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Despite being the third city in all of Spain to sign up to the initiative, Cartagena has decided not to completely ban traffic in low emission zones next year. The Councillor for a Sustainable City, Cristina Mora, confirmed this week that Cartagena will implement measures that promote public transport and sustainable mobility, but that prohibitions are completely unnecessary.

 

While the Climate Change Law has set regions an objective to reduce environmental and noise pollution, it doesn’t actually stipulate that cities have to block certain traffic in low emission zones. According to Cartagena Council, the city centre doesn’t really have any traffic pollution problems since it is largely pedestrianised already and the surrounding streets have a speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour.

 

What the new ordinance will do is establish so-called super blocks – areas of the city where walking and cycling will be encouraged and vehicle access will be somewhat limited.

 

The low emission zone (ZBE) of the city of Cartagena will be roughly divided into two different areas.

 

The first is Casco Histórico 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, homeowners will be permitted to drive to their houses and the transport of goods and supplies for businesses will be permitted, but all other traffic will be prohibited.

 

The second low emission zone 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. Traffic calming will be encouraged in this area through the creation of super blocks that discourage vehicles in order to reduce pollution and noise for residents.

 

All of the areas in the low emission zones will be controlled with capacity, sound and pollution measurement systems so that impact of traffic can be monitored in real time.

 

 

Image: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena