Transport Modes
Private Vehicle
Lisbon is committed to reducing its high energy dependence on fossil fuels, which means reducing dependence on cars, improving the quality of life and health of Lisbon residents.
Measures
Lisbon has defined Reduced Emission Zones (ZER), where vehicles that do not comply with certain pollutant gas emission limits are prohibited from circulating, and Zones 30, in order to guarantee road safety.
Following EU environmental directives, the first ZER in Lisbon was created in 2011, on the Avenida da Liberdade/Baixa axis. In this corridor, the concentration of pollutants was the most worrying.
Despite an overall improvement in Lisbon's air quality, the results fell short of the objectives. The municipality has therefore decided to increase restrictions on car traffic in central areas in stages.
Implementation of the ZER
The 3rd phase, currently in force, maintains the geographical area (Zone 1 and Zone 2), as well as the hours and period of application during which the restrictions apply (working days, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.).
The change is due to greater environmental requirements, and Lisbon's ZER will now have the following rules:
- Zone 1 (Eixo Av. Liberdade/Baixa) - only post-2000 vehicles may circulate, i.e. those that comply with EURO 3 emission standards (in general, light vehicles manufactured after January 2000 and heavy-duty vehicles after October 2000)
- Zone 2 (limited to the south of Avenida de Ceuta | Eixo Norte-Sul | Avenida das Forças Armadas | Avenida EUA | Avenida Marechal António Spínola | Avenida Infante Dom Henrique) - only vehicles after 1996 circulate, i.e. those that comply with EURO 2 emission standards (in general, light vehicles manufactured after January 1996 and heavy vehicles after October 1996)
More information:
Deliberation no. 642/CM/2014 published in the 3rd supplement of the municipal bulletin no. 1081/2014, November 6, 2014
In the 2nd phase, which came into operation on April 1, 2012, the ZER area was extended to include two zones and the EURO emission standards were increased, as follows:
- Zone 1: Av. da Liberdade/Baixa axis (bounded to the north by Rua Alexandre Herculano and to the south by Praça do Comércio) - only vehicles complying with the EURO 2 emission standard (vehicles from 1996 or later) may circulate
- Zone 2: limited to the south of Av. de Ceuta | Eixo Norte-Sul | Av. das Forças Armadas | Av. dos Estados Unidos da América | Av. Marechal António Spínola I Av. Infante Dom Henrique - only vehicles that comply with the EURO 1 emission standard (vehicles from 1992 or later) may circulate
More information:
Deliberation no. 105/CM/2012, published in the 3rd supplement of the Municipal Bulletin no. 941/2012, March 1st
The 1st phase, which came into force on July 4, 2011, was characterized by restricting the circulation of vehicles that did not comply with EURO 1 emission standards (vehicles built before July 1992), on the Av. da Liberdade/Baixa axis (limited to the north by Rua Alexandre Herculano and to the south by Praça do Comércio).
More information:
Deliberation no. 247/CM/2011, published in the 3rd supplement of municipal bulletin no. 900, May 19
Zones 30
Zones 30 are implemented in residential areas, in areas with a high level of commercial activity, near school facilities, with the aim of:
- Reduce traffic speeds
- Reduce the occurrence and severity of accidents
- Reduce unwanted through traffic
- Reduce noise and environmental pollution
- Ensure road safety
In order to create a Zone 30, it is advisable to define a homogeneous urban area, preferably residential areas, and it is necessary to mark the "entrances" and "exits", either through the construction of measures requiring slowing down, or through vertical signage.
Within Zone 30, vertical signs should be kept to a minimum, and traffic calming should be guaranteed through physical changes to the urban space, leading to its requalification, such as:
- Reducing road width and increasing pedestrian space
- Introduction of elements that convey the perception of reduced road width to motorists (bushes/trees, street furniture, among others);
reduction in curvature radii - Discontinuity in the alignment of the road axis
- Over-elevation of the road and consequent leveling of pedestrian crossings
- Sharing of circulation spaces.
