Madrid Central, the area of low-emission center of the capital, has driven a reduction in pollution by nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in 22 of 24 measuring stations of the capital with respect to the average of the nine previous years, according to a report of Ecologists in Action based on municipal data presented Thursday. Since 2010, the city of Madrid has failed to comply with the maximum levels of NO2 and that failure has led to the threat of sanction on the part of the European Union. These data are due to a positive ‘contagion effect’ of this restricted-traffic area, given that weather -it also influences - has not been favorable. Despite these data, the city Council of the capital, governed by the PP and Citizens, continues to deny the effectiveness of the measure and works to descafeinarla and allow you to enter more vehicles contaminants at the center of the capital and to reduce the perimeter of the area. Ecologists in Action, which already prevented that the mayor put into effect a moratorium on the fines has filed an appeal against this amendment before the court contentious-administrative.

“The evidence is that Madrid's Central works, and improves the contamination. This is why we believe that there is that extend and expand some of its measures to the rest of the city,” said Paco Segura, spokesman for the environmental organization. In 2019, only two stations have breached the limit values legal of 40 micrograms of NO2 per cubic meter (µg/m3) of annual average value, of square, Elliptical and Schools of Aguirre, when between the years 2010 and 2018, the number of stations that had this limit was maintained between 18 endpoints in the year 2010 and the six of the year 2014.”Madrid has continued in breach of the legislation on nitrogen dioxide, but there have been many fewer stations than are accustomed”, pointed out Juan Bárcena, head of air quality Environmentalists.

“If we look at the map of the stations, the epicenter of where it has reduced the pollution is Madrid Central, and there is a large reduction also in the seasons that cincundan this area. In contrast, where less is reduced is in stations very peripheral, such as Brown, Villaverde or Barajas”, added Barcena. Thus, “the data clearly show that there is an ‘impact frontier’, as they said PP and Citizens, but a ‘contagion effect’ which acts positively on the entire city”, has continued the spokesman ecologist. The reduction of NO2 reaches 10% in comparison with the average values of the decade, but reaches 22% if you look at the values of the plaza del Carmen, the only measuring station situated in the interior of the Madrid Central. This point has managed to months with values below the annual limit value of NO2, and six months with the minimum values of the decade (there are records from 2010).

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Madrid Central reduces pollution by 20% in the first year interactive Guide-of-Madrid Central

And this is so, say the environmentalists, “in spite of the erratic policies of the new city Hall aimed to facilitate the use of the car, extend the use of vehicles pollutants and letting in more cars to the centre”, explained Safe. It is what they call the 'effect Almeida': “The team of municipal Government has denied that Madrid is Central to work by using the shape data torticera. Painted green at the climate summit at the same time eliminating bike lanes and reduced the perimeter of the area of low emissions, something that we believe is illegal. That's why, today we have been to the courts of the contentious-administrative”, added the spokesperson. It was precisely a complaint of Ecologists in Action, which managed to paralyze the moratorium on the fines that the city Council intended to apply for three months, and that was suspended after a high court.

“in Addition, Almeida and Villacís presented Madrid 360 as if it were a plan already approved, when they are more than measures deslavazadas that are not yet approved, so that generated tremendous confusion among citizens, who do not know if they are active some measures or other,” said Segura. “We play a lot with these policies, you should be consistent and permanent. When you ask for the citizenship that you leave the car at home can't turn back”, he concluded. The report presents the first day that triggered the protocol's anti-pollution this year due to the poor air quality in Madrid, which limits the speed to 70 miles per hour on the access roads to the capital.

Date Of Update: 09 January 2020, 13:00