What is the Barcelona Ring Roads Low Emission Zone?
t is a protected area of over 95 square kilometres where vehicles without a DGT environmental label cannot circulate. It is a measure designed to reduce the air pollution caused by motorised vehicles, hence safeguarding people’s health.
When
As of 1 January 2020.
Validity schedule
Working days, Monday to Friday.
From 7 am to 8 pm.
Fines
As of 15 September 2020.
Exemptions
The vehicles of people with reduced mobility, emergency services and essential services, as well as the vehicles of people suffering from illnesses that affect their ability to use public transport.
Temporary restrictions per NO2 episode
Once an episode of atmospheric NO2 pollution is declared, and until it is de-activated, the granting of daily established permits halted, provided none has been applied for before the declaration of the episode.
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What areas does the Barcelona Ring Roads Low Emission Zone include?
The Barcelona Ring Roads Low Emission zone is centred on the municipalities of Barcelona (except for Zona Franca Industrial and Vallvidrera, el Tibidabo i les Planes neighbourhood), Hospitalet de Llobregat, Sant Adrià de Besòs and parts of Esplugues de Llobregat and Cornellà de Llobregat..
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Barcelona, an action for the climate city
Barcelona implements actions for safeguarding air quality and fighting climate change. The designation of the Barcelona Ring Roads Low Emission Zone is a measure to improve the quality of the air we breathe and to promote other ways of getting around the city, which guarantee safe, sustainable, equitable, efficient mobility. More than two hundred European cities now have defined protection zones where measures to safeguard people's health are implemented.
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Have you got a vehicle with a foreign number plate?
If you have a foreign number plate and you want to circulate in Barcelona, then you must register your car. If your vehicle complies with the requisites equivalent to the DGT environmental label, then you will be authorised to circulate in the city without any restrictions. If you do not comply with the requisites, then you must apply for daily permits up to a maximum of ten per year.
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Circulation restrictions calendar
From 1st July 2022
Moratorium
Vehicles that cannot circulate: buses and coaches.
As of 1 January 2020
Vehicles that cannot circulate
- Those without the DGT environmental label
Permanent exemptions
- Vehicles belonging to people with reduced mobility
- Emergency services (police, fire brigade, ambulances)
- Essential services (medical, funerary)
- Vehicles for transporting people who have been diagnosed with illnesses that affect their ability to use public transport
Moratorium (2020-2021)
- Vans (N1): until 1 April 2021.
- Vehicles of people on low incomes who need them to do their jobs: until 1 April 2021.
- Heavy vehicles, lorries and small coaches (N2, N2 and M2): until 31 December 2021.
Pay permits (up to 10 days/year)
- The most polluting vehicles without the DGT environmental label and without a permit to circulate as of 2020
- Vehicles that provide unique services and need authorization for temporary activity
Temporary authorisations
- Vehicles that provide special services or are involved in extraordinary events on the public highway, with specific authorisation from Barcelona City Council
- Special vehicles (see Appendix 4 of the By-law)
- Vehicles for transporting people with diagnosed illnesses who need regular medical treatment
In force during all working days, Monday to Friday, from 7 am to 8 pm.
From 1 December 2018 to 31 December 2019
In the event of an episode, drivers must not use
- Family cars without a DGT environmental label (petrol-driven before Euro 3 and diesel-driven before Euro 4)
- Motorcycles, mopeds and lightweight quads without a DGT environmental label.
- Vans before Euro 1
Temporary exemptions
- Euro 1, Euro 2 and Euro 3 vans
- Lorries
- Coaches
- Buses
Permanent exemptions
- Vehicles belonging to people with reduced mobility
- Emergency services (police, fire brigade, ambulances)
- Essential services (medical, funerary)
In force during all working days while the pollution episode with traffic restrictions remains activated, Monday to Friday, from 7 am to 8 pm.
FAQ
What is the LEZ?
Does it include the ring roads?
What signs identify the LEZ?
How will banned cars be prevented from travelling inside the LEZ?
What is the LEZ?
It is an area of over 95 km2 where the circulation of the most polluting vehicles is restricted, in order to protect the atmosphere, people's health and the environment.
It includes all of Barcelona city located between the Ronda de Dalt and the Ronda del Litoral ring roads, and part or all of the municipalities of l’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Cornellà de Llobregat, Esplugues de Llobregat and Sant Adrià de Besòs.
In Barcelona city, the neighbourhoods of Vallvidrera, el Tibidabo i les Planes and Zona Franca remain outside the LEZ.
Does it include the ring roads?
No. You can drive on the ring roads (Ronda de Dalt and Ronda del Litoral), which are free of restrictions. In other words, all vehicles (including the most polluting ones which do not have a DGT environmental label) may circulate on the ring roads. However, the most polluting vehicles do not have permission to take any exit to, or drive within, the LEZ.
What signs identify the LEZ?
The LEZ and its access roads have road signs indicating the delimited zone, what vehicles are allowed to circulate and during which times.
Drivers will see messages informing them about the proximity of the LEZ on variable message panels on the city's access roads. This provides them with enough time to change their route. Informative vertical signage at the entrance to the LEZ is located at the exits of the ring roads (Ronda de Dalt, Ronda del Litoral), on other roads entering the city and in the neighbourhoods located on the perimeter of the LEZ. The ring-road message panels complement the information about the restrictions.
How will banned cars be prevented from travelling inside the LEZ?
Until 31 December 2019, during pollution episodes with traffic restrictions, compliance with the regulation will be controlled manually, as part of the normal operations of Barcelona's Guàrdia Urbana police force.
From 2020 onwards, in addition to the checks carried out by the Guàrdia Urbana, an automatic control system using more than 70 cameras for reading vehicle licence plates will be installed at points in the city, on access roads and inside the LEZ.
