Signatories of the Declaration for the Development of Low Emission Zones, including city authorities and representatives of industry and civil society organizations, will work out demands for further regulatory changes to accelerate the implementation of low- and zero-emission areas in Poland. All will meet for this purpose at the New Mobility Congress in Lodz.

Low Emission Zones (LEZ) operate in more than 300 European cities, providing tangible benefits in the area of air protection. An example is the one introduced at the beginning of 2008. Zone in Berlin, which translated into a decrease in particulate matter emissions from vehicles by as much as 50% (173 tons/year) and nitrogen oxides by 20% (1500 tons/year). In addition, thanks to the zone, the German capital reduced by 70% the number of registrations of passenger cars that did not meet the Euro 2 emission standard, and truck registrations by 55%. On the other hand, the enlargement of the SCT in Rotterdam (since 2016) has resulted in a 20-30% reduction in PM emissions from transport, while in London it has also noticeably reduced nitrogen dioxide emissions by 32 micrograms per cubic meter and nitrogen oxides by 31%. It should also be noted that within Europe, the Zones are progressive in nature. Antwerp or London are such examples. It is in these cities that the introduction of their zero-emission variants has been announced. In Poland, although LEZs are yet to be established, the discussion on them is gaining momentum, thanks in part to the involvement of the Polish Alternative Fuels Association (PSPA), the largest industry organization creating a sustainable transportation market. Zones will therefore be one of the leading topics at this year’s New Mobility Congress, which will be held at the EC1 Łódź – City of Culture facility on September 12-14 2022.

– Our goal is to popularize zero-emission transportation and promote good practices that contribute to improving air quality and thus climate protection. That is why, together with the Union of Polish Metropolises and the Upper Silesian Metropolis, we signed a declaration for the development of Clean Transport Zones. We support local governments in the process of decarbonizing transportation at every possible stage. Together, we identify key demands defining the directions of changes in regulations that will enable socially acceptable and effective creation of zones in Polish cities,” – says Maciej Mazur, Managing Director of PSPA.

The topic of zones during the KNM 2022 will be discussed on the first day of the Congress, as part of the Presidential Debate „Coalition of Cities for the Development of Clean Transportation Zones,” in which the participation was announced by the heads of the largest local governments in Poland. In a follow-up workshop („Model SCT. Key Factors Determining Successful Implementation – Experiences and Recommendations”), report launches („Compendium for Creating Low Emission Zones – Best Practices”) and substantive sessions („LEZ Problems and Solutions – CEE Green Transport Initiative Summit”), will convey experiences gathered from meetings with foreign representatives of cities where SCTs are successfully operating.

– Local governments over the past year have done a lot of work to reduce various types of air emissions. The fleet of buses in public transportation and vehicles used by the institutions themselves, which are offices, were electrified. On top of this, there has been intensive activity in the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The pace of this development is still not satisfactory for local governments, but it is no longer within the competence of local authorities to support this process. Ahead of us local governments and local communities is the biggest project – the implementation of Clean Transportation Zones. We have united within the framework of the Local Government Committee at the Polish Alternative Fuels Association to work together on solutions and exchange experiences on the Zones. Together we influenced the amendment of the provisions of the Law on Electromobility so that we could realistically implement Zones in our cities. Now it’s time for analysis, research and legislative work. We want Low Emission Zones to be created in harmony with the residents of our cities and be a kind of equivalent to their aspirations for the development of these cities. The next New Mobility Congress in Lodz will be a time for us to take stock of the work done over the past year to reduce exhaust emissions and noise pollution. It will also be an ideal moment to set new directions and priorities for local governments in this area,” – says Adam Wieczorek, Deputy Mayor of the City of Lodz.

The Congress will also include threads on the recent changes in regulations covering the process of implementing Clean Transportation Zones and their operation, which were introduced with the amendment of the Law on Electromobility and Alternative Fuels (December 24, 2021). They were sought by various circles, both local governments and NGOs. One of the more significant changes, is the removal of the limit on the size of municipalities that will be authorized to implement Zones. Prior to the amendment, only municipalities with a minimum population of 100,000 were authorized to create a traffic restriction in the form of a zone. Currently, this restriction has been lifted, allowing smaller units to take the initiative as well. Definitely greater interference by authorities at the municipal level has also been made possible – both in terms of individual entry rights and decisions on operating rules, which will be made by resolution.

– There is no single model for low emission zones in Europe. They have been implemented at different times, according to different rules and with varying effectiveness. Therefore, the material for learning is very rich, and we should choose the best examples and formulate regulations at the national and local level in such a way that their implementation in our country is possible,” – says Tomasz Stefanicki from the Office of Sustainable Mobility of the Wrocław Municipality, one of the participants in the study tour organized by PSPA.

– We have more and more experience. We monitor the topic of zones in Poland and Europe very closely. We are active. Together with the UMP, GZM and the Polish Smog Alarm, for example, we have prepared a universal sticker template for vehicles authorized to enter the Clean Transport Zone. Our next step was to organize a study tour for Polish local government officials, to selected Western European cities, in order to build competence and knowledge among them in the area of zones. We are also assisting local governments in preparing for the creation of the Zones and their responsible implementation,” – adds Maria Majewska, coordinator of the PSPA Local Government Committee.

The New Mobility Congress 2022 will be held on September 12-14 at EC1 Łódź – City of Culture. Accompanying events will be held simultaneously with it: Polish Battery Day, CEE Green Transport Initiative Summit, KNM Fleet Forum – dedicated to the most important challenges of the sector, including, among others, the role of Poland in the global and European lithium-ion battery supply chain, or issues related to the mass electrification of company fleets. The KNM is a unique meeting on a European scale, a place to exchange ideas and expertise at the highest professional level. Every year it gathers about 1,000 participants professionally related to the e-mobility industry in Poland and Europe, including more than 200 speakers, about 400 experts and journalists. This year’s edition is also the official prelude to the European Sustainable Transport Week celebrations. The event is organized by the Polish Alternative Fuels Association (PSPA) and the City of Lodz.

The detailed program of the New Mobility Congress and the registration form can be found at: www.kongresnowejmobilnosci.pl