- Region
- Águilas
- Alhama de Murcia
- Jumilla
- Lorca
- Los Alcázares
- Mazarrón
- San Javier
-
ALL AREAS & TOWNS
- AREAS
- SOUTH WEST
- MAR MENOR
- MURCIA CITY & CENTRAL
- NORTH & NORTH WEST
- TOWNS
- Abanilla
- Abarán
- Aguilas
- Alamillo
- Alcantarilla
- Aledo
- Alhama de Murcia
- Archena
- Balsicas
- Blanca
- Bolnuevo
- Bullas
- Cañadas del Romero
- Cabo de Palos
- Calasparra
- Camping Bolnuevo
- Campo De Ricote
- Camposol
- Canada De La Lena
- Caravaca de la Cruz
- Cartagena
- Cehegin
- Ceuti
- Cieza
- Condado de Alhama
- Corvera
- Costa Cálida
- Cuevas De Almanzora
- Cuevas de Reyllo
- El Carmoli
- El Mojon
- El Molino (Puerto Lumbreras)
- El Pareton / Cantareros
- El Raso
- El Valle Golf Resort
- Fortuna
- Fuente Alamo
- Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
- Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
- Isla Plana
- Islas Menores & Mar de Cristal
- Jumilla
- La Azohia
- La Charca
- La Manga Club
- La Manga del Mar Menor
- La Pinilla
- La Puebla
- La Torre
- La Torre Golf Resort
- La Unión
- Las Palas
- Las Ramblas
- Las Ramblas Golf
- Las Torres de Cotillas
- Leiva
- Librilla
- Lo Pagan
- Lo Santiago
- Lorca
- Lorquí
- Los Alcázares
- Los Balcones
- Los Belones
- Los Canovas
- Los Nietos
- Los Perez (Tallante)
- Los Urrutias
- Los Ventorrillos
- Mar De Cristal
- Mar Menor
- Mar Menor Golf Resort
- Mazarrón
- Mazarrón Country Club
- Molina de Segura
- Moratalla
- Mula
- Murcia City
- Murcia Property
- Pareton
- Peraleja Golf Resort
- Perin
- Pilar de la Horadada
- Pinar de Campoverde
- Pinoso
- Playa Honda
- Playa Honda / Playa Paraíso
- Pliego
- Portmán
- Pozo Estrecho
- Puerto de Mazarrón
- Puerto Lumbreras
- Puntas De Calnegre
- Region of Murcia
- Ricote
- Roda
- Roldan
- Roldan and Lo Ferro
- San Javier
- San Pedro del Pinatar
- Santiago de la Ribera
- Sierra Espuña
- Sucina
- Tallante
- Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort
- Torre Pacheco
- Totana
- What's On Weekly Bulletin
- Yecla
- EDITIONS:
Spanish News Today
Alicante Today
Andalucia Today
article_detail
Date Published: 12/05/2023
Low Emission Zones put on hold until after Spanish elections
None of the political parties in Spain want to push the issue before the May 28 voting

According to the Climate Change Law, cities across Spain with more than 50,000 inhabitants were required to implement Low Emission Zones (ZBEs) by the end of last year. Only ten cities out of the 149 have managed to comply and now, with the heat of the upcoming elections on May 28, not a single politician in the country is willing to push the matter or impose fines for noncompliance.
Nearly six months after the deadline, practically nowhere in Spain has a Low Emissions Zone, with the notable exception of the likes of Madrid and Barcelona. Ecologists, municipal technicians and business associations are all in agreement that the matter won’t be touched until the polls close.
"There has been neglect by all the local administrations and the Ministry for a purely political issue," complained Cristian Quílez, head of Transport and Mobility at the Ecology and Development Foundation (Ecodes), a non-profit organisation that has been monitoring the non-incorporation of the cities obliged by law to create Low Emissions Zones.
The very idea of limiting traffic in city centres is an unpopular one and politicians are understandably nervous about forcing the issue and losing valuable votes as a result. However, part of the EU Recovery Fund has been specifically granted for the creation of the ZBEs, and Europe will demand the money be returned at some point if the initiative isn’t followed through.
"It is a matter that will be resolved with the elections, what most of the city councils have done has been to postpone it due to the unpopularity that it can generate, although we believe that it could have been counteracted if it had been explained [to the citizens] throughout the last year," Quílez said.
Find all the latest motoring and transport news here or join our Driving in Spain Facebook page for regular updates
Image: Archive
article_detail
Loading
See more environmental news about Spain:
OR
Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin to get a comprehensive email with all the week’s news for Spain, Murcia, Alicante and Andalucía.
Get a sneak peek – here are a few of our recent Subscription Bulletins:
25% Discount Special Offer subscription:
36.95€ for 48 Editor’s Weekly News Roundup bulletins!
Please CLICK THE BUTTON to subscribe.
Contact Murcia Today: Editorial 966 260 896 /
Office 968 018 268