The Low Emissions Zone arrives in Zaragoza: streets, vehicles and fines

The long-awaited Zaragoza Low Emissions Zone project is now a reality. Finally, it will be divided into two zones, the Historic Center ZBE and the Centro ZBE . This first will be delimited by Paseo Echegaray y Caballero, San Vicente de Paúl, Coso, Plaza de España, Conde Aranda, Mayoral, Plaza de Santo Domingo and Ramón Celma street, which connects again with Echegaray. The second would cover the interior of the perimeter delimited by the streets Echegaray and Caballero, Coso, Alonso V, Asalto, Paseo de la Mina, Constitución, Plaza Paraíso, Paseo Pamplona, ​​Paseo María Agustín, Plaza de Europa and, again, Echegaray and Caballero . The Low Emissions Zone will apply from Monday to Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The Zaragoza Low Emissions Zone must be operational, as established by state regulations, in January 2026. In the Aragonese capital it will be done in four phases . This is an essential requirement for Zaragoza because the Climate Change and Energy Transition Ordinance requires municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants to adopt “sustainable urban mobility plans, which must introduce mitigation measures to reduce emissions derived from mobility including at least the establishment of low emission zones.”

The regulations emphasize the objective of improving air quality in ZBEs . If the legislated values ​​are exceeded, it must contribute to achieving their compliance in the shortest possible time. The measured indicators will serve as support when making the necessary decisions, in accordance with the problems related to air quality. In the case of Zaragoza, the evolution of the different pollutants in recent years has been favorable, maintaining a general trend below the limits established in current legislation.

The city government plans to approve the draft of the ordinance this coming Friday, the Technical Project, as well as the Technical Project of said Zone. The Minister of Environment and Mobility, Tatiana Gaudes, explained that “this project and this Ordinance have the double objective of complying with the regulations, but also achieving the environmental objectives established by the state regulations, which will promote our objective of being, by 2030, one of the first 100 climate neutral cities in Europe.”

FINES

The control system will be through intelligent cameras that will specifically read the vehicle registration data to check if they have a label or authorization. They must also allow those vehicles that mistakenly access the ZBE without being authorized to leave it within a period of 10 minutes without being penalized .

Within the ZBE, parking areas for residents and non-residents will be marked , as well as for Urban Distribution of Goods, bicycles, VMPs and motorcycles . Regarding the sanctions, they will be carried out in accordance with what is established by the Traffic Law, both in their classification and in their amount, although failure to respect the established access, circulation and parking restrictions will be considered a serious infraction .

The ZBE will obviously incorporate the implementation of systems for measuring air quality (including a portable station) to carry out the necessary monitoring of emissions reduction through indicators.

IMPLEMENTATION DATES AND AREAS

The historic center ZBE is delimited by Paseo Echegaray y Caballero, San Vicente de Paúl, Coso, Plaza de España, Conde Aranda, Mayoral, Plaza de Santo Domingo and Ramón Celma street, which connects again with Echegaray.

Regarding implementation, it will begin with the entry into force of the Ordinance and will have informative objectives, although it will be mandatory for vehicles to display the environmental badge when it is available. Months later, the Local Police will impose sanctions of an informative nature, that is, without amount .

One year later, it will be time to start the registration process for vehicles that require authorization to access the ZBE (because they do not meet the environmental requirements, but do meet the expected exceptions). Finally, in the last step, the ZBE will come into full operation with automated surveillance systems and applying the corresponding sanctions for non-compliance.

In 2030, the implementation of the Centro ZBE would begin , which would cover the interior of the perimeter delimited by the streets Echegaray and Caballero, Coso, Alonso V, Asalto, Paseo de la Mina, Constitución, Plaza Paraíso, Paseo Pamplona, ​​Paseo María Agustín, Plaza of Europe and, again, Echegaray and Caballero.

In this case, the registration process will begin for vehicles that require authorization to enter. Once completed, the ZBE will come into full operation with automated surveillance systems and applying the corresponding sanctions for non-compliance with the Ordinance.

VEHICLE AUTHORIZATION

Access to the ZBE will be free for bicycles (including electric) and personal mobility vehicles , as well as for vehicles with environmental markings B, C, ECO and 0 .

However, the project includes exceptions for the entry of other types of vehicles, although it will be necessary to have express authorization . These are vehicles dedicated to the transportation of people with reduced mobility ; Vehicles owned or rented by parking spaces located within the ZBE, as well as commercial connectivity premises and those with a ZBE resident card.

Also those that provide essential emergency services , such as ambulances, tow trucks, firefighters, police, or cleaning. Likewise, those with foreign registration that do not meet the required technological and emissions requirements and that are not in the DGT database.

Exceptions will also be vehicles dedicated to the transportation of people with diseases that condition the use of public transportation, those that access public parking lots or hotel reservations when there is no access control system connected to the ZBE control. As well as vehicles with specific characteristics or tasks, adapted taxis and registered historical vehicles.