Name of the environmental zone: Environmental Zone Valencia ZPA - Spain
Date of entry into effect of the zone: 01-01-2008
Type of environmental zone: LEZ environmental zone, depending on weather conditions, where driving bans and traffic restrictions are activated following the announcement of an early warning stage.
Not allowed to drive (temporarily): If the city council officially declares an air pollution phase, then depending on the stage of an air pollution protocol, a speed limit and its driveways can be determined first. In further prohibition stages, only vehicles that have a Distintivo Ambiental may enter the environmental zone.
Not allowed to drive (permanently): Information currently unavailable
Fines: 90 €
Area/extension of the environmental zone: The environmental zone includes the historic region of the Valencian Community of L'Horta de Velència.
Contact of the environmental zone and exceptions: Information currently unavailable
Exemptions: Excavator, Disabled vehicle, Fire brigade, Military, Mobile cranes, Police car, Removal van, Sweeper, Public bus, Waste collection vehicle and Ambulance
Environmental zone ZPA
Do I need stickers or registrations?
If there is a peak in air pollution and the ZPA zone is activated, each affected vehicle requires a valid Spanish environmental sticker (Distintivo-Ambiental) to enter the low emission zone. Otherwise, a fine of 90 euros is to be expected.
You can find out whether a ZPA zone is active and which vignette is affected by the driving ban in our Green-Zones App.
What is a ZPA zone?
ZPA zones ("zones de protection de l'air") do not apply permanently, but are only active during bad weather and high air pollution. They can cover the areas of entire large municipalities or a specific geographical area. The outlines of each air protection zone are therefore precisely defined in advance.
Since ZPA zones are only valid in the event of a peak in air pollution, the traffic restrictions laid down in a decree only apply if predefined air pollution limits are exceeded. In this case, certain vignette colours are excluded from traffic in order to reduce pollutant emissions. For each air protection zone, recommendations have been drawn up in advance as to which vignette colours should be excluded in the event of severe air pollution. However, in the specific case of air pollution this is always decided by the prefect or mayor of the area.
How do I recognize the low emission zone?
ZPA zones are only activated temporarily. The size and dimensions of the zone are completely individual. This is determined by the respective prefect, depending on the intensity of air pollution. Therefore there are no special signs for ZPA zones.
In our Green Zones App we have a detailed map of each low emission zone. So you can easily see the boundaries and avoid penalties.
Are there other low emission zones in Spain?
Spain has a total of 7 different environmental zones. These differ in ZBE zones, ZEZ zones and ZPA zones: Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Valladolid, Valencia
In our Green Zones App we have gathered together all of Europe's environmental zones and presented them clearly.
Good to know...
All current driving bans and further information are available in our Green-Zones App.
Stockholm bans petrol and diesel cars from the city centre from 2025 - a role model for other major cities or an experimental laboratory at the expense of citizens?
The Swedish capital Stockholm has set itself an ambitious goal: From 2025, petrol and diesel cars are to be banned from the city centre. The EU Commission has given the green light for the introduction of a new low emission zone. But is the plan really feasible or just another symbolic political measure by the green-red coalition?
Low emission zones: Between preservation and abolition
Low emission zones are a controversial topic in Germany. Some cities have abolished them, others have retained them. But what could be the reasons behind this inconsistent approach? And how could the abolition of low emission zones affect air quality?