Bucharest City Hall announced that it placed two air-quality plans for 2026-2030 under public consultation, proposing restrictions on polluting vehicles and support for replacing wood- and coal-based heating systems. The measures would require approval from the General Council before taking effect.
“The pollution level in Bucharest is alarming: 4 times above the maximum values,” the City Hall said in a Facebook post. “We must act as quickly as possible, for our health.”
According to the draft Integrated Air Quality Plan, the capital’s two main pollution sources are road traffic and residential heating with solid fuels.
According to the City Hall, of the 2.8 million vehicles registered in Bucharest and the surrounding Ilfov county, roughly 1.3 million are old and polluting.
The proposed low-emission zone would begin operating in central Bucharest on November 1, 2027, initially restricting access for Non-Euro and Euro 1 vehicles. The rules would then be progressively extended to Euro 2, 3, 4, and 5 vehicles through 2030.
“Polluting cars will be progressively eliminated,” the municipality said.
Another proposed measure is the AER 2030 ACASĂ program, which would support the replacement of residential heating systems using wood and coal. It would target 15,000 of the about 18,600 homes currently using such fuels.
“We will provide funding, together with the government and district city halls, to help people connect to clean heating systems,” the City Hall said.
The plans also call for additional electric public transport vehicles, trolleybuses with battery autonomy, and more dedicated public transport lanes.
Other proposed measures include vehicle renewal programs, pedestrian and bicycle routes in the city center, and continued rehabilitation of Bucharest’s district heating network.
After the public consultation period ends, the documents will be submitted to the Bucharest General Council for a vote.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1482111520763214&set=a.189933403314372
Leave a Reply