Many European cities face air quality problems related to road transport, with a staggering 94% of the urban population exposed to NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) pollution levels higher than the World Health Organisation’s guidelines. The European Environment Agency recently reported that exposure to fine particulate matter, from transport and other various sources, resulted in 307,000 premature deaths in the 27 EU Member States in 2019.
To mitigate these serious health concerns, redistribute public space back to citizens, improve road safety and limit traffic congestion, EU countries are increasingly implementing Urban Vehicle Access Regulations (UVARs). UVARs are multifaceted as they aim to address the various aspects of air pollution within cities; but can be broken into five main categories: tolling/congestion charging, pedestrian areas, parking schemes, limited traffic zones, and low emission zones. In Europe, 73% of UVARs are low and zero emission zones.
MORE INFO: EIT Urban Mobility
IMAGES FROM: EIT Urban Mobility
