Hamburg First City in Germany to Ban Older Diesels
Hamburg became the first city in Germany to ban older diesel-powered vehicles when it prohibited them last Thursday from using two of the city’s major thoroughfares.
The move follows a February ruling by the Bundesverwaltungsgericht, or Federal Administrative Court, to limit vehicle emissions in Stuttgart. The ruling set a precedent for all German cities.
Until recently, German officials have been somewhat reluctant to place constraints on diesels, given that both the diesel engine and the automobile itself were invented in Germany.
Going forward, only diesel-powered automobiles that meet Euro 6 emissions standards will be allowed on the section of the Max-Brauer-Allee that is in the Altona district of the city center, and trucks without clean diesel technology will not be allowed on the Stresemannstraße, a nearby multi-lane highway.
Drivers of older diesels face €20 ($23.46) fines if caught while truck drivers would pay €75.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)