The legal system that regulates the entry of the most polluting cars into the Spanish capital has just been left in abeyance after a decision by the High Court of Justice of Madrid (TSJM), which declared null and void its three low-emission zones established for years and that this December 31, they were going to completely close the entry to private cars without an environmental label.
The court ruling establishes that the Madrid City Council did not provide sufficient reports to justify the Low Emission Zone (ZBE), which covers the entire municipality of Madrid, and those that affect the Plaza Elíptica and the Central District (formerly called Madrid Central). The latter was the first to be launched in 2019.
The legal services of the Madrid City Council are currently analyzing the sentence, sources from the Mobility sector inform this newspaper, so they have not yet decided whether or not to appeal the sentence. The council has 30 days to do so after being informed.
The TSJM leaves open the possibility that the council reinstate restrictions without eliminating the entire articles. However, the judges require “an adequate balance between benefits and costs and the possibility of adopting less restrictive measures of equivalent effect, or which could produce a discriminatory effect for the most economically vulnerable groups.”
In the event that the Madrid City Council appeals the decision to the Supreme Court, which is the most likely option due to its action in similar decisions, the current restrictions would remain as before, pending a final decision and as long as the Government of Madrid Almeida does not approve another regulation before, taking advantage of its absolute majority.
These are the three low-emission zones in Madrid and their current operation, which the TSJM called into question with its ruling but which remain in force:
Madriz Low Emission Zone (LEZ)
It covers the entire municipality of Madrid and came into force in 2024, after several successive extensions started within the M-30, it was later extended to this highway and currently reaches the entire city.
Madrid ZBE prohibits access to all vehicles without an environmental label that are not registered in the capital, although from January 1st the restrictions will also be extended to those of residents, as reported this Monday by the Mobility area.
According to calculations made by this newspaper, around 9% of private cars owned by Madrid residents currently do not have an environmental label, so they would not be able to circulate in less than three months.
In this guide you will be able to read all the restrictions of the Madrid ZBE, its deadlines, its maps and the location of the video surveillance cameras that control access.
ZBEDEP Plaza Elliptical Bike
It started in 2022 around the station that provided the worst air quality data, Plaza Elíptica, south of Madrid. The Plaza Elíptica’s Low Emission Special Protection Zone (ZBEDEP) prevented the passage of any vehicle without an environmental label, except those of residents.
With the application of the aforementioned Madrid ZBE, this low-emission zone will no longer be useful from January 1, 2025, since its restrictions will be expanded.
You can read the areas it covers and the residents of the neighborhoods who can still cross it with their type A cars.
Central District ZBEDEP
Called Madrid Central when it was launched in 2019, when Manuela Carmena was mayor, Almeida’s team maintained almost all of its restrictions with the change in ordinance imposed by an initial court ruling.
From that moment on, it was called the Central District Low Emission Special Protection Zone (ZBEDEP) and prohibited access to vehicles without an environmental label, as well as those of type B and C. Residents and traders in the neighborhood can authorize the passage of 20 of these vehicles each month.
In this guide we summarize all the specific regulations of this ZBE.
Madrid City Council has established these low-emission zones to comply with the air quality limits set by the European Union. Both the Madrid LEZ and the one for the Central District were part of Plan A that the City Council approved in 2017 and that the city presented to the community authorities to avoid sanctions for successive non-compliance with pollution over the years.
The restrictions imposed in recent years on the most polluting cars have allowed Madrid to currently have the best data on air quality in its history. Figures that could worsen if they were no longer applied in the city.
