An experiment, carried out in 21 departments, was to end on January 1, but the government has decided to extend this practice for another seven months.
On the road, it is common to see drivers get angry when traffic is difficult or when faced with reckless behavior. A car that changes lanes without warning, overtakes to the left then to the right to grab a few places… These situations are not limited to cars: motorcycles, scooters and three-wheelers are also often involved. Motorists usually notice them in their rearview mirror, when they slip between vehicles.
This widespread habit among motorcyclists has a name: inter-lane traffic (CIF). Although this practice is “strictly prohibited by the Highway Code“, it is punishable by a fine of 135 euros. However, since August 2, 2021, a national experiment has been set up to assess the issue. It authorizes motorized two-wheelers and three-wheelers to circulate between the lines of cars on motorways and expressways, when traffic is dense and there is sufficient space between vehicles.
Currently, this experiment is in force in 21 departments, including Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, Gironde, Haute-Garonne, Hérault, Isère, Loire-Atlantique, Nord , the Pyrénées-Orientales, the Rhône, the Var, the Vaucluse as well as all the departments of the Île-de-France region. In these areas, a rectangular sign informs motorists of this test phase, representing heavy traffic with motorcycles traveling between cars. Other smaller signs, such as the “B14”, “M4c” or “M9z” signs, accompanied by the words “in inter-files”, are also present. Although purely indicative, they indicate that the maximum speed authorized in inter-lane traffic is 50 km/h.
These tests have been underway for three years now. Originally scheduled to end on August 1, 2024, the experiment was finally extended until September 15 and then until December 31, 2024. But the evaluation report produced by the center of studies and expertise on risks, environment, mobility and planning (Cerema) has fallen behind schedule, notably due to the Olympic Games and the political context. The government has therefore decided to extend this experiment a little further. According to a new decree of December 27 published in the Official Journal, motorized two-wheelers and three-wheelers can therefore continue to drive in inter-files in these departments until July 31, 2025.
