French authorities apprehended a British family on Tuesday after they are accused of avoiding road toll payments for months. The family, traveling in three separate vehicles, allegedly lifted toll barriers to allow their cars to pass without payment.
Police stopped the family near Besançon in eastern France, close to the Swiss border. The alert was reportedly raised by operators of the A36 autoroute who suspected fraud at a toll booth near Belfort. According to local police, a person exited one of the vehicles at a toll booth, raised the barrier, and then re-entered the car as the other vehicles drove through.
The family is said to have been engaged in this practice for several months. The total amount owed for unpaid tolls is reported to be 3,000 euros, equivalent to approximately £2,563. The family reportedly paid the full sum on the same day they were stopped.
This incident follows another case on the A36 where a motorist was caught for similar toll fraud. That individual faced a bill of 9,000 euros (around £7,690) after being identified through surveillance cameras. This driver had allegedly tailgated the vehicle in front to pass through toll barriers.
France has been transitioning its motorway toll system. Fares increased by about 3 percent in February 2024, with additional smaller annual increases. Some routes have replaced traditional toll booths with digital gantries for electronic tolling, a system known as 'free-flow' electronic tolling. The A14 adopted this system in June 2024, and the A13 Paris-Normandy corridor began removing toll booths by March 2025. This shift has coincided with an increase in reported instances of toll evasion. Drivers have also expressed concerns over rising road travel costs, exacerbated by the expansion of low-emission zones in major French cities. Over 40 towns and cities, including Bordeaux, Nice, and Paris, now require these zones. Additionally, foreign drivers face a potential fine of £640 if they do not display the required 'Crit'Air' stickers, which indicate a vehicle's emissions rating.