Barcelona will fine vehicles without a DGT label starting 1 April

Barcelona is preparing for the entry into force of the Low Emission Zone (ZBE), which will take effect from 1 January 2020 and will establish a zone with restrictions on the circulation of the most polluting vehicles. In fact, cars that do not carry the DGT environmental label will not be allowed to drive within this zone.

The ZBE is defined as the area between the Ronda de Dalt and the Ronda Litoral, that is, practically the entire urban area of Barcelona, except for the ring roads and the neighbourhoods of Vallvidriera, Tibidabo, Les Planes and the Zona Franca. This is a fairly large territory, which may lead to a fairly long adjustment period so that drivers are aware of the traffic restrictions.

No fines will be issued until 1 April 2020

Only vehicles with a DGT environmental label will be allowed to drive in the ZBE, that is, those displaying the label 0, ECO, C and B, and any vehicle without one will be fined. Fortunately, for three months (until 1 April 2020) no fines will be issued to drivers of vehicles without a label; instead, they will receive a warning. In this way, the city council will give drivers the chance to adapt their vehicles to the rule.

As for goods vehicles classified as N1, N2 and N3, that is, freight transport and vans, and passenger transport vehicles with a capacity of eight passengers plus the driver, classified as M2 and M3, they will have a one-year grace period to adapt their vehicle to the regulations.

These restrictions will apply from Monday to Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.. This means that outside these hours and at weekends, vehicles without a DGT label will be allowed to circulate. According to the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, and her team, these measures will remove around 50,000 vehicles without an environmental label from urban traffic, across a low-emission area which, according to the mayor, is “20 times Madrid Central”.