What Are the Consequences of Diesel Car Bans? In over 30 German cities, diesel car owners must consider restrictions prohibiting the use of diesel vehicles. In Berlin, since the end of June 2019, there has been a ban on diesel cars on 11 road sections. Similarly, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Aachen have announced similar bans. Hamburg already prohibits the use of diesel cars. In February 2018, the Federal Administrative Court ruled that restrictions on diesel vehicles are permissible without a single nationwide regulation. If emissions exceed the limit, the relevant authorities must report on air quality, outlining measures to comply with the maximum thresholds. Diesel vehicles, along with heaters and power plants, are a major source of exceeding these limits. Where and When Are Diesel Car Bans in Effect?
Hamburg: Since May 31, 2018, the law applies to approximately 600 meters of Max-Brauer-Allee for diesel cars that do not meet the Euro-6 emission standard. About 1.6 kilometers of Stresemannstrasse are blocked for vehicles without the Euro-6 standard and those weighing more than 3.5 tons. Car drivers face a fine of 25 euros for violations, and truck drivers face a fine of 75 euros.
Stuttgart: A ban on all diesel vehicles with Euro-4 standards and lower has been in place since January 2019. The fine for violation is 80 euros.
Frankfurt: Since September 2019, a ban applies in the city center for all vehicles with emissions lower than Euro-6 standards.
Aachen: Since January 2019, there is an embargo on driving, as determined by the local administrative court. The government of North Rhine-Westphalia appealed the court’s decision.
Berlin: Since the end of June 2019, diesel cars are banned on the following roads: Leipziger Strasse, Reinhardtstrasse, Brückenstrasse, Friedrichstrasse, Kapweg, Stromstrasse, Leonorenstrasse, and Alt-Moabit. Additionally, there may be a ban on traffic at 117 other road sections.
Which Cities Are Likely to Impose Diesel Car Bans? More than 30 cities are likely to impose further bans due to exceeding the emission limits. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) has filed 28 lawsuits regarding the enforcement of emission protection. Along with the cities mentioned above, this also includes major cities such as Munich, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen, Gelsenkirchen, Bonn, Mainz, and Wiesbaden. Smaller cities like Düren, Paderborn, Darmstadt, Offenbach, Limburg, Heilbronn, Ludwigsburg, Backnang, Esslingen, Marbach, and Reutlingen are also under legal scrutiny for potential bans. In total, restrictions exceed thresholds in over 60 cities, so bans on diesel vehicles are possible there as well. Which Diesel Cars Are at Risk of Bans? The Federal Administrative Court decided in February 2018 that a zone ban for Euro-5 standard vehicles can only be enforced starting from September 2019. From this point, vehicles with standards lower than Euro-6 are prohibited. This includes about 80% of all diesel vehicles currently on the road. However, in the future, there may also be a ban on vehicles with Euro-6 standards, as tests have shown that they emit more pollutants than Euro-5 standard vehicles.