Municipalities may introduce new diesel fees

OSLO.Climate and Environment Minister Vidar Helgesen.Photo : Cornelius Poppe / NTB scanpix

Government says yes to low emission zones where the quality of the air is particularly poor and give municipalities the opportunity to introduce the system for the winter.

Climate and Environment Minister Vidar Helgesen confirmed to VG that the government will put forward a proposal that cities that are plagued with air pollution may introduce low emission zones.
– We have set a deadline of August 22, so that municipalities can consider the possibility of introducing the scheme  from the coming winter, says Helgesen.
In practice this means the introduction of zones with restrictions on the use of diesel vehicles. Municipalities are  already permitted to introduce such zones, on days where there.

– What we now will permit, is municipalities imposing fees on  vehicles which cause pollution and are driving into low emission zones, says the Minister.
Heavier vehicles that meet Euro 6 regulations and rechargeable hybrid cars with an electric range of at least 40 kilometers won’t have to pay the fee.

Helgesen said that it is up to the municipalities themselves to decide the size of the fee and which areas that should be included in a low emission zone. The charge will probably be levied through the purchase of wafers, although the Road Administration has recommended the use of toll fees.
– We agree with their assesment, but this is a system that won’t be put into practice until this winter. Because of this, we  now choose to give municipalities the opportunity to introduce low emission zones, says Vidar Helgesen.

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today