driving
French town set to replace speed bump with ‘intelligent’ traffic lights
Light turns green when approaching drivers are travelling within the speed limit
An Occitanie town is to install a traffic light that turns green when approaching drivers are travelling within the speed limit.
The new “feu récompense” (reward light) in Alès, Gard, was announced by Mayor Christophe Rivenq during an exchange with residents on social media, local media Actu reports.
He said he had asked municipal services to install the system following complaints about excessive speeds on rue du Faubourg d’Auvergne, one of the main routes to the north.
How does the speed light work?
The light is normally red. A radar sensor measures the speed of an approaching vehicle.
If it is travelling at or below the speed limit, the light turns green, allowing the driver to continue without stopping.
If the vehicle is travelling too fast, the light remains red and the driver must stop.
The system is intended to encourage drivers to slow down rather than automatically fine them. It does not operate like a conventional speed camera.
The system was formally authorised in France in 2021. Only the “green reward” principle is permitted: the light is red at rest and turns green when a vehicle approaches at the correct speed. The alternative system, in which a green light turns red when a driver is speeding, is not permitted.
Alès already has several
Mr Rivenq said Alès already had “two or three” such lights.
He described the system as “more effective than speed bumps”, while acknowledging that it is also more expensive.
The new light is planned for rue du Faubourg d’Auvergne. There is not yet a date for its installation, as municipal services must first determine its precise location and resolve technical and legal issues.
“We hope it will not take too long,” Mr Rivenq said.
Where else are they used?
The system is becoming increasingly common in French towns.
Longèves in Charente-Maritime introduced reward lights in March 2026, while Balbigny in the Loire began testing one on the route de Saint-Etienne in June.
Saint-Cyr-les-Vignes, also in the Loire, ordered a reward light for the entrance to the town in February 2026, set to turn green when vehicles are travelling at no more than 50km/h.
Baisieux in the Nord installed one on a trial basis in May 2025, while Saint-Rémy-l’Honoré in Yvelines has operated one since late 2025 and adjusted its settings in August 2026.
Other examples include Senoncourt in Haute-Saône, and Cessieu and Freney-d’Oisans in Isère.
The devices are intended to reduce speeds without the need for physical measures such as speed bumps, although official guidance notes that they are best suited to particular road layouts and can become less effective on busy roads.
