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Munich: 110 million euros to avoid diesel bans

A 365-euro ticket for public transport will improve the air in the Bavarian capital. It is unclear whether this expensive measure can really avert the unwelcome driving bans.

From 2023 at the latest, a 365-euro public transport ticket will be available in Munich. This will enable everyone to use the public transport network for 1 euro a day. An alliance of CSU, ÖDP and Linkspartei has now presented the 110 million euro measure to the city council.

With the proposal, the city is also trying to avoid bans on diesel vehicles. As the air quality limits are repeatedly exceeded, the Bavarian Administrative Court had already obliged the city of Munich to prepare a ban on diesel driving. The city also had to pay penalty payments for the violations. Ultimately, the threat of compulsory detention for members of the government was threatened, but it was not implemented.

In general, the 365-euro ticket has the potential to relieve the streets. In Vienna, where such a ticket already exists, the demand for public transport has increased by 120 percent. But then costs would also be added, for example for personnel and the expansion of the bus and train fleet.

A ban on diesel for Euro 4 and Euro 5 vehicles, which is already in place in Hamburg and Berlin on some stretches of road and in Stuttgart nationwide, would be much cheaper. As the budget deficit of the city of Munich has never been as large as it is at present, the expensive investments in public transport are controversial. And whether the people of Munich will actually switch to local transport and thus achieve the desired effect for better air quality is completely open to question.

A ban on diesel driving is therefore still not off the table. Although the Munich Clean Air Plan of 2019 does not include a ban on diesel vehicles, despite the ruling, a new ruling could still lead to a ban on diesel vehicles in the capital of the Free State of Bavaria, especially on the major roads around the city centre, i.e. Landshuter Allee, Tegernseer Landstraße and Chiemgaustraße.
Of course you can find out how it will go on in our blog. You can find out on which roads in Berlin, Hamburg and Stuttgart diesel driving bans already apply and whether you are affected by them in our Green-Zones App.