The LEZ Barcelona/City environmental zone
In December 2017, a temporary LEZ environmental zone was established in the city of Barcelona in agreement with the Barcelona Metropolitan Region (AMB) and the Government of Catalonia. This urban LEZ (Low Emission Zone) is called ZBE (Zona Baixes Emissions) in Catalonia. The LEZ came into force on 01.12.2017 and bans many vehicle types for passenger and freight transport with EURO 0-3 standards from traffic in the event of high nitrogen dioxide levels.
From 2020, the rules will be quickly tightened up, the LEZ environmental zone will then be permanently active and the Distintivo Ambiental badge will become mandatory at all times, i.e. not only in case of an air pollution peak.
Since the four badge categories 0, ECO, B and C, according to the classification table, are only assigned to vehicles of the EURO classes 4-6 for petrol vehicles and EURO classes 3-6 for diesel vehicles, all other older vehicles are then permanently banned from traffic. See the table below for detailed rules.
The LEZ Barcelona/City environmental zone covers an area of around 92 km² in the municipality of Barcelona, which lies within the B-10 and B-20 motorways ring road. Barcelona counts around 1.65 million inhabitants, covering a total area of 101.4 km² in 10 urban districts.
Exceptions are the districts of Vallvidrera, Tibidabo and Llanuras, the industrial area of Franca-Poligono and some areas of the municipality of Barcelona outside the B-10 and B-20 motorways ring road.
Driving bans imposed due to an air pollution peak are only valid from Monday to Friday between 7 am and 8 pm and from the day following the announcement of the driving ban by the city authorities.
Emergency vehicles and vehicles of people with reduced mobility are excluded from driving bans in any case.