Low emission zone in Krakow stopped for the time being!
On 11 January 2024, the District Administrative Court in Krakow, Poland, stopped the city's planned low emission zone for the time being. The project, known as the Clean Transport Zone (SCT), was intended to designate a part of the city where only cars with certain Euro standards would be allowed to enter. However, despite the good intentions of the city council, the court declared the project invalid.
Poland has been struggling with smog and poor air quality for years, especially in urban centres. The EU directive on alternative fuels was intended to provide a remedy and stipulates the introduction of low emission zones in Polish cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants where NO2 concentrations exceed the limit values. However, the recent decision by the court in Krakow shows how difficult it is to put such initiatives into practice.
The failure of the SCT in Krakow is a major blow to the city's efforts to improve air quality and combat the devastating effects of smog. Smog causes respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis or asthma, impairs fertility and, in the worst case, can cause cancer. The European University Association (EUA) estimates that 45,700 people in Poland die prematurely every year as a result of air pollution.
Originally, the low emission zone in Krakow was to be introduced on 1 July 2024. All cars, motorhomes, buses and lorries of Euro 0-2 standard for petrol vehicles and Euro 0-4 standard for diesel vehicles were to be banned. The zone should cover the entire city area up to the administrative boundaries. Only the 4th ring road (A4 and S52) and all motorways and dual carriageways would be excluded.
However, the low emission zone in Warsaw, also planned for July 2024, will be introduced. It will be introduced in a total of 5 stages. From 2024 to 2032, the emission standards will be gradually tightened from diesel 0-2 to the ban on the Euro 6d-TEMP standard. As planned in Krakow, this will affect cars, motorhomes, buses and lorries. The gradual tightening will give those affected more time to adapt and retrofit vehicles or plan new purchases economically.