Stuttgart: Driving ban for older diesel cars
Diesel vehicles that do not meet the Euro 6 emissions standard will no longer be allowed to drive through Stuttgart from 2018. This is intended to improve the poor air quality in the city.
Starting in 2018, diesel cars that do not meet the strict Euro 6 emissions standard will be banned from driving in Stuttgart in the event of a particulate matter alarm. From 2020, the old diesel vehicles will even be banned completely from the city center.
This is part of a catalog of measures by the city government, a coalition of the Green Party and the CSU, to improve air quality in the city.
Green Minister President Winfried Kretschmann is also calling for the introduction of a blue badge at the federal level. The badge, which is given to vehicles that meet the Euro 6 standard, is considered controversial in Germany and was put on hold by the Environment Ministry last year.
In 2016, nitrogen dioxide levels in Germany were above the permitted limit of 40 milligrams per cubic meter on average for the year at the majority of measuring stations.
The Euro 6 standard was introduced in 2014. According to it, nitrogen oxide emissions from new cars should only be 80 mg NOx per kilometer - but in reality they average around 600 mg NOx per kilometer. (Figures: VCS)
