Driving ban: Geneva to make a start in 2020

In the future, older cars with high pollution levels will no longer be allowed to roll into the city center when ozone and particulate matter levels are high. These measures also apply to non-Cantonal and foreign vehicles driving into the city.

Cars are divided into six categories. Depending on the air pollution alert level, one to a maximum of three categories are no longer allowed to operate in Geneva's city center.

Reaction to parliamentary decision
At the first two alert levels, two categories of diesel vehicles are affected. Only at the highest alert level will certain gasoline vehicles also be banned. Exceptions are only made for the police, fire department, transport for the disabled or diplomatic vehicles.

However, the measure is unlikely to have too great an impact on the street scene. So far, there have been no more than ten days a year in Geneva that have been problematic in terms of air quality.

Geneva model already exists in Paris
The Geneva government is thus enforcing the amended environmental protection law that was clearly approved by the Geneva cantonal parliament a year ago. There had also been repeated calls at the federal level for so-called environmental zones to be made possible. In these zones, cantons or municipalities would have been able to introduce rules similar to those now in force in Geneva.

Rejection of the environmental zones
However, because the majority of respondents to the consultation process were against the idea, the Federal Council rejected the environmental zones. In France, however, the Geneva model applies in several cities, including Paris. And in Germany, restrictions on diesel vehicles apply in several cities.

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