Diesel driving ban in Munich: Mayor expects decision in 2025 - and still sees chances to avoid it

Munich's Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) does not expect the final decision on tightening the diesel driving ban in the state capital until next year. Whether the city must actually implement a driving ban for Euro 5 diesel vehicles on a section of Landshuter Allee depends on whether the nitrogen dioxide limit value can be maintained on an annual average, Reiter told the German Press Agency. "A prediction cannot be made reliably at this point in time."

The city council will therefore deal with the issue again in the new year after the city council resolution on the driving ban planned for Wednesday next week (November 27), when a reliable nitrogen dioxide average value is available, Reiter said. "And depending on whether the limit value was complied with or not, he will impose a section-related or zonal driving ban for Euro 5 diesel vehicles if necessary." According to the responsible department for climate and environmental protection, there will be a legally required public participation following the city council decision, which is to be conducted from December 11 to January 27, 2025, inclusive. "The comments received will then be legally and technically evaluated and presented to the city council for final decision and implementation," said a spokesperson for the department.

Environmentalists have been demanding better Munich air for years

For years, environmentalists have been demanding better air in Munich - and compliance with the air quality plan for the state capital. Because especially on the Landshuter Allee, a section of the busy autobahn-like Middle Ring, nitrogen dioxide limit values are regularly exceeded. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) and the ecological traffic club VCD have therefore been demanding for years to tighten the existing diesel driving ban in Munich and extend it to diesel vehicles of emission class Euro 5. To this end, they even went to court against the city - successfully.

Judicial defeat for the city

The city faced one legal defeat after another: Most recently, the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig in October rejected a complaint of non-admission from the city of Munich. This made a ruling won by DUH and VCD legally binding, requiring quick measures that ensure the significantly lower nitrogen dioxide (NO2) limit values are not exceeded. It primarily occurs in road traffic, can cause respiratory problems, and, like fine dust, is associated with a variety of lung and cardiovascular diseases.

Criticism of the 30 km/h plan

Recently, the city had attempted to combat the excessively high nitrogen dioxide levels with 30 km/h zones, in order to avoid a tightened driving ban. This approach had drawn sharp criticism from environmentalists. "The city of Munich has already lost too much time and denied Munich residents the right to clean air with its unlawful refusal of driving bans," said the federal director of the DUH, Jürgen Resch.

"We expect the implementation of the ruling confirmed by the highest court of the Administrative Court. According to this, the city now only has the choice to decide either on a section-related or a zonal extension of the diesel driving ban to Euro 5 vehicles. The city council must now make this decision. Almost 15 years of illegal conditions in Munich can finally be ended," Resch appealed.