Author: Mateusz Szymczycha

Prof. Moreno: It’s good to have a LEZ but it’s even better to be a LEE

Written by Mateusz Szymczycha on October 31, 2023. Posted in Know-how.

Cities should not merely “have” low emission zones (LEZ) but should themselves “be” comprehensive Low Emission Environments (LEE) – states prof. Carlos Moreno, cities expert and author of the famous concept of the 15-minute city, in an exclusive interview with the LEZ Laboratory website. He emphasizes that a future, sustainable, and user-friendly city is one where the majority navigate through dense urban spaces primarily by walking, cycling, and utilizing public transport.

As for today, in the current state of affairs, should every city have a Low Emission Zone?
Embracing the 15-minute city philosophy, a pivotal challenge ahead is to sharply curtail the environmental and climate impacts of urban spaces. A crucial first step towards more sustainable urbanity involves reducing greenhouse gases, predominantly emanating from vehicles. While the implementation of low-emission zones is indeed a praiseworthy advancement, I assert that cities should not merely “have” these zones but should themselves “be” comprehensive low-emission environments. Time is of the essence, demanding a systemic reshaping of our urban landscapes to facilitate a carbon-neutral mobility network. My envisioning of a future, sustainable, and user-friendly city is one where the majority navigate through dense urban spaces primarily by walking, cycling, and utilizing public transport.

Does a 15-minute city need a Low Emission Zone?
The 15-minute city is not a traffic management strategy but a lifestyle that enhances quality of life, enabling individuals to spend more meaningful time near their homes amidst a wealth of services in a polycentric urban environment. The goal is not to battle against cars per se, but to resist car dependency, which encompasses habitual vehicle use, even for brief trips in residential areas. In the “15-minute city”, residents can reach six essential social functions – living, working, accessing healthcare, shopping, learning, and personal development – within a 15-minute walk or cycle from their dwellings. Urban developments fostering mobility are crucial to encouraging soft mobility in daily life: safe, wide cycle paths, and lush, friendly pedestrian areas. Cars are demoted: parking is minimized and commodified, with select streets becoming car-free. Public spaces are liberated from vehicles and returned to pedestrians. In the 15-minute city, elongated, carbon-intensive travels are outliers. This urban model inherently diminishes carbon emissions through its operational design, negating the necessity for specified low-emission zones: the 15-minute city is, in essence, a low-emission city.

Is the 15-minute city a concept – in a way – of a concentration of micro-cities?
No, the 15-minute city is a polycentric city, but it remains one city. Its neighborhoods remain complementary, interdependent and interconnected. Its rules and operations remain those of a “single” city. The management of the city and its services must remain centralized, large-scale facilities cannot be created everywhere… The 15-minute city should not be understood as a multiplication of small towns, but as an improvement in the fluidity and quality of life of a city.

(photo: Thomas Baltes)

Does nature and its solutions, such as beehives, inspire you in your work?
Urban biomimicry is interesting because, as the French saying goes, “Mother Nature has a way of doing things”! We can find forms or processes in nature that can be reproduced to develop appropriate and sober urban, architectural and health features… My work is mainly inspired by the ecosystemic characteristics of nature, of the planet, of species. I consider the city as a whole, as an ecosystem, with its mobile and immobile, built and unbuilt, organic and inorganic, real and virtual components. This means taking an interest in the relationships and interactions of influence, dependence and mutual benefit between species. Rather than taking inspiration from and copying nature, I’m in favor of massively integrating nature into urban spaces to refresh our cities and make them more pleasant. What better than nature to create the benefits of nature?

What do you think is a better, or even the best, alternative to private cars – from the point of view of today’s car users?
Undeniably, any low-carbon transport option surpasses private cars! With respect to both operational greenhouse gas emissions and production life-cycle analysis, private cars persistently emerge as a concern. There is no universal solution: each user must identify the alternative that optimally aligns with their individual needs, contingent upon their urban context and daily necessities. Our approach isn’t about enforcing punitive obligations; rather, we aim to persuade individuals that a lifestyle change is imperative. Climate change is a persistent reality, and it is solely through our behavioral modifications that we can adapt and mitigate the already evident challenging impacts.

Prof. Carlos Moreno is a cities expert and creator of the concept of the 15-minute city. For this contribution, in 2022 he received the UN HABITAT “Scroll of Honour”, one of the most prestigious awards given to those who work for sustainable urbanism. He was also awarded the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by the French Republic (2010) and the Prospective Medal from the French Academy of Architecture (2019). Prof. Moreno’s website: https://www.moreno-web.net/.

(illustration photo: ETI Lab, IAE Paris – Paris Sorbonne Business School)

Developing a LEZ – lessons from the UK and Warsaw

Written by Mateusz Szymczycha on September 20, 2023. Posted in Know-how. No Comments on Developing a LEZ – lessons from the UK and Warsaw

Introducing a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is both technically complex and politically challenging, and so building a robust evidence base to support the case for a LEZ is crucial to its success. In this case study we set out some of the key lessons we have learnt from building this evidence for a number of cities in the UK such as Bradford and Southampton, as well as working with the City of Warsaw on their LEZ scheme.

The UK has a number of cities with a LEZ (or as we call them Clean Air Zones) in operation. These cities were required to assess and implement a LEZ to tackle breaches of the air quality limit value for NO₂. The schemes are based on road user charging legislation, which means that vehicles not meeting the LEZ are charged to enter, and the emission standards for the LEZs were set nationally. The zones can also be enforced by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology linked to the national vehicle registration database. In summary, there are some differences with the situation in Poland, however the overall process of developing and justifying a LEZ scheme will be similar.

The development process
The process for designing a LEZ is not necessarily a linear one and will generally have more than one iteration as different scheme options are considered. Assessing these options will provide the evidence needed to define the most effective scheme for your city. The two key pieces of evidence to support a scheme are generally:

An impact assessment of the scheme options – in terms of effect on traffic and air pollution
The economic case for the scheme – what are the costs and benefits, and who is affected and how?

When developing options, it is useful to first come up with a long list, based on your understanding of the problem including where are the pollution hotspots, what vehicle types are causing this and what might be politically acceptable. Then an initial sifting of this list using a qualitative assessment, for example in the form of a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) assessment, can help you focus in on the most likely options that you then want to assess further.

Impact assessment
This assessment focuses on the air pollution impact of the scheme, as this is the primary goal of LEZ implementation. The key steps to this assessment are:

Assessing the impact of the LEZ on the traffic flows and vehicle fleet composition.
Determining how this will then affect transport emissions.
Translating this to the actual impact on pollutant concentrations.

The first step is arguably the most difficult in trying to get an understanding of how many people would upgrade their vehicles or change their travel patterns in response to the scheme. Approaches to this can include evidence from the implementation of similar schemes in other cities, specific behavioural response surveys or the use transport models to assess the travel behaviour response to a LEZ. In the UK, transport models were the main source of this data, complemented by some surveys. However, for our work in Warsaw, the transport model owned by the city was not designed to provide this kind of assessment. Therefore in this case we applied a combination of information on responses to schemes in the UK, some local survey work, a focus group with local businesses, and the city’s transport model.

Translating the anticipated behavioural response into emission changes across the road network is the next key step. Key to this is detailed traffic and fleet composition data and traffic models are again an ideal source which we applied in both our work in the UK and Warsaw. This is then combined with vehicle emission factors which are typically European COPERT data. However, more recently with some of our UK work and in Warsaw we have been adjusting these factors using ‘real world’ emission measurements from remote sensing equipment. These provide a detailed understanding of the local vehicle fleet and what its emissions performance is, that would not otherwise be captured.

Measuring real world vehicle emissions (photo: Ricardo)

The modelled changes in emissions are then fed into an air dispersion model and subsequently combined with information on non- road transport emissions, which are often referred to as background sources. Getting information on these other sources can be difficult. In the UK, we have national level data available at a 1 km resolution across the country both in terms of emissions and concentrations. Again, this was not available for our work in Warsaw and we therefore worked with a combination of low resolution satellite data and air quality monitoring data to provide background pollutant concentrations to complement our modelled concentrations from transport.

With any modelling assessment there will always be uncertainly and the behavioural response assumptions are typically the main one. Trying to assess this uncertainty and what it might mean for the results is another important aspect of impact assessment. This is generally done using sensitivity analysis where we adjust some of our assumptions and see what impact this has. For example, if we increase our assumption on how many vehicles divert around the LEZ, what impacts would this have and would it reduce the effectiveness of the scheme significantly?

In summary, for Warsaw we provided a model which pulled on a range of key sources of information including the city’s transport model, satellite data for background pollution and remote sensing vehicle emission data to get real world performance of the local vehicles. Information on behavioural response built on experience from London’s ULEZ and was complemented with sensitivity analysis.

Air Pollution model results for Warsaw without and with a central LEZ option (source: Ricardo)

Building the economic case
A Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) provides the core of the business case for the LEZ and aims to value all impacts of the scheme in financial terms so that they can be compared to assess whether the benefits outweigh the costs. We have developed our own LEZ specific CBA model that we have used in both the UK and Warsaw, with the key components covering:

Health impacts – the monetised mortality and morbidity impacts from a change in pollutant concentrations;
Capital cost of vehicle upgrades to comply with the LEZ;
Changes in fuel and non-fuel vehicle operating costs, and change in GHG emissions, associated with vehicle upgrades;
‘Welfare’ impacts of trips cancelled due to the LEZ (i.e. the lost value to the individual of the activity foregone/not undertaken);
Change in travel time from diverted trips due to the LEZ;
Implementation costs.

The health impact assessment uses the outputs of the air pollution modelling combined with standard methodologies from the EC and EEA on health impact monetisation. The estimation of vehicle upgrade costs and operating costs requires information on the vehicle fleet from localised ANPR data (as used in the air pollution modelling) and vehicle registration data to understand the number and type of vehicles that need to be upgraded. This is then combined with local or national cost information on vehicles (both new and second hand) and fuel costs. For the UK we had detailed cost data built up over a number of years. For Warsaw we adjusted this data with more generic cost data that we were able to source for Poland. Welfare and travel time costs require use of outputs from the city’s transport model and the scheme implementation costs are typically provided by the city authority and focused mainly on the costs of the enforcement approach being used.

CBA however only looks at things in aggregated form which can potentially hide inequity in how those cost and benefits are distributed. For example, do some sectors of society bear higher costs or get greater benefits from the LEZ than others? This analysis is known as distribution analysis. The distribution of air quality benefits can be assessed by overlaying the change in pollutant concentrations with demographic data to see who may receive the greatest benefit. Similarly, in terms of upgrade costs it would explore vehicle ownership data to understand who owns vehicles affected by the scheme and the costs they may incur.

Distributional analysis can be very important in managing the political challenges of implementing a LEZ as it helps politicians understand who is affected. It can also be used to develop complementary measures to support those who may be most affected. For example, small businesses may struggle with the costs of upgrading vehicles and so a grant scheme targeting them could help the scheme be more politically acceptable. The same data used to assess upgrade costs in the CBA model can be used to estimate what level of support may be needed by residents or business to help them upgrade their vehicles. Another incentive that has been explore is the use of scrappage schemes and mobility credits to encourage drivers to relinquish an older vehicle in exchange for credits (based on the residual value of the vehicles) for use with public transport or car sharing services.

An good example of building a strong economic case is the work we carried out for the LEZ in Bradford, UK. The distributional analysis identified small local freight businesses as a key sector impacted by the scheme. Exploring this further, we assessed the costs needed to allow them to upgrade their vehicles to comply with the LEZ and helped develop a grant scheme to support them. Overall, the business case for the LEZ in Bradford was successful at securing £43 million in funding from central government for the main scheme and supporting measures.

Promotion graphic for the Bradford LEZ scheme and accompanying support measures for local businesses

Communicating for success
Consulting and communicating on your LEZ scheme is the final element in making your LEZ a success. Again, the evidence you have is important for effective communication and engagement, as it allows you to:

Clearly show what the problem is and so why a LEZ is needed
Explain the options you have considered and why you have chosen the preferred scheme
Describe what the benefits and cost are likely to be
Set out who could be impacted and how you are considering mitigating this

Having clear evidence on these points will help bring key stakeholders along with you and encourage support rather than opposition for your scheme. People want to know what it will mean for them and how you have considered them, whether they are businesses or residents.

Political will is probably the key determinant for taking forward a LEZ but having a robust evidence base is a close second. The evidence base can also help support and build the required political will in the first instance.

(photo: the author’s archive)

Dr Guy Hitchcock, Technical Director for Low Emission Cities, Ricardo

(illustration photo: Ricardo)

Oslo shows how to put cars in their place

Written by Mateusz Szymczycha on September 14, 2023. Posted in Know-how. No Comments on Oslo shows how to put cars in their place

The case of Oslo clearly shows that in order to take care of air quality and the health of inhabitants, it is not enough to simply substitute EVs for combustion engine vehicles – the city has to be organized in such a way that it is no longer dominated by any type of car. Sidewalks for pedestrians, public transport so effective that it is easy to forget about your own four wheels – this is what a people-friendly city needs.

In Oslo, like in the whole of Norway, clean transport is promoted e.g. by facilitating the use of EVs – for example providing convenient and easy access to a comprehensive network of charging points. They can be found literally everywhere: in parking areas (both under- and on the ground) and in places such as the Oslo City Hub – a logistics center for vehicles (now all of them are electric) of delivery companies and the post, therefore serving both business and the public sector. One can even hire an electric… motorboat.

Crucially, however, Oslo understands that although an EV is much better for air quality than a vehicle with a combustion engine, one should go all in and restrict the traffic of all passenger cars, substituting it e.g. with efficient and convenient public transport – obviously zero emission. Such an approach enables the city to gain something very valuable – cleaner and bigger space for people.

This is why the capital of Norway is electrifying all forms of public transport – not only busses, but ferries as well. The city is also developing its network of subway stations. All this so that the car is not indispensable for comfortably moving around the city. Revolution? More like evolution.

(photo: Ian on Flickr)

Want cleaner air? Be bold!
– Developing clean transport is not about persuading residents to make sacrifices, but rather about showing what they get in return: clean air and a people-friendly city – said the mayor of Oslo, Marianne Borgen, during an exclusive meeting with the participants of the visit. – The ban on smoking in public spaces was also a cause for concern, but restaurants and cafes did not go bankrupt. Today, hardly anyone would like to go back to what was once seen as obvious – she compared. In her opinion, the most important thing is to talk honestly and clearly about the benefits of unpopular (at least initially) solutions. – Bold action and visible results are the best arguments – she emphasized.

However, this boldness is not demonstrated in undertaking ad hoc, large-scope actions, such as establishing a Low Emission Zone covering the entire county, but in achieving precisely established, measurable goals, and – first and foremost – in a systemic, coordinated evolution of the city.

Sidewalks are for walking
How can you tell that Oslo is a people-friendly city? One indication is the fact that in the Norwegian capital a common Polish urban “sport” consisting in pedestrians sneaking along the walls of buildings to squeeze through a sidewalk blocked by cars is completely unknown. Despite the popularity of EVs, pedestrians in the city center are not overwhelmed by car infrastructure. Congestion and noise are much lower as well. This is in part due to the city policy of moving parking spots underground and setting parking prices at a level that incentivizes using alternative forms of transport, including public transport.

