The city of Mainz has to ban after a court decision, a drive for older diesel vehicles in its air quality plan. It must from 1. September of 2019 shall apply, if, in spite of other agreed measures, the mean value measured for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the first six months of the coming year continue to be above the limit of the EU’s sun. The administrative court of Mainz ruled. Had sued the German environmental aid. An appeal to the higher administrative court of Rhineland-Palatinate against the judgment has been approved.
After the verdict, the city is required to provide to their clean air plan to 1. To change in April 2019, so that these measures for the fastest possible compliance with the emission limit value in the urban area, particularly in the area of Parcusstraße contains close to the Central station. The EU allows an annual average maximum of 40 micrograms of NO2 per cubic meter of air, 2017 48 micro-grams were measured in Mainz. Older diesel vehicles are considered to be the main source of NO2 in the inner cities.
measures the city takes to satisfy the court
The city had argued, among other things, the retrofitting of public transport buses with Filters and the purchase of newer, cleaner buses as measures to, in the future, the EU limit value to be complied with. The presiding judge Stefanie Long held to the currently applicable air quality plan 2016-2020 and the measures to be taken to the city to bring but not sufficient to in a timely manner, the measured values below the limit value.
Mainz had promised to meet by the end of 2019 the limit. The judge said it was questionable whether this was the call in the face of already since 2010, the applicable limit value as quickly. Whether a driving ban for individual roads will be necessary, or a Zone, leaving open to the court. Nitrogen dioxide in the air can cause such respiratory – and cardiac-triggered diseases or exacerbated.
The environmental assistance was pleased about the outcome of the proceedings. The judgment will show “abundantly clear the Failure of the diesel policy of the Federal government,” said managing Director Jürgen Resch. The Rhineland-Palatinate Minister President Malu Dreyer (SPD), announced that her government would examine the ruling carefully “and see what the consequences are and how we can assist the city if necessary”.
Mainz is not a particularly polluted cities
The judgment also plays in front of the state Parliament election in Hesse this Sunday an important role in the election campaign. Recently, bans on driving for Frankfurt had been arranged, also in Darmstadt and Wiesbaden, court proceedings are still pending this year because of excessive NO2. Mainz is located on the border of Rheinland-Pfalz Hessen, also a commuter from the state of Hessen would be affected by a driving ban in Mainz.
Previously had arranged dishes elsewhere, bans on driving, time for all the zones, times for individual sections of road. So Berlin will have to impose in the next year on several streets diesel driving bans. The administrative court had ruled in Berlin. The judge obliged the Senate Department for transport, until 31. March 2019 to adopt a more stringent clean-air plan with the appropriate regulations. In Hamburg already two road locked sections for older Diesel, in Stuttgart and Aachen bans for older diesel vehicles should come from the beginning of 2019.
Here judge to decide on diesel bans
an action is prepared, a lawsuit is pending, bans on driving (the info window of the points, showing nitrogen dioxide annual values. Limit value: 40 µg/m3)
source: German environmental aid, the FEDERAL government, to do their own research, Stand: 24.10.2018 ONLINE
Mainz is not part of the nation’s most polluted cities, for the citizens of the diesel package, the Federal government grab. It relies, among other things, to purchase incentives for cleaner cars, and retrofits for older cars. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) had not been pronounced in the Hessian election campaign to change the Immission protection law so that driving bans in case of minor Exceedances of the EU limit value as the one in Mainz, the case-allowed.
Previously had declared the Federal administrative court in February, driving bans, in principle, admissible, if they are proportionate. Therefore, cities are allowed to impose bans in order to improve the air quality. What this means for motorists and residents in major German cities, can be read here.
