Spanish cities low‑emission zone policies

Late July 2026 saw further refinements to Spain’s municipal low‑emission zone (LEZ) strategies. Valladolid officially cancelled the temporary 30 km/h speed restriction in its LEZ after ozone levels fell below the 120 µg/m³ trigger, while the milder “Situation 1” alert (ozone > 100 µg/m³) remains in force and vulnerable groups are still advised to limit outdoor activity.

In Reus, the LEZ’s first year reduced entry by the most polluting vehicles by roughly half: vehicles without an environmental label dropped from 23.13 % to 13.10 %, and ECO/Zero‑label cars rose from 10.25 % to 13.46 %. Daily sanctions stayed at 0.02 %, and more than 1,200 resident and special‑case authorisations were issued.

Santa Cruz’s council passed an ordinance to create a ZBE starting in 2029, meeting the national requirement for cities over 50 000 inhabitants. The ordinance incorporated half of the stakeholder proposals and was framed as essential to safeguard EU funding and curb traffic‑related noise while preserving free‑movement rights for tourists and workers.

Meanwhile, Vigo approved four new LEZs (Centro, Plaza de Portugal, O Calvario and Bouzas), covering 67.18 ha (≈0.6 % of the municipality) and affecting about 62 000 vehicles. Fines of up to €200 will be imposed, but violations recorded in the first twelve months will not be immediately charged. A broad list of exemptions—residents, workers with permits, reduced‑mobility vehicles, public‑service fleets, motorcycles, scooters, taxis, buses and certain commercial vehicles—was included. The measure passed solely with PSOE support, drawing criticism from the PP and BNG, which argue the zones may merely shift traffic rather than cut emissions.

These developments underscore a continued pattern of Spanish cities adjusting, expanding, or planning LEZs based on real‑time air‑quality data, vehicle‑fleet changes, and compliance with national and EU regulations.