(photo: Pedro on Flickr)

Through the wallet to the lungs, or: the toll ring
The idea behind the Oslo toll ring is simple: it encourages moving around it with public transport, by bike or on foot – rather than by car. However, if a car has to drive in there, it is better if it pollutes the air as little as possible. In other words: every car can enter, the question is how much it will cost. Drivers of fully electric cars pay half the fee for cars with combustion engines, while those powered by hydrogen do not have to pay at all. Petrol cars and cars with hybrid engines pay the full fee, while drivers of diesel cars over 3.5 tons are the ones that have to spend the most. Entry in the ring is more expensive during rush hours (6:30-9 am and 3-5 pm).

Therefore, those who pollute the air more, are facing a simple choice. They can pay a high fee for entry or use the attractive alternatives provided by the city. This is how Oslo comprehensively promotes clean transport: on the one hand, its toll ring encourages the use of means of transport with as little negative impact on air quality as possible, on the other – the money from the fees finances the development of such means. – Environmental and health considerations were not the only reasons why we established a toll ring in Oslo. We also wanted to raise funds for the development of transport infrastructure. However, it is this infrastructure – for electromobility, for zero-emission public transport and for bicycles – that makes the city more friendly for residents and better for their health, and at the same time benefits the environment – emphasized the director of the Oslo Climate Agency Heidi Sørensen. Such an approach is consistent with Norwegian clean transport policy. – It is based on the premise that emissions should be discouraged before they happen, not penalized after the fact, when damage to the environment and health cannot be undone – said expert of the Norwegian EV Association (Norsk Elbilforeningen) Erik Lorentzen.

The area covered by the Oslo toll ring is divided into three sub-rings – checkpoints are placed on their borders. Fees are collected in two cases: upon entry in the area (on entering the outside ring) and for every crossing of the border of an inside ring, regardless of the direction of travel (drivers only pay for one crossing per hour, those with the Autopass card have a 20-percent rebate). Hence, drivers who intend to intensively move around central Oslo but would rather not see their wallets take too much of a hit have a very tangible motivation to use public transport or bikes.

One advantage of Norwegian toll rings is the clear, integrated fee collection system, which can serve as an inspiration for Polish Low Emission Zones. It is based on stickers – the same in the whole of the country – which include all the necessary vehicle characteristics, in turn checked by cameras. Crucially, every vehicle entering the ring is checked. This means that to enter a toll ring in another city in the country, the inhabitants of Oslo need nothing more than the aforementioned sticker. Foreign drivers have to register their cars online – failure to do so results in an obligation to pay the highest entry fee at every checkpoint.

The case of Oslo clearly shows that to take care of air quality and the health of inhabitants, it is not enough to simply substitute EVs for combustion engine vehicles – the city has to be organized in such a way that it is no longer dominated by any type of car.

(photo: Kjetil Ree on Wikimedia Commons)

Fees for entry in toll rings can be used for precisely defined goals – solely and exclusively to develop public transport infrastructure. Oslo is currently financing e.g. the development of the subway network. Simply put, rings are not a source of ad hoc income used to plug holes in city budgets, but an element of a complex system of promoting and developing clean transport. Such a system has to be based on accurate data and efficient coordination – with this in mind, the Norwegian capital is measuring greenhouse gas emissions and air quality, it is also constantly adapting its tools to the changing reality.

Let us count emissions like we count money
Oslo has adopted a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 95 percent by 2030 (compared to 2009 emissions). Three times a year, local government officials in the city receive information on the rate of emission reduction in individual sectors, including transport, construction, and energy. – We count emissions just like we count money and check on an ongoing basis whether we meet the adopted reduction targets – said Marianne Borgen.

– In the development of clean transport, ambitious and long-term goals are needed, but they have to be close enough for those who adopt them to feel and be responsible for their implementation. The mayor of Oslo also drew attention to an important tool for popularizing clean transport, namely… public procurement. – When green solutions are promoted in municipal tender procedures, the private sector clearly sees that running business in a manner friendly for the environment, as well as for people’s comfort and health, is the key to further growth – she explained.

Norwegian lessons in clean transport
Key conclusions from the experiences of Norwegian experts gathered during the “Laboratory of Low Emission Zones” project:

• The advantages of clean transport should be pointed out – the emphasis should be placed on benefits, not sacrifices, in a transparent and honest way;
• Air quality improvement goals should be defined as long-term, but close enough for their creators to feel responsible not only for setting them, but also for their implementation;
• Emission reductions should be encouraged before they reach a level so high that they have to be penalized;
• Low Emission Zones are just one of the many tools available to improve the air quality in cities – the first step should be to verify whether a LEZ is the best way to solve problems;
• Air quality should be improved systemically, rather than by undertaking isolated efforts – the introduction of a Low Emission Zone alone will probably not be enough;
• When introducing a LEZ, it should be kept in mind that the situation will change, so it is necessary to have a tool to monitor it and adjust detailed solutions to the given conditions on an ongoing basis;
• Measurable, long-term goals should be set – work towards them should proceed in small steps.

(illustration photo: Doug Kerr on Flickr)

Bremen – a city that plays the BLUES for the people and with the people

Written by Mateusz Szymczycha on September 12, 2023. Posted in Know-how. No Comments on Bremen – a city that plays the BLUES for the people and with the people

The Bremen “Umweltzone”, or Low Emission Zone, one of the smallest among such zones in Germany, has only 7 square kilometers. In spite of this, Bremen enjoys the lowest NO₂pollution levels in big German cities. It also boasts the highest share of cycling in transport and a comparatively high average speed of road traffic. How is it possible? These are the effects of a decades-long, consistent and systemic policy by the City of Bremen – a policy of which the LEZ is only a part, and which is aimed at improving the well-being of the inhabitants of the city.

Bremen is called “the bike city”, and for good reason – one fourth of traffic there is generated by cyclists. They have significantly more than 700 km of bike roads and lanes provided by the city at their disposal, including ones that run through parks and other greenery. Moreover, on one way streets, cyclist can also ride the “wrong” way, while the Blockland district (one of the biggest in Bremen, situated on its outskirts) has made all of its streets available to pedestrian and bike traffic – and only the inhabitants of this district can drive cars there. To take advantage of these and many other bike-friendly solutions available in Bremen, one does not have to own a bike – many cheap and convenient rental schemes work in the city, e.g. WK-Bike or Fietje (for cargo bikes which can be used to transport both people and goods).

How did the people of Bremen come to love bikes so much? Were bikes the miracle cure for air pollution? Today’s picture of the city is a result of consistent, decades-long efforts in accordance with the principle of “use anything but private cars”. Bremen has gone through a long and complicated process – the fact that today bikes or the small Low Emission Zone catch the eye should not obscure the full picture.
– Complex planning, including spatial planning, is the best way to restrict not only emissions, but other burdens and dangers resulting from road traffic as well. It is also a method applicable to the urban mobility system as a whole: for improving its efficiency and decreasing its susceptibility to changing prices of fuels and electricity – emphasizes Michael Glotz-Richter, Senior Project Manager for Sustainable Mobility at the Bremen City Hall. At the same time, the systemic nature of the tools applied does not mean that all of them have to be complicated – to the contrary: some of the mobility solutions used in Bremen are remarkably simple (and work to great effect). Priority in traffic for city busses and trams is one such mechanism.

The Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan for Bremen 2025 (English version) – the so-called VEP 2025 (German version) – which addresses all means of transport and movement in the city, proposes further bike-friendly solutions, such as premium bike lanes, which are intended to facilitate fast, convenient, and safe cycling through the city, particularly over longer distances. Works on this plan started 13 years in advance, and it came into force 11 years before the date in its title. Obviously, it was thoroughly consulted with the inhabitants of Bremen. What is more, in 2018 the VEP 2025 was expanded with the so-called Green City Master Plan (in German), containing a further more than 80 actions grouped in 4 areas that were deemed the most important for the future of transport at the time (innovative road traffic planning – including car sharing and non-motorized traffic, digitization of the traffic system, automation of driving, and changes brought about by alternative means of propulsion and fuels). The manner in which these plans were prepared is a perfect case study for all local governments – a great source of knowledge and tools for improving the air quality in a city, or rather for changing a whole city for the better. It is also an example which clearly shows that city policy cannot be something that is shaped on an ad hoc, day-to-day basis. What are the effects of such an approach? Let us see the statistics: in 2018, there were… 2 bikes for each household in Bremen and 0.9 of a car. A third of households did not have a car at all.

(photo: Ulamm on Wikipedia.org – on license, after graphic edits)

Did a city offering such conditions really need a Low Emission Zone, and such a small one at that? This is clearly a trick question, because what Bremen did first, was to provide its inhabitants “such conditions”, which is why its LEZ did not surprise anyone like a bolt out of the blue, nor did it need to be bigger. It plays exactly the role that is intended for a Low Emission Zone. “The main goal of the LEZ is to restrict the emission of harmful substances from engine-powered vehicles, particularly vehicles with Diesel engines. The most important source of the pollutions in question is road traffic which is responsible for ca. 30 percent of particulate matter and 60 percent of nitrogen dioxide in the air within the Zone” – one can read, in loose translation, on the city’s website. – We have created the LEZ to improve the air quality in the city and protect the health of inhabitants – sums up Michael Glotz-Richter.

(photo: Michael Glotz-Richter)

Small but effective
The area covered by the Bremen LEZ is inhabited by ca. 65 000 people – a little over 10 percent of the city’s total population. With as little as 7 square kilometers (the total size of Bremen is over 320 square kilometers), it is not only the smallest Zone in the biggest German cities, but also one of the smallest in Germany as a whole (a Zone of same size exists in Ulm – a city with ca. a third of Bremen’s area and a fifth of its population).

The Zone started its operations in January 2009, but the origins of its story can be traced back to the previous century – specifically to 1987, when the BLUES started “playing”. BLUES is Bremen’s air quality control system (the acronym stands for the German term “das Bremer Luftüberwachungssystem”). The system comprises 9 stations that measure among others the concentration of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, both in Bremen and in the neighboring Bremerhaven, six of which monitor specific sites (the most crowded roads) and three monitor the traffic itself. The website of the city has a subsection where the measurements of the BLUES are posted in the form of a simple air quality indicator, updated every hour and understandable for everyone, as it is based on the German school grade system of 1 to 6, where 1 is the best grade and 6 – the worst.

In the establishing the Low Emission Zone, Bremen has also acted well in advance. The City Hall gave itself the time it needed: necessary analyses (in German) were done in 2005, while the resolution on the creation of the LEZ – in August 2008, almost 2.5 years before the “opening day”. The upsides of such an approach are obvious – each interested party and group affected by the LEZ was provided with comfortable conditions to prepare for it. The City Hall had time to educate, communicate and consult, as well as to amend and expand the draft of the resolution, while the inhabitants, local communities and entrepreneurs could learn more, get thoroughly acquainted with the topic, actively participate in the elaboration of the resolution, and undertake all appropriate individual actions, such as leasing or buying cars (more on that below).

The control system in the Bremen LEZ, similarly to other “Umweltzones” in German cities, is based on the so-called environment plaques – there are 3 kinds of them: red, yellow, and green (the classification is based among others on Euro norms). Those who enter the Zone in Bremen without the proper plaque risk a fine of 100 euro (for comparison: a monthly ticket for public transport costs a little less than 68 euro).

The Bremen Low Emissions Zone was introduced in 3 stages. In the first phase, all cars with plaques – regardless of their color – could enter which meant that the Zone was accessible for petrol-powered vehicles with a catalytic converter and Diesel-powered vehicles which met the Euro 2 norm or higher. The next stage started a year later – from then on, only vehicles with yellow or green plaques could enter, while the final step was made 2 years after that – specifically in July 2011. Since then, only vehicles with a green plaque can enter the Zone: e.g. Diesel vehicles which meet the Euro 4 norm or higher.

(photo: Michael Glotz-Richter)

Not only the Zone…
When introducing its LEZ, Bremen has simultaneously conducted many other activities, resulting both from the city’s strategy and from the awareness of the need for other facilitating solutions. – These activities included programs for financing less polluting ways and means of transport – not only public transport – as well as low emission vehicles. For example, the city ensured that all new busses met the EEV norm, the highest possible. Of course, all of this applies to the factual and technical state at the time, in the years 2007-2012 – explains Michael Glotz-Richter.

The expert of the Bremen City Hall also points to the “PARFUM” project, financed by the EU’s LIFE program, which addressed the impact of cargo and passenger transport on urban air quality. The project elaborated technological innovations and environmental policies aimed at restricting the emission of air pollutants caused by road traffic – such as the previously mentioned traffic light priority for public transport. The effects it brought in Bremen – and it brought plenty – are discussed in detail in this video (in English).

In 1998 – let us emphasize that: 25 years ago – as an alternative to private cars, Bremen promoted car sharing services, initially as part of a package with an integrated public transport ticket connecting the right to use public transport with the possibility of renting a car. Five years later, the so-called mobility stations appeared on Bremen’s streets, where cars can be rented directly in the neighborhoods where people live and work. Today, in central Bremen, one can find such a station roughly every 300 meters. – In 2013, we integrated this system with new residential buildings – first it was optional, voluntary, but from last year it is mandatory for developers – says the expert of the Bremen City Hall. – Car sharing is a key element of urban development, new buildings and managing the district streets. Working with the motto of ‘use – do not own’ gives us not only more space for people, but also savings in residential buildings. Sharing cars is a big win for cities. For Bremen it is also a specific number – without the municipal car sharing system, ca. 8 000 more passenger cars would drive on our streets – emphasizes Michael Glotz-Richter.

(photo: Michael Glotz-Richter)

“Nothing about us without us” – in Bremen too
The Low Emission Zone in Bremen is a good example of cooperation with the people who will be impacted by the consequences of a given action. The introduction of the LEZ was preceded in Bremen by a thorough awareness campaign and social consultations. The City has recorded as many as 154 suggestions and objections (protocols and replies, including illustrative materials – presentations, reports, summaries – are still available at the city’s website). The Zone was discussed not only with private citizens, but also with companies working in it and in close proximity to it (!), with business associations and chambers of commerce, including transport associations and companies, environmental organizations, as well as with representatives of city administration – the City Hall itself and municipal companies. The suggestions that Bremen took into account included e.g. a motion to establish an exemption to LEZ regulations for motorhomes owned by the inhabitants of the Zone. A flagship example of taking local conditions for business into consideration was the so-called “Fleet Agreement”. There were ca. 5 000 crafts companies in Bremen, with a total of ca. 15 000 vehicles at their disposal – some of them had a very low annual mileage, because they served as mobile workshops and remained practically in a single location. – In order to facilitate their functioning we agreed with the crafts chamber exemptions for trucks and delivery vehicles for entrepreneurs in Bremen. This contract included a special agreement with entities who had large vehicle fleets – in exchange for prolonging the right to enter the Zone for trucks and delivery vans which met the Euro 3 norm, these entities have agreed to then change their cars straight to Euro 5, skipping Euro 4 – this was a good and reasonable agreement, and has greatly contributed to restricting the levels of nitrogen oxides in the air in Bremen – explainsMichael Glotz-Richter and adds that the Fleet Agreement has met with recognition not only in the city itself but also – thanks to media coverage – all over Germany.

