A far-reaching driving ban for older diesel cars in Munich came into force in February.
A green badge doesn't help either - but there are exceptions.
Munich – For a long time, the argument about the bad air on the busy streets in Munich had the city firmly in its grip.
But instead of a court decision, a compromise was reached.
From February, this will have far-reaching consequences for some drivers.
Diesel driving ban in Munich: the middle ring is now also part of the environmental zone
On Wednesday, February 1st, the extended driving ban for diesel vehicles will come into force in Munich.
The background is that the air on the busy streets in the Bavarian capital is still too bad.
The limit values for nitrogen dioxide are not complied with - the measuring stations on the Mittlerer Ring in particular sometimes register values that are significantly too high.
Diesel engines account for the largest share of this, which is why an extended driving ban will come into force from February.
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The overview shows the low-emission zone in Munich - from February 1, the Mittlerer Ring is no longer its border, but part of the low-emission zone.
© @OpenStreetMap / muenchen.de
This includes the integration of the middle ring into the environmental zone.
Previously, it was just the very edge.
In addition, diesel vehicles with the Euro 4 emission standard will also be subject to the ban in future - even if they have a green sticker.
However, there will also be extensive exceptions.
The green sticker and emission standards
In principle, a car needs a green sticker to be allowed to drive into the environmental zone.
It was introduced in 2007 and is mandatory in the German environmental zones.
From February 1st, however, the green badge is no longer sufficient to automatically be approved for the city area on and within the Mittlerer Ring.
The respective emission standards of the vehicles will be decisive here in the future.
Emission standards are assigned to cars depending on fuel consumption, vehicle type and pollutant emissions.
Currently there are the emission classes Euronorm 1 to 6. In the Munich environmental zone (apart from the listed exceptions) no vehicles with the emission standard Euro 4 or lower are allowed to drive from February.
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Diesel driving bans in Munich: exceptions - and the next steps in the event of failure
Residents, delivery traffic, craftsmen with a parking license and employees in shift work or care work may continue to drive into the environmental zone with older diesel vehicles.
There are also exceptions for cases of hardship, relocation and visits to the doctor.
Overall, the diesel driving bans that will apply from February represent the first of three possible stages. If the nitrogen dioxide values are still exceeded in October, stage two will come into force.
From October 1, 2023, diesel vehicles meeting the Euro 5 standard would then also have to stop in front of the Mittlerer Ring.
If this stage is not enough either, the third and last stage will come in April 2024: From April 1, 2024, the general exceptions would then no longer apply, but taxis, craftsmen, shift workers and nursing services would still be allowed to drive into the environmental zone with a special permit.
Nitrogen dioxide hazardous to health – Munich was sued
The agreed compromise came as a response to a lawsuit filed by Deutsche Umwelthilfe, which had taken action because of the limit values that had been exceeded for years.
According to the city, however, the compromise is better than a court judgment that was bypassed with it, since the compromise promises an immediate solution - and if successful, makes further stages void, while a court judgment could no longer have been changed.
Nitrogen dioxide is a health hazard. According to the Federal Environment Agency, road traffic is primarily responsible for its high emissions.
Nitrogen dioxide can cause respiratory problems and is linked to many diseases of the lungs and cardiovascular system.
It also forms ground-level ozone and particulate matter.
(fhz)
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List of rubrics: © Sven Simon / IMAGO
