The implementation of Low Emission Zones (LEZs) has raised concerns and questions among many citizens. What are they really? How do they impact us? Can I drive my vehicle? Are they effective? Below, we will clarify some of these doubts.
Since 1 January, Low Emission Zones (LEZs) have been a reality in some Spanish cities, although not all of them have been activated yet. In total, 149 municipalities in Spain, those with more than 50,000 inhabitants, must establish at least one of these areas with restrictions. They have until the end of this year to implement them.
But what exactly are Low Emission Zones (LEZs)?
They are delimited areas within cities where restrictions on access, circulation and parking of highly polluting vehicles are applied. The purpose is to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. So far, few municipalities have formalised their EPZs.
Each municipality has been working on measures to encourage responsible mobility and improve air quality. Now, they need to take additional measures depending on what has been achieved and what data is available. However, given that we are at the end of the local legislature, those who have worked on these initiatives from the beginning are likely to reap successes, while those who did not will find it difficult to pick up projects and intentions after the summer.
To date, only Madrid, Barcelona and Seville (in their first phase) have implemented the EPZs. The other municipalities are still working on their establishment. The implementation of ZBEs has not entirely convinced Spanish drivers. According to a survey by the RACE Drivers’ Observatory, 61% of those surveyed are opposed to these restrictions, and 31% will avoid driving in these zones as far as possible. Drivers consider that these restrictions penalise the use of private vehicles without taking other factors into account.
In the rest of Spain, as in Madrid and Barcelona, control of access to these protected areas is based on the environmental labels issued by the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT). Vehicles with a 0 label (blue colour, for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles) and ECO (gas and hybrid vehicles) are the only ones that are exempt from restrictions and can circulate freely. All other vehicles are subject to restrictions.
Who is obliged to implement an EPZ?
As mentioned above, the EPZs will affect 149 municipalities in Spain, where 25 million people reside, i.e. 53% of the country’s population according to INE data. However, so far, only 20 of the 149 municipalities (13%) have started to present their measures for the implementation of ZBEs. The law gives each municipality the authority to determine which vehicles will be banned from access, but establishes common guidelines that aim to restrict those without an environmental sticker.
Why are DGT labels taken into account?
The Climate Change and Energy Transition Law establishes the need to take measures based on the classification of vehicles contained in the General Road Traffic Regulation, i.e. the DGT labels.
In 2018, the DGT issued an order that classifies vehicles according to their pollution level and awards environmental stickers in four categories.
- 0 emissions label, blue in colour, for highly efficient vehicles, such as pure electric, extended range electric, plug-in hybrid electric with a minimum range of 40 km or fuel cell vehicles.
- ECO label, blue in colour, which mainly identifies hybrid vehicles, gas vehicles or both technologies, such as plug-in electric vehicles with a range of less than 40 km, non-plug-in hybrids, natural gas vehicles and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
- Label C, green, for petrol cars and light vans registered from January 2006 and diesel cars and light vans registered from September 2015, as well as vehicles with more than 8 seats and heavy duty vehicles.
- Label B, yellow in colour, for petrol passenger cars and light vans registered from January 2001 and diesel from 2006, as well as vehicles with more than 8 seats and heavy goods vehicles.
According to recent data, 64.6% of vehicles in Spain do not have a label or have a B label, which are the most polluting categories. These vehicles are responsible for more than 90% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter emissions.
So, should the ZBEs focus only on highly polluting vehicles instead of applying to all of them?
Car manufacturers’ association Anfac argues that, from an air quality perspective, the focus should be on older vehicles (unlabelled or B-labelled), rather than affecting new vehicles with C, ECO and ZERO labels. The priority should be to reduce the impact of the most polluting vehicles, which account for the majority of emissions.
Should C-labelled vehicles be allowed in LEZs?
Some experts argue that the debate on LEZs has focused too much on environmental quality and not enough on responsible mobility. PONS Mobility prefers to talk about “Responsible Mobility Zones”, urban places that, due to their configuration, should promote a people-oriented mobility model. The debate should not focus so much on whether vehicles have a C label or not, but on whether or not vehicles should have access to certain urban areas.
Will there be a common approach throughout Spain for the EPZs?
No, the practical application of the model designed in the Royal Decree by the Ministry for Ecological Transition depends on the decision of each municipality. The lack of a common framework has led to a disparity of criteria that confuses drivers and companies. Anfac is calling for greater uniformity between the different ZBEs so that citizens know which rules to follow when travelling from one city to another.
To address the lack of clarity in regulations, the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) has developed a platform called DGT 3.0 so that users and platforms can access up-to-date information on local restrictions and avoid unnecessary fines.
So how will we know that we have entered a Low Emission Zone?
Cities will have to clearly mark these zones with a new approved vertical traffic sign indicating the protected space. Alongside this sign, they must specify which vehicles can enter according to their environmental badge.
What happens if we enter an EPZ without the proper label?
The fine for breaching these restrictions is 200 euros in all EPZs, with the possibility of halving this fine if paid voluntarily within 20 days of receiving notification of the fine. This can be problematic when travelling to a city that is not your usual one and you are not familiar with the EBZ limits.
In summary, Low Emission Zones are a reality in Spain, although their implementation and regulation varies from city to city. As more municipalities adopt them, it is important that drivers are informed about the restrictions and environmental labels to avoid fines and problems when driving in these areas. The debate on what EPZs should look like and which vehicles should have access to them continues to be a topic of discussion and evolution in the search for effective solutions to improve air quality and sustainable mobility.
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