Prague will remain defenseless against smog. The city dropped a regulatory plan
Officials worked for a year and a half on the preparation of the order, which was supposed to limit traffic during the smog situation in Prague. In the end, however, their efforts were in vain. Prague will not introduce regulatory regulations; on the contrary, it returns to the idea of introducing low-emission zones and tolls in the city center.
When the last two winters were gripped by Prague due to a strong smog situation, Praguers, who were suddenly struggling to breathe, took to the streets to demand a solution. The councilors told them that they had their hands tied, but that they were preparing a regulatory order that would give them the necessary tools.
However, after a year and a half of preparation, he has definitely been thrown off the table. If approved, the city would have several options. For example, in a smog situation, cars could enter Prague only in the even / odd mode, ie only cars one day, the main registration mark ends in an even number, the other day the other way around.
During a smog situation, a ban on trucks heavier than six tonnes entering the metropolis and a ban on parking in blue zones for non-residents would also start automatically. The short-term introduction of free public transport and the increase in the number of connections were also considered. There was also talk that municipal officials could work on smog from home.
Regulatory rules would still situation if, the ministry objects
But all these plans are falling apart now. “We have put a lot of effort into the preparation and we are sorry for this result. However, there is no point in introducing measures that would have no effect and could worsen the situation,” said Jana Plamínková (STAN), the acting councilor for the environment. in the ranks of the emerging coalition.
The expert commission and the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute finally acknowledged that the only two measures that could improve the smog situation in Prague are entry according to registration marks and a ban on trucks over six tons.
“On the combination of these solutions, a draft regulatory code was made, which was distributed to all relevant state bodies and organizations,” says Plamínková. In the end, however, this proposal was criticized by almost everyone, from Central Bohemian municipalities to the police to the Ministry of Transport.
The biggest problem turned out to be the non-existence of bypasses in Prague. Due to the lack of an alternative to the South Junction, due to the unfinished circuit, detours would have to start at Brno. “The resistance of those municipalities where we would need to drive was absolutely enormous. The Central Bohemian Region and other regions felt that Prague was solving its problems at their expense,” adds Plamínková.
The police also similarly stated that if they had to guard the entry of cars with a bad registration plate and trucks heavier than six tons, they would have no time for anything else and the security situation in Prague would worsen with the smog.
The Ministry of Transport objected that such a regulatory order would make the smog situation even worse, as it caused confusion full of parked trucks and revolving cars, which formed slow-moving columns that would release even more pollutants into the air.
The introduction of public transport and increased connections also hit. This time due to the fact that Prague’s public transport is already at the limit of capacity and there are no more connections or drivers who could drive.
The city is returning to the low-emission zone and tolls in the center
Prague will not have its own regulatory rules. Instead, it returns to the two solutions previously considered. The first is the introduction of a low-emission zone, which is proposed by the municipal air protection department. Thanks to him, some cars would not be able to enter the wider city center, specifically in the area bounded by the inner ring road.
Previously, there was talk of reporting diesel cars made before 2001 and petrol cars older than 1993. Other cars were supposed to have a sticker confirming that they used at least the Euro 3 emission standard. Today, conditions would probably be tougher for the measures to make any sense at all.
The second of the proposals, which is promoted directly by Plamínková, is the creation of a toll zone in the historic city center. Such measures would mean that anyone wishing to enter a conservation area would have to pay a pre-determined fee.
Although Councilor Plamínková is leaving office, her party colleague Petr Hluboček, who does not plan to cut her plans, will most likely replace her.
“You are asking me on such a technical topic that I cannot answer other than that I must first seek the views of experts who have something to say. However, Mrs Plamínková is an absolute environmental expert and I think we will build on her work, and you can take her views as the views of mayors and independents, “said Hluboček.
It is necessary to step on the driver with a damaged filter, says the councilor
According to Plamínková, the most important thing now is to focus on the drivers who pollute the air in Prague the most. That is, for those who drive with a damaged or even removed particulate filter. According to this year’s study by the municipality, there are approximately ten percent of such cars in Prague.
At the same time, such vehicles emit multiple amounts of dust particles into the air, which are a really significant danger to the human body. They are bound by substances such as benzo (a) pyrene, which they use to get into the lungs into the bloodstream and possible cancers and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, this process is cumulative, so people who live near busy roads are the worst off.
However, Prague has long complained that the police did not help it in finding these sinners. The municipality even offered them the necessary measuring instruments and finances, but the police refused to help. She claimed that she was not legally authorized to measure harmful emissions. However, the Ministry of Transport and the Environment immediately refused to do so.