Cities restricting use of polluting cars

[Piwoslaw]

From the eco-issue of Auto Motor i Sport (2/2009).

Milano has introduced a pollution fee for cars entering the city center. The fee depends on how much pollution a car emits, starting at 2Euros for the cleanest.

Many German cities also have Umweltzonen, for example Berlin has stickers in three different colors - green for cars complying with the EURO4 emissions standard, yellow for EURO3 and red for EURO2 (here's more on EURO emissions standards). Any car that enters the eco-zone without a sticker in the corner of its windsheild gets fined 40Euros. A similar system is in Hanover and Koln (Cologne).

A few years ago London introduced fees for cars entering the city center, soon there will be zones only for low-emission cars.

More on Umweltzonen.

[cfg83]

Piwoslaw -

Doesn't London have a carbon fee also? I remember the Jeremy Clarkson paying one on Top Gear.

CarloSW2

[jamesqf]

But then, I've never managed to understand why anyone would want to drive in London. Though I haven't been there recently, 10-15 years ago it was pretty much a permanent traffic jam.

[Big Dave]

All the more reason to shun cities.

[tasdrouille]

Good news! I can't wait to see that implemented in North America. I know I'll eventually have to pay, but I'll be happy to do so, since it's only normal I pay for the nasty stuff I put into the atmosphere.

[Frank Lee]

I don't know why they don't simply promote condom use.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Doesn't London have a carbon fee also? I remember the Jeremy Clarkson paying one on Top Gear.

I believe the whole UK has a carbon fee. I remember someone here explaining it. The limit was 100g/km I think.

I'm waiting impatiently for Warsaw to close its center to traffic. Only the main historical street is supposed to be closed to all vehicles except busses and taxis, but noone enforces it Plus there is talk of allowing electric cars to use the bus lanes. Number of electric cars in the Warsaw area = 4. And that's all, folks. I personally only take the car into the center when I have to pick up something heavy, other than that it's always train or bus. When we went to Cracow we parked a few kilometers away from the center and walked. Not because we had to, but because we wanted to. To set an example.

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I don't know why they don't simply promote condom use.

Because cars don't use condoms
There are many reasons: Shortsightedness, religion, "cultural standard" of at least 2-3 kids, "'cause I didn't have one with me at the time", Why adopt when you can make your own?, etc. Go talk to the Catholic Church about it. I can't imagine mass producing more people just to hear how the stressed Earth groans under their weight, while at the same time there are thousands of innocent kids in orphanages. But that's my personal view.

[euromodder]

In Germany, there are plans to link various Umweltzones into one large zone - like the entire Ruhr area.
That way, once you get off the motorway, you'll be in an Umweltzone !

[gone-ot]

..."This Island Earth?"

[Olympiadis]

New tax schemes.