Grossly negligent! DUH sues Munich over diesel driving ban
The city of Munich is once again facing legal action over the diesel driving ban. Deutsche Umwelthilfe and Verkehrsclub Deutschland have filed a lawsuit with the Bavarian Administrative Court. They call the suspension of the driving bans for Euro 5 a transparent election campaign manoeuvre.
The German Environmental Aid (DUH) and the German Traffic Club (VCD) had already filed a lawsuit against the city of Munich once. At that time, both sides agreed on the diesel driving ban, among other things, in a settlement. Now that the city is not tightening the ban, DUH and VCD are taking the matter to court again.
Actually, after Euro4, Euro5 diesel vehicles were also to be banned in the city of Munich this October. This ban was overturned. Instead, the Department for Environmental and Climate Protection of the City of Munich would like to wait for the average values for the entire year "in the sense of proportionality" and check whether the ban on Euro5 diesel is still necessary. According to measurements, the nitrogen oxide values were significantly lower than assumed when the plan was drawn up.
Michael Müller-Görnert of the VCD criticised: "Munich has been breaking the limits for 13 years. Last year, for the first time, the city drew up a concept that seriously helped to comply with the limits. The fact that this concept is now ending up in the bin again is not only illegal, but also negligent."
DUH head Jürgen Resch called the city's values glossed over and the suspension of the driving ban for diesel Euro5 a "transparent election campaign manoeuvre". He criticised the government in Munich for putting the interests of the car lobby above people's health. On 8 October, elections were held in Bavaria. The good news against the unpopular driving ban certainly came at just the right time.
It will be some time before the court rules on the matter. Until then, diesel Euro5 vehicles have free passage in Munich!