The Low Emission Zone in Bremen brought the predicted and expected results after 7 years. – Since 2016, we have consistently fit under the threshold values for air quality indicators with regards to the concentration of both PM10 particles and nitrogen dioxide – says Glotz-Richter with satisfaction. Moreover, Bremen plans to be climate neutral by 2038.

(illustration photo: Michael Glotz-Richter)

Petrol cars are holding on – or the Low Emission Zone in Copenhagen

Written by Mateusz Szymczycha on August 21, 2023. Posted in Know-how. No Comments on Petrol cars are holding on – or the Low Emission Zone in Copenhagen

At first glance, the regulations of the Low Emission Zone in Copenhagen appear suspiciously lenient. How did it come to that? Where’s the catch? The answer is simple: the inhabitants of Copenhagen have been offered numerous alternatives to cars and gladly use them. Therefore, it is enough if the Zone excludes only the biggest polluters.

In Copenhagen, restrictions on entry in the Low Emission Zone apply exclusively to diesel-powered vehicles – currently to trucks, vans and buses and only soon will they be extended to passenger cars with this kind of engine. Did Danish engineers elaborate a groundbreaking low emission technology for petrol combustion in car engines? Do drivers in the Danish capital use innovative driving techniques that allow them to restrict the emission of pollutants? Not at all – the explanation is much more prosaic: many people in Copenhagen use means of transport other than private passenger cars, so the goals of the Zone in terms of improved air quality can be met by excluding only the aforementioned types of vehicles.

Conditions of entry to the Low Emission Zone in Copenhagen:

– from July 1^st 2023, diesel vans up to 3.5 tonnes must meet at least the Euro 5 standard or be registered for the first time by September 1^st 2016 at the latest.

– from January 1^st 2022, diesel trucks over 3.5 tonnes must meet at least the Euro 6 standard or be registered for the first time by January 1^st 2015 at the latest.

– from January 1^st 2022, diesel buses over 3.5 tonnes with more than nine seats (including the driver) must meet at least the Euro 6 standard or be registered for the first time by January 1^st 2015 at the latest.

Moreover, from October 1^st 2023, diesel passenger cars will have to meet at least the Euro 5 standard or be registered for the first time by January 1^st 2011 at the latest – before that, passenger cars, regardless of the type of engine were not subject to any entry restrictions!

It is also worth stressing that as far as vehicles with petrol engines – both passenger vehicles and those with other uses – are concerned, no restrictions on entry to the Low Emission Zone are currently in place, nor are there any plans to introduce them (this applies to the area of the LEZ, as Copenhagen has announced plans to establish a Zero Emission Zone – inaccessible to all vehicles with combustion engines and located in an area different than the LEZ). The extension of the LEZ restrictions to passenger cars and the plans to create a ZEZ are the result of the city’s push to meet the ambitious climate neutrality goal by 2025.

(photo: Shane Rounce on Unsplash)

Without a filter? No, thanks

The key factor in establishing whether a vehicle can enter the Low Emission Zone in Copenhagen is the presence of a particulate matter filter – this means that a vehicle which did not have one when it got out of the factory can enter the Zone only if such a device has been added at a later date (such a procedure is referred to as retrofitting). Exemptions from entry regulations in the Zone apply to vehicles medical and rescue services, uniformed services, as well as to antique cars.

Drivers (from outside Denmark – including Poland – as well) can check whether their vehicles is authorized to enter the Low Emission Zone in Copenhagen by typing their registration number into the online tool available here.

Those who want to enter the Zone with a vehicle registered outside of Denmark have to register it online and confirm compliance with the required emission norms, as well as the presence of a particulate matter filter on the day of the entry at the latest – using the online form available he re.

Vehicles that do not meet the requirements for entry in the Zone can get through it only using a designated transit route, which leads i.a. to the terminal of the ferry to Oslo. Entry in the Zone is controlled by a remote license plate reading system. A fine can be incurred both for entering the LEZ with a vehicle that violates the technical requirements and for failing to register it as authorized to enter (fines differ depending on vehicle type – they are higher for tracks, vans and busses, and lower for passenger cars).

The essentially Modest regulations are sufficient thanks to the fact that, simply put, the inhabitants of Copenhagen are not particularly attached to cars. What makes them prefer hopping on a bike or taking the subway? In short: a thick network of infrastructure and integration of various forms of public transport – as well as the convenience of using them.

Transport Copenhagen-style – everything is connected

Copenhagen is one of the European leaders in terms of comfortable conditions for bike use which obviously has an impact on the popularity of this form of transport. The decisive factor is not the total length of bike lanes – it is only a means to an end – but the safety and convenience of riding on them. How do the authorities of the Danish capital ensure that the choice of bike transport is attractive? First of all, they bet on safety and consistent forms of bike lane design. Most of the lanes are separated from both car and pedestrian traffic with curbs (often the bikers are shielded from car traffic by parked cars as well), some lanes are integrated with car roads, specific design rules are also applied to lanes in green areas. The lanes by roads are one way (one lane for each side of the road) and what is of key importance – wide.

(photo: Febiyan on Unsplash)

Transport in the city is also organized in a way that facilitates combining the use of different means of transport – this also applies to bicycles: bus stops, metro and city rail stations are equipped with bicycle racks. Bicycles can also be taken on rail and subway cars (except during peak hours). Of course, the integration of modes of transport is not limited to bicycles and rail transport – six S-train lines run through Copenhagen, each of them reaching the suburbs, and on the way they intersect with lines leading further into suburban areas. In addition, four metro lines run through the very center of the capital of Denmark – interestingly, they run 24 hours a day and do not have strict timetables. Trains arrive every 2 to 4 minutes during peak hours and up to every 20 minutes on weekend nights. Six metro stations lie on the “S” train line, and four more also have access to other rail connections.

The picture of Copenhagen’s public transport is completed by a network of bus connections, which consists of three types of lines:

– “A”: they run with the biggest frequency and serve the city center,

– “S”: they connect the city center with the suburbs and run less frequently, but also have fewer stops, enabling them to cover long distances faster – they share some stops with the “A” lines, which provides transfer opportunities;

– “N”: night busses.

(photo: Planetgordon.com on Flickr)

Cycling infrastructure and public transport in the capital of Denmark form a truly coordinated system, which is an attractive alternative to cars – no wonder that from the Polish perspective the regulations of the LEZ in Copenhagen seem not very restrictive. They just don’t have to be, because with or without a zone – the inhabitants of Copenhagen can comfortably move around the city without a car.

(photo: Jan Baborak on Unsplash)

The Zone was not built in a day

Considering the transport habits of the people, one might think that in such a city introducing a Zone is an easy task. However, the road to the creation of LEZ in Copenhagen was surprisingly bumpy. In 2003, the city authorities initiated efforts to create a Zone where particulate filters would be required for vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes. After two years of waiting for a decision, the Danish Ministry of Justice rejected the application – arguing that the proposed regulations violated the rights of vehicle owners and were a form of expropriation. Of course, the legal systems are different, but similar arguments are also raised by opponents of Low Emission Zones in Poland. After an appeal, the Prosecutor General’s Office rejected this argument, emphasizing that if it were to be considered justified, any environmental protection regulations that introduce bans would be a violation of ownership. In 2006, an amendment to the environmental protection law was passed, which enabled the introduction of Low Emission Zones, while transferring matters related to their operation from the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice to the Ministry of the Environment. However, the regulations allowed the establishment of LEZ’s only in Denmark’s five largest cities: apart from Copenhagen, these are Aarhus, Alborg, Fredrikstad and Odense.

