Milan launches Area B, Italy’s largest Low-Emission Zone

The “Area B”, as it was named by the city, covers about 72% of the entire municipal territory.

The municipality said that the introduction of “Area B” is part of a “definite, progressive and gradual set of rules to reduce particulate matter and improve urban quality in Milan”.

Gasoline-powered vehicles Euro 0 and diesel-powered Euro 0, 1, 2 and 3 will be denied access to Area B from Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 19:30, excluding holidays.

On 1 October 2019, Euro 4 diesel vehicles – which have been banned from the more central “Area C” since 2017 – will be banned in the Area B. Progressive bans will follow for other classes of passenger and freight vehicles until 2030, when all diesel vehicles will be banned in Milan.

Area B covers an area of almost 1.4 million inhabitants, or 97.6% of the city’s resident population. It affects all those who enter the city every day in a motor vehicle, gradually and progressively banning the most polluting ones to improve the Air quality in the city.

The Municipality expects air pollution to decrease sharply in the next few years. By 2026, atmospheric traffic emissions will reduce altogether by approximately 25 tonnes of PM10 and between 900 and 1,500 tonnes of NOx.