City Council to launch a campaign to remind the ban on vehicles with B label from circulating, starting June 15th
The daily sanction proposals have decreased from 1,600 to 71 after eight months since the implementation of the Low Emission Zone in Bilbao, which since June 15th does not allow highly polluting vehicles (A label) to circulate in Abando-Indautxu, and which from June 15th will prevent polluting vehicles (B label) from transiting through this area, except for exceptions established in the regulations, as per data provided by the Councilor for Mobility and Sustainability, Nora Abete.
On this Thursday’s ordinary session at the Bilbao City Council, a motion from the PP was discussed, which requested sending an informative letter to the owners of vehicles with ‘B’ environmental label that violate the current regulations, the Low Emission Zone ordinance from 7:00 a.m. on June 16, 2025 until 9:00 p.m. on December 31, 2025, and are caught by the cameras.
Finally, an amendment proposed by the PNV and PSE government team was approved, urging the local executive to launch an informative campaign reminding the access regulations regarding the Low Emission Zone that will come into effect on June 15, 2025.
The PP spokesperson, Esther Martínez, criticized that the Low Emission Zone ordinance «does not take into account the vulnerability of many people who own a vehicle without a label or with a B label, who are residents of Bilbao, and whose way of moving around the city has been restricted without providing them with any alternative, as they do not have sufficient resources to buy a new car.»
Therefore, in the face of the starting sanctions on June 15th for vehicles with ‘B’ label that violate the regulations, Martínez proposed a moratorium «so that people who, mostly out of ignorance, can access the low emission zone, instead of a fine, receive the corresponding informative campaign from the city council, telling them that they cannot access from that date onwards.»
«We do not like the low emission zone, we voted against it, but we know that we have to comply with it as long as there is no ruling from a court saying it is not right. And in that interim, we think that at least people should not be fined,» she defended.
On the other hand, the spokesperson for Elkarrekin Bilbao, Ana Viñals, considered that until June 15th «there is plenty of time to carry out an informative campaign reminding the access regulations for vehicles with ‘B’ environmental label» and requested the Mobility and Sustainability department to make «an effort to communicate this issue beyond social media or the municipal website, to achieve broad and effective dissemination.»
EH Bildu Councilor Karlos Renedo said that it is «quite evident that the Popular Party is against the Low Emission Zone, not only in Abando but anywhere,» and the sovereignist party «is not in that position,» but they believe that «it is time to improve people’s quality of life and public health and reduce traffic.»
«We all agree that we want to prioritize pedestrians and reduce traffic, but then, when measures are put on the table, depending on where populism falls, we are either against it or we lose fines,» he criticized.
QUALITY OF LIFE
From the municipal government, the Councilor for Mobility and Sustainability, Nora Abete, assured that «everyone, except for the Popular Party, has already internalized that measures like the low emission zone have been created to improve our quality of life.»
«An ambitious strategy that on June 16th will reach a new milestone when vehicles with B classification cannot access the center of Bilbao as a general rule, because moratoriums are contemplated,» emphasized Abete, to advocate for «continuing to take steps to guarantee the right to mobility and health.»
After pointing out that road traffic «is responsible for 80% of nitrogen oxide emissions in our city,» she said that, «although it is still early to talk about results, we can already talk about trends, and they are positive.» Thus, she indicated that «the number of vehicles susceptible to sanctions during the first three months, which were adaptation months, was 1,600 per day and, eight months later, «the number decreases to 71, so we have improved and progressed.»
She also highlighted that studies show that 72% of the population is in favor of the low emission zone, 83% «identifies positive reasons, such as air quality improvement or public health,» and 70% positively values the informative and support work of the City Council.
«A figure that makes us satisfied, but we will not settle for it,» said Abete, announcing that the City Council will carry out a campaign to reinforce the information related to the upcoming phase starting on June 15th, which will affect B vehicles with their corresponding exceptions, because «there are many moratoriums and exceptions that will allow us to enter with a B vehicle whenever necessary.»
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