Construction sites and the construction industry itself are major emitters of CO2, particulate matter and other substances that contribute to air pollution in environmental zones and urban centres in general. However, the industry has already taken important steps towards zero emissions and climate neutrality: construction vehicles are becoming increasingly electric!
The university city in Middle Franconia has been offering free public transport in the city centre since the turn of the year. A new bus route and the switch to e-buses are also part of the pilot project. Erlangen wants to reduce the number of cars, make public transport more attractive and improve air quality. This would enable the city to avoid the threat of driving bans in view of the EU's new air pollution limits.
Due to the tightening of air limits by the European Union, there could soon be low emission zones in Dresden and Chemnitz. The plans for new driving bans are becoming more and more concrete. The EU only voted on the new roadmap for air quality at the end of last year. According to this, the limit values are to be adapted to the WHO values. The only low emission zone in Saxony, Leipzig, could soon be joined by other East German cities.
Farmers in Germany are taking to the barricades because of the loss of subsidies for agricultural diesel and the new motor vehicle tax for agricultural vehicles. Today, Monday, they want to paralyse Germany. Switching to local transport will probably not be a good idea either, as the GDL labour union is also planning to strike.
The recent cancellation of the environmental bonus for electric cars is causing a stir. Sales of electric cars have already plummeted in a very short space of time. The German government is thus jeopardising air quality. Do we now have to expect more environmental zones?
It's a bitter setback for taxpayers: no legal action against former Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer over the failed car toll. A prestige project of the CSU, which was stopped by the European Court of Justice in 2019 and cost the federal government a lot of money. The Federal Ministry of Transport has now announced that it will not take legal action against Scheuer.
Every year: New Year's Day, the day when the smell of sulphur is still in the air and grey smears cover the sky. Rubbish and soot everywhere on the streets, damaged cars here and there.
It's official, Germany is on the road to a traffic law disaster! The Bundesrat has blocked a reform of road traffic law, which had envisaged more 30 km/h zones, play streets and bus and cycle lanes, head-on. The state governments have thus cancelled Transport Minister Wissing's proposal and brought us one step closer to the abyss.
Air pollution in Berlin has reached an alarming level. The air quality index (LQI) ranked dangerously high on 6 December 2023. A sad reality that shows us the catastrophic effects of our political decisions. This city, which once wanted to shine with the construction of cycle lanes, many green spaces and pedestrian zones, has taken a different path and is increasingly suffocating in car smog.
It's hard to believe, but it's true: in Schwandorf, e-cars have been exempted from parking charges until the end of 2023. A tempting offer that was supposed to encourage many people to switch to the environmentally friendly option. However, this offer has now been abruptly cancelled, despite the rising number of e-cars. A move that raises questions and casts doubt on the credibility of the city council.
