Court orders diesel driving bans in parts of Berlin
The Berlin administrative court has ordered Germany’s capital to introduce driving bans for diesel vehicles on parts of eight roads suffering from exceedingly high levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution, reports the public broadcaster rbb24 in two articles. As of mid-2019, driving bans must be introduced for diesel cars and trucks meeting the Euro 5 or older emissions standards. Berlin will decide whether it will also introduce bans for Euro 6 diesel vehicles. Around 220,000 diesel drivers in Berlin would be affected by the bans, around one in six drivers in the capital, writes rbb24. The court also ordered the city to examine whether it must introduce driving bans on many other roads to keep emissions within limits. NGO Environmental Action Germany (DUH) has taken authorities in several German cities to court over NO2 levels exceeding limits (currently 28 active cases). The Berlin diesel bans could also affect the federal government’s own car fleet, as 28 cars met only the Euro 5 standard or older, writes rbb.
Read the rbb articles in German here and here, the court press release in German here, and a Reuters article on the topic in English here.
For background, read the CLEW factsheet Diesel driving bans in Germany – The Q&A and the article Germany’s 'huge step' to solve diesel crisis leaves NGOs unconvinced.