From 27 April 2024, more people, including non-residents of Antwerp, will be entitled to an exemption or a social tariff in the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) of Antwerp, Belgium. The Flemish government is making adjustments to the access conditions for the LEZ in Antwerp and Ghent. These changes are aimed at making the LEZ more social, according to Tom Meeuws (Vooruit), Councillor for the Environment.
Switzerland has announced it will abolish tax incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs) from January 1, 2024, amid concerns over rising tax losses due to the EV boom. Importers of electric vehicles will now have to pay a tax levy of four percent of the vehicle's import price. This removes the tax exemption that has been in place since 1997.
Air quality in London has improved significantly over the last 15 years thanks to the introduction of Low Emission Zones (LEZ) and Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ). This initiative to reduce air pollution has not only improved air quality in the city, but has also contributed to improved public health and economic savings.
From April 27, 2024, the environmental zone policy in Antwerp will change fundamentally. The city council has decided to restrict access to the low emission zone (LEZ) for classic cars.
Stockholm is the first city in Europe to ban combustion engines from part of the city centre with a comprehensive zero-emission zone. After persistent protests prevented such a ban zone in the historic old town of Gamla Stan, the so-called "Low Emission Zone 3" for the city centre is now a done deal.
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.
There are more and more 30 km/h zones in cities. The concept of reducing traffic is popular both in terms of climate protection and road safety. Cities are also supposed to become more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly. The problem: public transport, an important component of sustainable mobility concepts, suffers from speed reduction!
The environmental zone in Hanover is being abolished. Nevertheless, Hannover wants to become a car-free model city: more space for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Those who do not depend on their cars will no longer be allowed to drive them into the city center. Parking spaces are to be eliminated completely. Car-free: in Hannover's case, that means "not one car too many in the city".
The new local governments are massively opposing the introduction of the new environmental zones. In many places they want to abolish the low emission zones or reduce them to an absolute minimum. Only 14 out of 149 cities meet the legal requirements. Cars seem to be on the rise again in the popular holiday destination.
The planned ban on older diesel and petrol vehicles in Flanders is postponed. Originally, diesel Euro5 and petrol Euro2 vehicles were to be banned from entering Antwerp and Ghent in less than 4 months. Now the government has postponed these tightening measures by one year and completely suspended all further bans.
