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Cartagena continues to expand Low Emission Zones but rules out driving bans and environmental labels
Cartagena is improving public transport services to encourage more drivers to leave their cars at home
Back in March 2023, Cartagena Council approved its own regional law to comply with the nationwide requirement for larger cities to implement Low Emission Zones (ZBEs). Crucially, Cartagena made the decision to focus on a traffic calming model in certain areas and making public transport more attractive, rather than imposing all-out bans on polluting vehicles.
The authorities are currently erecting signs so that drivers know they are entering the city’s two ZBEs, where speed limits are reduced. The aim is to reinforce the feeling of entering an area that is different from the main roads where traffic is slower and calmer. The set of actions will involve a complete renovation of the area at an urban level, improving the quality of life of the residents of the area.
Other cities in Spain are completely prohibiting older, more environmentally damaging cars from entering the Low Emission Zones, but Cartagena has taken a very different approach.
Here, there will be two different ZBEs. The first is located in the historic centre, which includes the perimeter created by Calle Real, Calle Carlos III, Calle Capitanes Ripoll, Avenida Trovero Marín, Cuesta del Batel and Paseo Alfonso XII. Within this perimeter, pedestrian use of public space will be encouraged, but vehicles will be allowed if they need to access homes or garages in the zone. Likewise, delivery drivers will be permitted without restriction.
The other ZBE will be the Ensanche, delimited by the perimeter formed by Paseo de Alfonso XIII, La Alameda de San Antón, Avenida Reina Victoria and Calle Juan de la Cosa. In this area, traffic calming will be encouraged by creating so-called ‘superblocks’ that discourage the passage of vehicles through interior areas to reduce pollution and noise for residents.
All these areas will be controlled with capacity, sound and pollution measurement systems that will allow decisions to be made about traffic in real time to reduce its impact.
Cartagena City Council has reiterated that it has no plans to implement traffic bans in the ZBEs, nor will cars require environmental labels.
The second phase of the plan involves drastic public transport improvements that should encourage more drivers to leave their cars at home. Since this improvement plan was launched two years ago, passenger numbers have increased by a whopping 1.5 million.So far, 60% of urban buses have been replaced with modern hybrid models, which are less polluting and equipped with services such as Wi-Fi, and more services have been put on to contend with the higher demand.
The bus shelters are also being modernised, making them more accessible, both physically and technologically. Several are now equipped with digital devices which let passengers know when the next bus is due, and many others will soon have chargers for mobile devices and Wi-Fi.
Going forward, more strides will be made in creating additional cycle lanes and park-and-ride facilities.
Images: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena
