Almost 300 cameras monitoring the low emission zone in London have already been damaged or stolen. The police are searching for the perpetrators and have now published the picture of a suspected perpetrator. His face is the symbol of an indignant city.
Despite high diesel prices, the vehicles remain enormously popular. Although the new car market is changing dramatically and offering fewer and fewer diesel vehicles, they are still booming on the used car market. Even driving bans that have already been announced do not seem to be a deterrent. Perhaps only bans and heavy fines will bring about a real change in consumer attitudes.
Only 2 months after the introduction of the Low Emission Zone in Glasgow, the city council has earned almost £600,000 through fines. After heavy criticism because of problems with the city-owned vehicles, there is now renewed anger among the population. Is the city making money?
Devastating forest fires are raging in southern France. Thousands of holidaymakers had to be evacuated from campsites. The flames are not only endangering the people in the region and causing enormous property damage, but are also contributing greatly to particulate pollution in the air. Is this why driving bans are now threatening?
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.
In the event of high air pollution, intelligent displays will inform citizens and encourage them to use public transport. This should prevent driving bans.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London, which has been in operation since April 2019, is to be significantly expanded. Originally, the ULEZ was established on an area of 21 square kilometres. On 25 October 2021, it was expanded 18 times and on 29 August 2023, it will be expanded to a whopping 1579 square kilometres. This will cover all London boroughs in Greater London, making it one of the largest environmental zones in the world.
Glasgow City Council has come under fire for its hypocritical implementation of the Low Emissions Zone (LEZ). While the council is asking businesses and commuters to comply with the LEZ regulations, its own vehicles are not compliant and the Lord Mayor's VW Phaeton limousine is also banned.
The postponement of the tightening of the environmental zone in the Paris metropolitan area, the Zone à Faibles Émissions (ZFE), has significant implications for the 7.2 million inhabitants and the environmental agenda in general.