In 2007, the city of Copenhagen passed a formal decision to create the Zone – it was launched in September 2008. In the first stage, the entry ban covered the oldest diesel vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tons (Euro 2 standard), and in the second stage, in force from July 2010, it was extended to the Euro 3 standard, with which required particulate matter filters with at least 80 percent efficiency.

Initially, entry to the zone was controlled with stickers. Since June 2020, a camera system for remote license plate checking has been in operation. In March 2022, Danish cities gained the right to extend the ban on entering the zones to diesel-powered passenger cars as well – as mentioned above, Copenhagen took advantage of this opportunity due to the climate neutrality goal adopted by the city.

(photo. Kai Pilger on Unsplash)

Low emission transport first, a Zone – later

From the Polish perspective, the Copenhagen model of moving around the city may seem like it came from another planet. However, the example of the Danish capital shows a particular principle one should keep in mind when establishing Low Emission Zones in Poland. If a Zone is to be effective, it cannot be the forebear and sole tool for developing low emission transport. A local government which provides the inhabitants with attractive, coordinated zero and low emission alternatives to cars before the Zone itself is established, it will make life easier not only for them but also for itself – as it will not be faced with the impossible task of creating a Zone that can serve as a miracle cure for air pollution generated by transport.

(illustration photo: Max Adulyanukosol on Unsplash)

Eindhoven – ambitious and precise, but not radical

Written by Mateusz Szymczycha on July 24, 2023. Posted in Know-how. No Comments on Eindhoven – ambitious and precise, but not radical

Eindhoven is one of the cities with the longest history of systemically restricting transport pollution. However, those who think that today, only EVs and hydrogen power cars can drive in its city centre, are in for a big surprise. Currently, restrictions apply to… trucks and buses only! Thus far, passenger cars have not been subject to any entry regulations – although that will soon change.

Eindhoven introduced the first Low Emission Zone as early as 2007, and subsequently slowly expanded it, until it reached its current size of ca 13 square kilometers in the city centre. What is most interesting, though, is that the authorities focused not on road traffic as a whole, but on trucks and buses. Today, the so-called environmental zone in Eindhoven is accessible only to vehicles which meet the newest Euro 6 emissions norm, established in 2014. What are the effects of such an approach? Several dozen of modern trucks that meet the norm emit as much pollutions as a single vehicle from last century. One only needs to recall the sight of a dilapidated old truck starting at the traffic lights in a cloud of black smoke to understand the massive benefits this solution brings to the people and the environment.

What about passenger cars, then? Nothing, it turns out. To this day, in Eindhoven there have been no restrictions on their movement.

(photo: Alicja Ziajowska on Unsplash)

Find causes and optimal solutions

Why did Eindhoven take this surprising – at least on the face of it – road? Because the authorities, rather than apply a single tool to all issues, analyzed the situation and chose diverse solutions, appropriate for the root cause of a given problem. It was decided to first restrict the movement of the most polluting and at the same time most intensively exploited vehicles – trucks and buses.

Meanwhile, work started on remodeling the space previously available to all motor vehicles and “rerouting” the inhabitants to public transport, bicycles etc. The space that was reclaimed in this way – previously built and developed with car transport in mind – was used to increase the comfort of pedestrians and cyclists, as well as to expand greenery. It is worth emphasizing yet again: no bans on entry for passenger cars were introduced – instead the approach was based on changing the environment (by restricting the spaces intended for use by cars in favour of pedestrians and cyclists) in order to change bahaviour.

(photo: Nanda Sluijsmans on Wikimedia Commons)

As a result of such a mixture of tools, although the 13-square kilometer zone takes up only ca. 15 percent of Eindhoven, the city of 240 000 inhabitants has… 300 000 bicycles. 10 000 cyclists per day use the most popular bike route. On can conveniently ride through the entire metropolitan area on a bike, as the cycling infrastructure has recently been significantly expanded. A symbol of the Eindhoven metropolitan area is the famous “suspended roundabout” for cyclists, called Hovenring – built in the city of Veldhoven, a part of the area, over a regular roundabout for motor vehicles. Statistics show that in Eindhoven, bikes take precedence over cars: they are the most popular means of transport there.

(photo: ipv Delft on YouTube)

(photo: ipv Delft on YouTube)

18 years later, or time for passenger cars

Is this enough? No, but for the inhabitants of Eindhoven, the first serious change with regards to their private passenger cars will take place only in 2025. From this point on, diesel cars with emission norms lower than Euro 5 will not be able to enter the zone. In subsequent years, restrictions will also apply to vehicles with petrol engines. Starting in 2025, only zero-emission trucks and busses will be allowed in the zone. The way the zone is monitored will also change – today, it is based on ad hoc controls, but in time it will be automatized and use cameras, either in fixed spots or on patrol cars (similarly to Warsaw controls cars in paid parking zones).

(photo: Lennart Tange on Flickr)

Goal for 2030 – zero emission zone

The changes that are gathering speed are aimed at one thing – Eindhoven wants all of the transport in its city centre to be zero-emission in 2030. Even though there are still 7 years left, all the steps are already thoroughly planned – which social groups to engage in social dialogue, when to do so and what the topics of conversation should be. For city authorities, i.a. communication with small entrepreneurs who may face problems with transport and access to services as a consequence of the planned restrictions. Several scenarios are considered, including issuing time-limited passes to the zone until the purchase of a new vehicle and support programs for companies who want to maintain competitiveness while functioning in the future zero-emission zone.

Valuable conclusions

There are two main takeaways from the story of Eindhoven. Restrictions have been applied to the most polluting vehicles first. Secondly, inhabitants first received a complete alternative to car traffic (bike infrastructure), and passenger cars will only be subject to restrictions after they have had the time to change their transport habits.

(header photo: ipv Delft on YouTube)

Low Emission Zones in Poland: what does the future hold?

Written by Mateusz Szymczycha on July 22, 2023. Posted in Know-how. No Comments on Low Emission Zones in Poland: what does the future hold?

As of today, there are no functioning Low Emission Zones in Poland. However, that is set to change – with Warsaw, Cracow and Wrocław working on introducing them in the coming years. What can we expect?

Warsaw is legally required to introduce a LEZ by regulations on air quality protection adopted at the voivodeship level.

In January 2023, the city has presented the draft proposed scope and form of the Zone for public consultations, which are legally required to establish a Zone. These have concluded in late April, with a report summarizing the process published in late June 2023.

The city authorities are currently considering whether to alter the proposed scheme in accordance with the remarks received during consultations, with the announcement of the final form of the Zone and the vote of the City Council on the relevant resolution expected in autumn.

The opening of the Low Emission Zone is scheduled for July 1^st 2024 – with the draft proposition involving subsequent tightening of entry regulations every 2 years until 2032.

Cracow is also legally obligated to establish a LEZ by voivodeship-level air quality protection regulations.

Between March and May 2022, the authorities conducted facultative social consultations aimed at gathering suggestions for the regulations of the Zone. The draft proposition of the form of the LEZ was then presented to the public for legally required consultations, held in September and October 2022.

On October 23^rd 2022, the Cracow City Council passed a resolution on the establishment of the Low Emission Zone – the Zone will open on July 1^st 2024, with the second stage of implementation scheduled for July 1^st 2026.

It is worth noting that Cracow was the first Polish city to establish a LEZ. In late 2022, a Zone was opened in the district of Kazimierz, but was dissolved barely three months later, following widespread displays of dissatisfaction by the inhabitants.

Wrocław is working on introducing a LEZ by the end of July 2026 – since July 2023, it has been obliged to do so by voivodeship-level air quality protection regulations. In 2022, the city authorities commissioned the Polish Alternative Fuels Association to conduct measurements of real transport pollution and analyses of the possible form of the LEZ.

As a result, three scenarios each for the geographic scope and resrtictions were presented for facultative social consultations, which were conducted between March 30^th and April 30^th 2023. Subsequent stages of tightening entry requirements are proposed for 2028 and 2032 in all the variants.

Currently, a report on the public consultations that took place in spring 2023 is being prepared. Further consultations, taking into account the residents’ requests and changes in the law, are planned for autumn 2023.

(illustration: press materials of the Ministry of Infrastructure)

Social communication has to be a proper dialogue – “Laboratory of Low Emission Zones” workshop

Written by Mateusz Szymczycha on July 5, 2023. Posted in News. No Comments on Social communication has to be a proper dialogue – “Laboratory of Low Emission Zones” workshop

The introduction of a LEZ may be met with social resistance and cause controversy, largely due to the fact that residents do not have full knowledge about the scale of air pollution in their cities and its impacts. Therefore, it is necessary to start with informing and educating the public – enabling a dialogue with all interested parties, in which everyone is equally well-informed, while social consultations should be the final step of the process – these are the most important conclusions from the “Laboratory of Low Emission Zones” workshop on social communication.

The aim of the workshop with the participation of representatives of the Metropolis GZM and local governments of Silesian cities was to draw attention to the role of social communication in the implementation of difficult and controversial projects – such as the introduction of Low Emission Zones. LEZs cause a lot of heated responses. as many people are not fully aware of what they are, how they work and the dangers they prevent. However, as the workshop leaders emphasized, according to sociologists and anthropologists, a natural human reaction in the face of the unknown is fear and therefore rejection – in this case, of a new solution. Local government officials learned how to avoid such a scenario when introducing Low Emission Zones, how to conduct dialogue with the local community and why it is such a key issue, how to elaborate communication strategies, and how to reach various audiences when talking about Low Emission Zones.

Increasing social acceptance for Low Emission Zones should result from thoroughly planned communication, which must take place on the basis of dialogue – that is, a conversation between equal partners. This is possible only if both parties have the same level of knowledge – which is why it should be based on a reliable information campaign. It should be as effective as possible, leading to a situation in which knowledge about air pollution and its effects, as well as the LEZ itself, will reach residents – regardless of their age, education, transport habits, income, etc.

Therefore, dialogue cannot start with public consultations – these should be the culmination of the whole process. The information and education campaign can be compared to the academic year, with the consultations as the final exam. It can only be passed after exhaustive preparations. The key thing, however, is to remember that the purpose of consultations (which, in the case of LEZs are a legal requirement) is not just to conduct them, but to do so effectively – to develop solutions accepted by the local community.

(photo: own materials)

Measure, plan, integrate – workshop on modelling LEZs

Written by Mateusz Szymczycha on July 4, 2023. Posted in News. No Comments on Measure, plan, integrate – workshop on modelling LEZs

When planning a Low Emission Zone, the most polluting vehicles should be eliminated first, and alternative means of transport should be offered to the residents. The introduction of a LEZ will bring the expected results only in conjunction with an appropriate, comprehensive system of transport in the city – emphasized ICCT experts during the workshop they conducted for the “Laboratory of Low Emission Zones” project.

The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) is a non-profit organization that i.a. measures real pollutant emissions from vehicles and prepares scenarios for establishing Low Emission Zones around the world – including Krakow and Warsaw. As part of the “Laboratory of Low Emission Zones” workshop, ICCT experts Kaylin Lee and Yoann Bernard shared their experiences in collecting and analyzing data with local government officials from all over Poland, including Białystok, Gdańsk, Gdynia, Łódź, Poznań, Warsaw and Wrocław.

– Basing the operating model on emission measuring emissions on roads, rather than in laboratories, is dictated by the fact that emission tests in laboratory conditions carried out as part of vehicle certification often give much lower results than test in road conditions – also due to manufacturers’ manipulations. The best-known example of such a procedure is the so-called Dieselgate scandal – explained Yoann Bernard. – For example, in Warsaw, measurements show that many vehicles exceed the emission standards for which they are certified, either due to poor maintenance or the removal diesel particulate filters – added Kaylin Lee.

What does the measurement of real emissions look like in practice? A mobile measuring point placed on the street measures the emissions of nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide from vehicle exhaust pipes, and estimates the concentration of particulate matter based on the transparency of the exhaust gas column. Simultaneously, a video camera captures a digital image of the license plate, and remote kinetic sensors measure the speed and acceleration of the vehicle. The system also records the temperature, humidity and air pressure on location. By analyzing this data and the detailed characteristics of vehicles, it is possible to determine what types of cars and in what numbers move on local roads, and thus which ones are responsible for the largest share of transport pollutant emissions. On this basis, it is possible to determine the optimal scope and pace of introducing restrictions on entry to the Low Emission Zone. – It is worth starting with identifying and dealing with those groups of vehicles whose share in emissions is significantly higher than their share in the fleet. This maximizes the positive impact on air quality in relation to the number of drivers affected by the restrictions, which in turn will reduce public resistance – emphasized the ICCT expert.

What restrictions should be imposed in the first stage of the zone’s operation? – At the beginning, it is advisable to limiting entry for no less than five percent of the fleet – if this number is lower, it will be difficult to noticeably improve air quality. However, initial restrictions should not apply to more than 10 percent of vehicles – regulations affecting so many drivers will cause resistance – explained Yoann Bernard. In his opinion, in public consultations, the initial proposition should limit the entry to the zone for 7-8 percent of vehicles. Such an approach ensures that, in the event of an unfavorable reaction of the local community, there is room to slightly ease the restrictions, while maintaining a significant positive impact on air quality.

ICCT experts explained that when planning the next stages of tightening restrictions on entry to the zone, their projected impact not only on improving air quality, but also on the daily functioning of city residents should be taken into account. Faster and more radical reduction of access to LEZ naturally leads to faster reduction of pollutant emissions – however, this does not mean that it is always the best solution. Yoann Bernard pointed out that when introducing the Zone, one should remember about the residents’ comfort of living – in particular when it comes to the elderly and those for whom replacing a car with a newer, less polluting one may be difficult for financial reasons.

Moreover, the effectiveness of a LEZ depends to a large extent on the modes of transport that drivers will use to replace high-emission vehicles. – In the best-case scenario, of course, they will switch to low- and zero-emission modes, for example, public transport or bicycles – but this requires an appropriate transport system throughout the city. The positive impact of Low Emission Zones on health and the environment can only be maximized if the Zone is integrated with the city’s transport policy and residents have attractive alternatives to cars at their disposal – emphasized the ICCT expert.

(photo: Miasto Kraków on YouTube)

Clean transport creates a people-friendly city – study visit to Oslo

Written by Mateusz Szymczycha on June 14, 2023. Posted in News. No Comments on Clean transport creates a people-friendly city – study visit to Oslo

The most effective solutions, the most important experiences from everyday practice and the resulting tips, as well as inspirations for clean urban transport and the creation of Low Emission Zones – these are the main benefits gained by Polish local government officials from the study visit to Oslo organized as part of the “Laboratory of Low Emission Zones” project. The agenda included i.a. meetings with the mayor of the Norwegian capital Marianne Borgen and the director of the Oslo Climate Agency Heidi Sørensen.

New knowledge and experience were gathered in Oslo by local government officials from nearly a dozen cities of various sizes from all over Poland – including Białystok, Gdynia, Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poznań, Sopot, Toruń and the Upper Silesian and Zagłębie Metropolis.

The capital of Norway has been focusing on clean transport for years, so it has a wealth of knowledge and experience. Located on the bay, Oslo electrifies all types of public transport, not only buses – it recently ordered 183 electric vehicles produced in Poland by Solaris – but ferries as well. The city authorities are pursuing a policy of moving car parks underground, with the provision that the costs of parking there are high enough to encourage the use of alternative forms of transport. These car parks are also equipped with infrastructure for charging electric cars. Easy access to chargers is one of the main goals of the Oslo authorities. Examples of this approach include e.g. a logistics center for courier companies and the post office – both for business and public services – the so-called Oslo City Hub, as well as a rental and charging station for electric boats and a fast charger for electric passenger ferries.

– Developing clean transport is not about persuading residents to make sacrifices, but rather about showing what they get in return: clean air and a people-friendly city – said the mayor of Oslo, Marianne Borgen, during an exclusive meeting with the participants of the visit. – The ban on smoking in public spaces was also a cause for concern, but restaurants and cafes did not go bankrupt. Today, hardly anyone would like to go back to what was once seen as obvious – she compared. In her opinion, the most important thing is to talk honestly and clearly about the benefits of unpopular (at least initially) solutions. – Bold action and visible results are the best arguments – she emphasized.

Oslo, as well as many other cities in Norway, has a paid entry zone for automobiles, a so-called toll ring, and electric vehicles are subject to a significant fee reduction. This is one of the most important tools of promoting electromobility and clean transport in the country. – Environmental and health considerations were not the only reasons why we established a toll ring in Oslo. We also wanted to raise funds for the development of transport infrastructure. However, it is this infrastructure – for electromobility, for zero-emission public transport and for bicycles – that makes the city more friendly for residents and better for their health, and at the same time benefits the environment – emphasized the director of the Oslo Climate Agency Heidi Sørensen.

(photo: Kjetil Ree on Wikimedia Commons)

(photo: Tourister on YouTube)

In turn, the Mayor of Oslo stressed the importance of constantly monitoring air quality for efforts to reduce emissions. The capital of Norway has adopted a target of reducing greenhouse gases by 95 percent by 2030 (compared to 2009 emissions). Three times a year, local government officials in the city receive information on the rate of emission reduction in individual sectors, including transport, construction, and energy. – We count emissions just like we count money and we check on an ongoing basis whether we meet the adopted reduction targets – said Marianne Borgen. – In the development of clean transport, ambitious and long-term goals are needed, but they have to be close enough for those who adopt them to feel and be responsible for their implementation. The mayor of Oslo also drew attention to an important tool for popularizing clean transport, namely… public procurement. – When green solutions are promoted in municipal tender procedures, the private sector clearly sees that running business in a manner friendly for the environment, as well as for people’s comfort and health, is the key to further growth – she explained.

Norway owes the fast pace of introducing electromobility to i.a. a decisive and coherent policy of the entire state – e.g. economic incentives, examples of which are tax reliefs for the purchase of electric cars and discounts for the use of urban paid entry zones. As a result, many drivers in Norway switched from combustion cars to a zero-emission ones – it simply paid off.

The visit was concluded with a workshop devoted to inspirations for the development of clean transport, which Polish local governments could use. It was led by Markus Nilsen Rotevatn, an expert from the Norwegian Association of Electric Vehicles (Elbil), partner of the “Laboratory of Low Emission Zones” project and host of the study visit. Polish guests pointed out the comprehensive and planned nature of the solutions used in Oslo. These solutions show i.a. that a Low Emission Zone is just one of many tools available for reducing emissions and creating a resident-friendly city. Therefore, it can bring the desired effect only if its operation is integrated with the transport and communication policy of the city.

(photo: Ellen McDonald on Flickr)

Polish local government officials also noted the positive impact of the paid entry zone on the comfort of using public spaces, for example in reducing crowds and noise. The fact that, despite the high popularity of electric cars in Norway, in the center of Oslo pedestrians and cyclists do not feel overwhelmed by the infrastructure created for car drivers, has also met with interest. Moreover, it was emphasized that long-term planning of introducing Low Emission Zones does not have to mean that all decisions have to be made at the very beginning. It is advisable to act in small steps and leave yourself a margin of flexibility to be able to react to changing conditions. At the same time, setting well-defined, measurable goals is key.

The study visit and workshop showed that the effective functioning and social acceptance for clean transport requires clear communication of its benefits. Clean transport is a way to improve air quality and make urban spaces more people-friendly. – The Norwegian clean transport policy is based on the premise that emissions should be discouraged before they happen, not penalized after the fact, when damage to the environment and health cannot be undone – concluded Elbil expert Erik Lorentzen.

(cover photo: Gunnar Ridderstrom on Unsplash, other photos – unless otherwise indicated – own materials)

Norwegian lessons in electromobility – key conclusions on Low Emission Zones from the study visit to Oslo:

• The advantages of clean transport should be pointed out, the emphasis should be placed on benefits, not sacrifices, in a transparent and honest way;

• Air quality improvement goals should be defined as long-term, but close enough for their creators to feel responsible not only for setting them, but also for their implementation;

• Emission reductions should be encouraged before they reach a level so high that they have to be penalized;

• Low Emission Zones are just one of the many tools available to improve the air quality in cities – the first step should be to verify whether a LEZ is the best way to solve problems;

• Air quality should be improved systemically, rather than by undertaking isolated efforts – the introduction of a Low Emission Zone alone will probably not be enough;

• When introducing a LEZ, it should be remembered that the situation will change, so it is necessary to have a tool to monitor it and adjust detailed solutions to the given conditions on an ongoing basis;

• Measurable, long-term goals should be set – work towards them should proceed in small steps.

Do not make decisions that impact peoples’ lives without their involvement – when it comes to LEZs too. Communication workshop

Written by Mateusz Szymczycha on May 17, 2023. Posted in News. No Comments on Do not make decisions that impact peoples’ lives without their involvement – when it comes to LEZs too. Communication workshop

“Do not make decisions that impact peoples’ lives without their involvement” – this principle that should guide local governments, especially in controversial matters such as Low Emission Zones. The form of communication is as important as its content, while social consultations are the culmination of a thorough process of informing and educating the public – these are some of the principles of communicating with residents that local government officials learned during a workshop in the “Laboratory of Low Emission Zones” project.

The workshop was attended e.g. by representatives of local governments from Włocławek, Mińsk Mazowiecki and Radomsko. The team of the National Center for Climate Change at the Institute of Environmental Protection – National Research Institute demonstrated examples of the language of effective communication with local residents and discussed ways to effectively involve them in the public consultation process.

The topic of Low Emission Zones undoubtedly evokes strong emotions. As is the case with other controversial issues, this is often due to the fact that residents feel surprised by the actions of the authorities and left out of the decision-making process. Engaging them is not only a formal obligation (as per legal requirements pertaining to public consultations) or a way to build a positive image of local authorities, but above all the basis for social participation, without which local communities cannot properly function and develop.

The main purpose of public consultations is to bring constructive conclusions – therefore, they cannot be the beginning of the communication process, but should rather be treated as a kind of test of previous dialogue, information exchange, and in many cases – education. Effective and constructive consultations are possible only if residents are partners in the conversation with the local government – crucially, partnership requires that the discussants have the same level of knowledge. The task of educating the public to ensure that no one is left out is a responsibility of local governments.
Effective education takes time, so it must start as early as possible – particularly in the case of LEZs, as the topic has given rise to many myths, misunderstandings and controversies. In Antwerp, which is often held up as a model for establishing Low Emission Zones, communication started three years before the launch of the Zone.

The workshop was part of the agenda of the seminar of the Association of Municipalities Polish Network “Energie Cités”, which was held under the title “Sustainable development of cities and municipalities on the road to climate neutrality” on May 11-12^th in Jadwisin near Warsaw. The meeting brought together local government officials, social activists, state administration officials and experts from all over Poland involved in urban green transition and sustainable development.

(photo: own materials)