, vehicles in which there are at least two people, including the driver. In practice, this is the so-called shared use.
Public transport, taxis and cars with “very low emissions” are allowed, i.e. with Crit'Air sticker. Of course, this also includes electric cars, even if there is only one driver in them. Such signs usually appear on electronic boards. Depending on the traffic monitoring situation, the dispatcher can enable or disable its activity.
There, to avoid congestion problems, the activity of the sign is regulated, especially during the morning and evening peak hours. This backup lane is open Monday through Friday during peak hours. Activation periods are indicated by a light symbol with a white diamond and an arrow below the symbol. Similarly, activity is included during the after-hours peak.
The purpose of the sign is to motivate people to use more electric cars or public transport to reduce environmental pollution or to share their cars and not use them alone. This sign has so far only existed in France. Not all Europeans understand its meaning. And the drivers who left the special lane without the reasons listed above become sponsors of the French treasury.
The practice of using such a road sign on multi-lane roads has proven successful. Now the governments of many countries have begun to study this experience, and probably soon all directions to busy places will be equipped with the new sign with a white diamond in a blue rectangle or circle.
What does the new white diamond sign mean on French roads?
The sign means that some lanes are reserved for car sharing and other types of vehicles.
The sign is usually found on major roads – and may only operate during certain times of the day, such as peak hours.
The move aims to reduce emissions by having more people in one car, thereby reducing the number of cars on the road.
What cars can drive in lanes marked with a white diamond?
The following can move in lanes that are covered by the white diamond sign...
Vehicles with at least two passengers (couple, parent and child, two colleagues, two people sharing a car)
Very low emission vehicles with a Crit'Air sticker indicating that the vehicle is 100% electric or 100% hydrogen - number of passengers does not matter
Taxis, even when they are not carrying passengers
Motorcycles, but the motorcycle must have a passenger behind it.
Can hybrid vehicles use the single-occupant lane?
No – these vehicles must travel with more than one person to use the white diamond lane.