1. Environmental zone for heavy vehicles in Stockholm
Introduced 1 June 1996
Applies to diesel driven trucks and buses >3.5 tonnes

2. Environmental zone improves air quality
Air quality impacts quality of life
Placing demands on vehicles helps accelerate environmental improvements
The environmental zone was introduced over 10 years ago (1996) as one of several measures to improve air quality. As you know, air quality contributes to coronary illnesses, cancer, allergies, asthma and lung conditions. It also plays a role in acidification of land and water and the erosion of buildings and monuments. Generally we can say that a city’s air quality affects the total quality of life of those that live there.
Placing requirements on the vehicles which are allowed to drive in the environmental zone means that environmental improvements can be achieved much earlier than otherwise would have been the case. Requirements accelerate the procurement of new vehicles with better environmental standards.

3. Regulations Swedish municipalities can decide: National law regulates:
If environmental zones should be introduced
Which geographical area should be included
National law regulates:
Rules for journeys within the environmental zone
That the area must “environmentally sensitive”
In Sweden, municipalities have the right to decide whether or not an environmental zone should be introduced. However, municipalities do not have the opportunity to influence how the rules for traffic within the environmental zone should be formed (which vehicles should be included, etc). Municipalities can also make decisions on geography – the extent of the zone – which is regulated through a local traffic regulation (LTF).
Environmental zones can be introduced in locations of particular ”environmental sensitivity”. This is defined as an area where many people reside and which includes, for example, parks, green belts, unique buildings, heavily-trafficked roads, together with areas which are subject to noise or emissions, or areas where there is a high risk that environmental standards will not be met. (e.g. regulations based on EC-Directives, regarding the lowest acceptable levels of pollution to which people, environment or nature can legally be subjected). A municipality can also work in synergy with environmental zoning to the reduce risk of exceeding environmental quality standards.
The regulations concerning journeys within the environmental zone have developed over the years, but principally impact diesel driven heavy vehicles (e.g. freight trucks) and buses with a total weight of over 3.5 tonnes.

4. The environmental zone in Stockholm
The environmental zone in Stockholm includes the inner traffic district (inner city) which is well-defined and well-known to drivers. The area is not marked with signs. Certain through-roads are exempted.

5. Rules
Vehicles may drive in the environmental zone for six years after the year of registration.
Certain vehicles may drive for longer periods:
Those which meet Euro-2 and Euro-3 may be driven for 8 years
Those which meet Euro-4 or Euro-5 may be driven up until 2016 and 2020 respectively.
Exempted from the zone:
Vehicles which are used by police, doctors, emergency services or for transporting sick people to doctors or hospitals
Vintage vehicles
Vehicles are allowed to drive in the environmental zone for six years from the date of registration, with exception for those that meet Euro-2 and Euro-3 standards, which are allowed to drive for 8 years from the date of registration. Vehicles which meet Euro-4 and Euro-5 standards may drive until 2016 and 2020 respectively. No special dispensations are made.
Vehicles used for work such as police, doctors, emergency services, or by people seeking urgent medical attention are exempted, as are vehicles defined as vintage vehicles.

6. Emissions reductions compared with alternatives without environmental zone
In order to determine the impact of the environmental zone, calculations have been made showing alternative developments without the zone. These calculations have been made three times since the environmental zone was introduced, but unfortunately they were not conducted in the same way and therefore are not entirely comparable with eachother.
The calculation for 2007 shows that the zone has helped reduced the number of Euro 0 , Euro 1 and to a certain extent Euro 2 class vehicles and replaced them with Euro 3 class vehicles. This primarily impacts emissions of particles and hydrocarbons. It is only when Euro 4-5 class vehicles are introduced that a large impact on NOx emissions can be seen.
Generally the study which was made in 2000 appears to have made more positive assessment of the zone’s effect than the studies conducted in 2007 and 1997.

7. Recommendations Courageous politicians are required
Prior to introduction, acceptance is high amongst residents and politicians, but low in the transport sector.
Transporters usually become more positive shortly after the introduction.
Exempted routes passing through the zone may be needed.
Recommendations from the EU project of which the Stockholm environmental zone was a part.

8. Further recommendations
Different demands lead to different effects
Age – reduced emissions
Weight – congestion and noise
Realistic demands should be made, so transporters have time to adjust and prepare
Providing good information is critical
National laws may need to be changed

9. The future… Include other vehicle categories?
Proposal on Euroclass VI expected to be introduced 2013
Amend the geography of the zone?
Increased use of vehicles running on alternative fuels
The regional council in Stockholm region proposed a program to reduce NOx emissions. The program is called ”Cleaner Air Stockholm Region” and proposes a package of measures to meet environmental standards for NOx in the Stockholm region. The proposal was accepted by the Government in December The programme states that heavy vehicles account for around 5% of total traffic in Stockholm, but account for 40% of NOx emissions. Measures to reduce emissions from heavy vehicles will therefore have great impact. Some of the proposed measures may be included in the further development of the environmental zone. For example, the Regional Council has proposed the introduction of an environmental zone for private vehicles without catalytic converters and another targeting the through-roads within the environmental zone. A change in the Traffic Regulation is needed to allow other vehicle categories to be included in the environmental zone, with an opening for fuel neutrality and weight neutrality.
There is a proposal for a Euroclass 6 norm which is being negotiated within the European Council. It is likely that Euro 6 will be introduced in April 2013 and the regulation will include a tightening of emissions requirements, for particles by 60% and NOx by 80%.
The environmental zone’s geographical area may be extended in the future. However, there are presently no plans in the City of Stockholm to do this.
The number of heavy vehicles which are driven with alternative fuels in limited today. Some vehicles request alternative fuels but the range is limited.
Mercedes and Iveco have a small number of models to choose from.
Volvo and Scania have not yet delivered heavy goods vehicles which can be driven with alternative fuels. In 2007 Volvo Trucks presented 7 prototype trucks which could be driven on different alternative fuels, but these are not on the market.
Scania develop vehicles that can operate on ethanol, biodiesel, synthetic diesel and biogas. The technique for operation on ethanol has been used for many years in bus engines and will be developed in truck engines during Scania is also developing diesel engines for use with biodiesel and/or synthetic diesel.

10. Thank you!
Any questions?