Low emission zone

A low-emission zone (LEZ) is a defined area where access by certain polluting vehicles is restricted or deterred with the aim of improving the air quality. This may favour vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles, or zero-emission vehicles such as all-electric vehicles.

A zero-emission zone (ZEZ) is a LEZ where only zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) are allowed. In such areas, all internal combustion engine vehicles are banned; this includes hybrid vehicles. Only all-electric vehicles are allowed in a ZEZ, along with walking and cycling and fully electric public transport vehicles, e.g. trams, electric buses etc.

Over 220 cities and towns in fourteen countries around Europe operate or are preparing low-emission zones, or LEZs, to help meet EU health-based air quality limit values. This means that vehicles may be banned from a LEZ, or in some cases charged if they enter a LEZ when their emissions are over a set level.

Different vehicles may be regulated, depending on local conditions. All LEZs apply to heavy vehicles, some to diesel vans, others also to diesel and petrol cars; in Italy, motor cycles and three-wheelers are also liable to control.

A publicly funded website run by a network of cities and ministries operating or preparing LEZs gives up-to-date information on LEZs, such as which cities have LEZs, the vehicle types affected, the required emissions standards and their application dates.

In Belgium, two cities have will or have introduce(d) a Low Emission Zone from 2017.

In Germany, an LEZ is called an environmental zone (Umweltzone). There are currently 47 LEZs in operation or in planning in Germany. The cities of Berlin, Cologne and Hanover started LEZs in their respective central city areas on 1 January 2008. LEZs also came into effect in the cities of Mannheim and Stuttgart on 1 March 2008. More cities followed in the years after.

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Wikipedia