Barcelona to ban pre-1997 vehicles to tackle emissions

Updated Apr 12, 2017 | Same topic: Latest Consumer Reports

The move that pre-1997 cars will be banned from the roads on weekdays will come into force in 2019 and will cover Barcelona and the 39 surrounding municipalities.
In response to worsening air pollution problems in many of Europe’s biggest cities, Barcelona has been moved to action.
 
pre-1997 vehicles in Europe
 
The measure will cover Barcelona and the 39 surrounding municipalities

Motorists will be prohibited from driving private cars registered before 1997 on working days from 2019 in effort to tackle air pollution. The measure will cover Barcelona and the 39 surrounding municipalities. Spanish authorities have said that this move will not only tackle air pollution, but also cut down on congestion as well.
 
According to the city council, the measure is likely to affect approximately 106,000 cars – around 7% of the total in the area. To be more specific, Barcelona will allow cars registered on or after January 1997 to ply the city’s roads. The city hopes to win people over by providing free public transport for those who give up their cars.
 
The city believes that this measure will reduce emissions by 10%. At the moment, Barcelona suffers from poor air quality that breaches the World Health Organization guidelines. The city’s neighbor, Mexico City, Madrid and Athens have also vowed to fight air pollution. By next year, the City of London will move to work towards a “Toxin Tax” for all older gas and diesel-powered vehicles in the area.