Bucharest authorities set to gradually restrict access of most polluting vehicles to the city

Bucharest City Hall is set to implement a low-emission zone across the entire metropolitan area, gradually restricting access to the city for the most polluting vehicles, Profit.ro reported. The design, promotion, and implementation of the new policy will take place over roughly two years.

The plan includes a clear timeline for a phasing out based on fuel type (diesel, gasoline) and vehicle age. According to the plan, diesel vehicles and older models will face stricter restrictions.

Two years ago, the Romanian Parliament adopted a draft law mandating Bucharest and 12 other major urban areas in the country, such as Brașov, Cluj-Napoca, Constanța, Craiova, Iași, Ploiești, and Timișoara to establish low emission zones where access by vehicles will be restricted and/or taxed, according to Profit.ro.

The plan now developed by Bucharest City Hall, in collaboration with the EBRD, involves a cost of EUR 15 million, funded through the EU-backed National Recovery and Resilience Plan, or PNRR, and a loan via InvestEU.

The implementation of the plan also envisions upgrading the air quality monitoring station network in the city to reflect pollution from vehicles in traffic. It also includes acquiring automatic license plate recognition cameras at LEZ entry points to enable the automatic identification of non-compliant vehicles.

The document shows that the gradual implementation of the LEZ in Bucharest aims to progressively reduce high-emission vehicles in the city, tackling the issue of an aging vehicle fleet. Cars in the city have an average age of 12.4 years and around 43.5% are diesel vehicles.

Operating year-round, the LEZ initially targets a 10% reduction in high-emission vehicles, removing 21,900 tons of CO₂ emissions per year. Medium-term goals raise this to a 20% reduction, and 43,800 tons of CO₂ per year. Long-term plans target a 30% reduction and 65,700 tons of CO₂ emissions per year.

Health cost reductions from cleaner air in LEZ areas could range between EUR 1.3 and 3.9 million per year, with reductions in respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses due to lower pollutant levels and improved quality of life.

Implementation will be supported by surveillance cameras, street signs, and a public campaign to raise awareness of the benefits. Fines for non-compliant vehicles will be redirected toward reducing transport poverty and supporting sustainable mobility.