The act that implements the directive of the European Parliament (EU) is the document of January 11, 2018 on electromobility and alternative fuels. It focuses on promoting ecological , clean and energy efficient road transport vehicles .
The clean transport zone is created to reduce the negative impact of pollutant emissions from transport on human health and the environment. It can be established in a commune and include roads managed by this local government body. SCTs usually cover the very centers of cities, areas with high population density and heavy vehicle traffic. The zone will not be available to all vehicles. Only the so-called zero-emission vehicles, i.e. electric vehicles powered by hydrogen or natural gas.
Public services, i.e. ambulances, fire brigades, police, municipal guards, border guards, public transport, school buses will enter the SCT without restrictions. The act only mentions access for zero-emission vehicles, which is too strict, but municipalities are free to apply their own exceptions. There is a possibility of entry of other vehicles allowed by the municipality in the resolution establishing the SCT and cars driven by disabled people. This is to eliminate the most harmful and "poisonous" means of transport.
Abroad, entry to the zone is usually determined on the basis of the EURO standard criterion . It is often the case that the closer to the center, the higher the standard must be met by the car to be able to move within it. The plans for the establishment of SCTs in Warsaw and Kraków assume that cars meeting the minimum EURO 4 standard will be able to enter the zone. The experience of European cities shows that these standards are becoming stricter over time, e.g. cars meeting the EURO 6 standard can enter the zone in some zones in Berlin. There are already many SCTs in Europe under various names, for example: Zero Emisson Zone, Low Emission Zone or Urban Road Tolls. The exact list of States and their zones can be found at: www.urbanaccessregulations.eu .
Of course, especially those over 50,000. residents. Such local government units must ensure the participation of a zero-emission fleet in public transport . On the other hand, the above-mentioned act ensures that the funds from the tolls collected for entering the SCT can be used to mark the zone, purchase zero-emission buses, trams, other means of public transport or co-finance electric bicycles. There is a lot of motivation to introduce such zones. The clean transport zone may be designated for an indefinite or definite period, but not shorter than 5 years. Entry for non-zero-emission vehicles is allowed for a fee. The maximum rate is PLN 2.5 / hour or PLN 500 / month. The commune may exempt from the obligation to pay fees in a resolution establishing a clean transport zone for a period of up to 3 years.
Sign D-54 "clean transport zone" and D-55 "end of clean transport zone"
The Act on electromobility obliges public and local administration bodies to introduce zero-emission means of transport. The regulations obliging the introduction of zero-emission vehicles will come into force on January 1, 2025. The share of these cars in the fleet is to be at least 50% of the vehicles in the utility fleet (for transporting people) of central authorities, and in communes with the number of inhabitants of the area of 50 thousand at least 30%. Properly marked vehicles that want to use the possibility of entering the designated eco-zones must be equipped with green registration plates. As for the zone marking itself, 2 new road signs (D-54 and D-55) have been introduced, which will indicate the beginning and the end of the SCT.
Private companies that provide services in the field of public transport, selected on the basis of a tender (public procurement law, value of the tender over EUR 30,000) will be obliged to create a fleet of zero-emission vehicles.
It should be noted that ecological public transport is already in operation. According to the Polish Alternative Fuels Association, by the end of 2021 there were 614 electric buses registered in Poland, which accounted for over 5% of the city bus fleet. By mid-2022, there will be 850 electric buses in Poland, including 160 in Warsaw, 79 in Krakow, 58 in Poznań, 44 in Jaworzno, and Gdynia has recently received 24 electric buses.
Yes. It supports the program: National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, Green Public Transport, in obtaining funding. On the website of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management there is information about the second recruitment for this project, completed in March this year.
According to the information provided, the funds of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management will finance the eligible costs for the purchase of eco-buses, divided into: PLN 780.3 million in the form of a non-repayable grant and over PLN 136 million as a low-interest loan. Mainly small and medium-sized cities will benefit from the co-financing.
As part of the submitted applications for funding, planned
investments are:
First of all, these are: free parking, the possibility of driving on bus lanes, free entry to the SCT. In addition, people with a category B driving license can drive electric delivery vans with a maximum permissible weight of up to 4.25 t (normally 3.5 t). Another benefit is tax matters. Owing to the possession of such means of transport, it is possible to obtain e.g. purchase subsidies, excise duty exemptions for electric and hydrogen cars. Another advantage is the higher depreciation limit for electricians 225,000. PLN, because for ordinary cars this limit is 150,000. zloty.
Urszula Jatczak
Environmental protection specialist
