Petrol and diesel ban for European capital - could others follow suit?
The petrol and diesel car ban for the capital of Sweden will come into force on 31st December 2024, and will also prevent 100 per cent of fossil fuel-powered heavy goods vehicles from entering the city centre.
Stockholm, the city where the petrol and diesel car ban is being enforced, will from the end of 2024 be split into regions where petrol and diesel cars can and can’t travel. And unlike the London ULEZ, there is no fee to pay should you need to travel within one of the defined zones, you simply won’t be allowed to. Furthermore, the only heavy goods and delivery vehicles able to enter the areas are those powered by plug-in or hybrid powertrains.
Confusingly the ‘ban’ does allow some petrol and diesel vehicles to drive within the city centre, with low-emissions fossil fuel-powered cars and vehicles apparently still permitted. Other vehicles that will continue to be allowed to drive within the city are those owned by drivers with a disabled permit and obviously emergency service vehicles.
MP Lars Strömgren, took to ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to talk about his vision. He said: “In Stockholm, everyone should be able to breathe the air without getting sick,” going on to claim that the move would create “outdoor seating and plenty of space for walking and cycling.”
The move means Stockholm becomes the first major city to completely ban full petrol and diesel vehicles from certain areas, and while there are still some question marks remaining on how the system will be policed, it's a trend that could soon be implemented in other capitals in the coming years. There is also no mention of whether motorcycles and scooters are included in the ban or not.
Areas affected by Stockholm petrol and diesel ban
The car ban covers 20 blocks in Stockholm’s city centre, including streets in the areas of Kungsgatan, Birger Jarlsgatan, Hamngatan and Sveavägen.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
