Surprisingly, they do. In fact all emergency vehicles must join the rest of us to put their money into the machines which control the barriers. (new word to us: "casquer", to stump up).
The companies which have the concessions claim they asked the government to pick up the bill and reimburse them, but so far no action to implement the law which was actually passed last year.
The total bill is estimated at 10 - 20 million euros. One southern pompier service reckons it costs them around 130000 euros annually - the cost of putting two new ambulances into service.
Government sources claim the delay in putting the new regulation into force is the negotiations with the concessionaires, but lawyers and regulators think there is nothing in the concession agreements which allows them to make any claim.
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