Madrid could become first European city to scrap low-emissions zone
Source: The Guardian
Madrid could become first European city to scrap low-emissions zone
Region’s likely new president Isabel Díaz Ayuso believes congestion is part of city’s cultural identity
Arthur Neslen
Fri 31 May 2019 11.53 BST First published on Fri 31 May 2019 11.17 BST
Madrid may be about to become the first European city to scrap a major urban low-emissions zone after regional polls left a rightwing politician who views 3am traffic jams as part of the city’s cultural identity on the cusp of power.
Isabel Díaz Ayuso, who is expected to become the new Popular party (PP) president of the Madrid region, believes night-time congestion makes the city special and has pledged to reverse a project known as Madrid Central, which has dramatically cut urban pollution.
The PP’s mayor-in-waiting, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, under whose remit the scheme falls, vowed that his first action would be to “address” Madrid Central. “It was one of the pillars of our campaign,” he said. The PP would instead prioritise street cleanliness and conservation, he added.
During the election campaign, Ayuso told El Pais: “I do not think [traffic jams] are a reason for enjoyment but it is a sign [of the] identity of our city, that the street is always alive.”
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/may/31/madrid-set-to-end-clean-air-project-in-rightwing-power-switch
