ARCHIVED - Thousands of vehicles to be banned from parts of large Spanish cities

A new road sign will be introduced on Spanish roads to show low emissions areas

Spain’s DGT traffic authority has announced that it will be bringing in a new road sign to enable drivers to identify low emission zones where thousands of vehicles will soon be unwelcome.

The new Climate Change and Ecological Transition Law that came into force in May this year requires cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants, and those with more than 20,000 inhabitants that fail to meet air quality standards, to create Low Emission Zones and other UVAR (Urban Vehicle Access Regulations) by 2023 as per EU guidelines.

Madrid and Barcelona have started creating low emission zones where access will be restricted for contaminating vehicles in accordance with the new law, and other cities across Spain will soon be following their lead.

The measure aims to improve air quality and citizens’ health, fight climate change and reduce acoustic contamination by encouraging drivers to opt for more environmentally-friendly forms of transport or make the change to electric vehicles.

The new road sign, picturing a car emitting exhaust fumes surrounded by a red, entry-banned circle, will specify that vehicles with O, Eco and C low-emission labels will be exempt from the restrictions. It will be used across Spain, allowing drivers to easily identify the areas where their vehicles may be banned from entry.

Information on Spanish cities’ low emission zones and their specific times and conditions will all be made available to drivers via the DGT 3.0 digital platform, which provides free, real-time data on traffic and road conditions.

Images: Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT)