Will shut downtown Oslo for diesel cars – VG

Will shut downtown Oslo for diesel cars – VG

Already next winter may diesel cars get driving ban within Ring 2 in the center of Oslo, on days with unhealthy high air pollution.

Oslo City Council has long wanted to do this, but have not been allowed by the Parliament. But now turns majority and allows for low emission zones.

– If we authority to establish low emission zones, so it could be in place as early as next winter. Then it is necessary to close the center of Oslo diesel cars within Ring 2, possibly Ring 1, and simultaneously increase the capacity sharply on public transit, says councilor leader in Oslo, Stian Berger Røsland (H), VG.

And now comes the authority that can combat deadly poor air quality.

Green light for statutory authority

Right and Labor confirmed to VG that they will support a proposals from the Liberal law amendment allowing municipalities can regulate this.

Energy and Environment Committee of the Parliament submits its recommendation Thursday. Then comes a binding recommendation to the Government to submit proposals for a legal basis.

– We will support this proposal, it comes after all from our own commissioner in Oslo, said Nikolai Astrup, Conservative environment spokesman in Parliament, VG .

Also Labor endorses:

– Labor supports the proposal to give municipalities the right to establish low emission zones, says Terje Aasland (AP), which fronts energy and environmental policies for Labor .

The municipality determines

The proposal from Left – which now receives a majority – will impose government to change the Road Traffic Act so that municipalities can add these limitations. A low emission zone, so the authorities have defined it, is a geographically defined area where the municipality can sort fleet from emission characteristics, to improve air quality.

– It is gratifying that there is now majority support for the Liberal proposal. The coalition government put its foot down for this in the previous period. The more gratifying now that Labor has reversed and that also supports our proposal Right. Now we have a more environmentally friendly majority in Parliament that works with municipalities to reduce air pollution, says the proponent and leader of energy and environment committee Ola Elvestuen.

– If the municipalities choose to adopt low emission zones, it can help children, people with asthma or respiratory diseases or others who suffer from too much air pollution may be out throughout the year, even on the days where there are significant higher risk of high air pollution, says Elvestuen.

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A number of European cities have already introduced such zones. Some have introduced driving ban. Other large cities use extra high tolls to curb the most polluting vehicles.

In Oslo and other major Norwegian cities with major pollution problems, get both.

More expensive in toll

An expert report VG mentioned earlier in January, proposed to triple toll for diesel vehicles, and to increase tenfold them extra polluted days.

Both the Conservatives and Labor in Oslo program attached that toll rates should be differentiated from the individual vehicle types emissions level, over the next four years.

But the urgency to reduce emissions. Limits on air pollution breaks too often the requirements of the EU directive on air quality.

ESA, which is EEA Surveillance, traveled in December lawsuit against Norway to the Court.

In Oslo limits for NO2 been exceeded continuously since 2008, the City Council has a deadline until spring to put in place an action plan.

Bergen had frisdt to 1 . January this year to put in place measures., Trondheim has a plan in place, but have not come up with a time when the problems will be solved.

Diesel car pollutes most

For more than 10 years ago, the politicians down taxes on diesel to get more people to run diesel cars emit less CO2 than petrol cars. Blunder was that politicians are not so that diesel cars would provide higher local emissions. Since the taxes on diesel cars turned up again.

In Oslo says Stian Berger Røsland says that banning diesel cars are more likely than tenfold fees when pollution is at its worst:

– We want To do emergency measures when the problem is greatest. We must put in place a warning system, and we must be able to offer alternative transportation. Then we need to increase the capacity of public transport with lavforurensende buses. Now we switch out the bus fleet with both electric buses, hybrid, biofuel and hydrogen, says councilor leader.

Also, other parts of the capital may be low emission zones, such as Alnabru area at the bottom of Groruddalen. Here is also the pollution high on cold, windless days in winter.

Banning heavy traffic

Røsland also want to block through traffic with heavy vehicles:

– Yes, we want to redirect heavy transport which now runs through central parts of Oslo, he said.

Progress Party enthusiasm for low emission zones is low. The second ruling party wants them as small as possible:

– We envisage that low emission zones can be established in smaller areas, such as around schools. Punishing motorists on the scrotum is not appropriate for us, because so many are entirely dependent on the car. But so far this is only my personal view, the parliamentary group has not finalized the proposal from the Liberal, says Oskar Grimstad, FRP’s environmental policy spokesman, told VG.