Cristina Hodgson
MALAGA will have a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) at the beginning of next year.
Restricted access to road traffic is a requirement of the Climate Change Law for cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants and must be implemented this year in cities such as Malaga.
Specifically, the Low Emission Zone of Malaga will cover an area of 473 hectares in the Centre and its surroundings, as defined in the Climate Plan (ALICIA) and the Sustainable Mobility Plan (PMUS).
For this, an intelligent number plate recognition system will be implemented to control road traffic access through 97 points in the centre of Malaga.
Furthermore, as indicated by the councillor for Mobility, Jose del Rio, these 97 control points— connected to the control centre via the fibre optic network—will be added to the network of video surveillance cameras installed in the city centre.
As explained by the councillor, the sensors being installed throughout the Centro and Soho areas will be used to analyse the traffic entering the area, but not forbid entry.
“This doesn’t mean that drivers can’t enter the centre, rather they won’t be able to drive around creating pollution.” Rio said.
“If car owners have a private parking space or want to access a public car park they will be able to enter. What we want to avoid are detours,” the councillor added.
Malaga City Council has been working on this project for almost a year and a half and assures that the ZBE in the centre of Malaga will be active as of 1 January 2024.
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