The Jerusalem Municipality is turning the city center into a “clean air” area, in order to improve the health and quality of life of residents. Last Wednesday, 9 Teves, the City Council approved a municipal bylaw which is intended to allow the enforcement of a “reduced emission area” in the city center.

The bylaw is intended to restrict the entry of heavy and polluting vehicles into the city center, and enforcement is planned through cameras and a computerized system which will analyze the details of entering vehicles, according to the vehicle’s license plate.

The defined area includes the city center, from HaNevi’im St. to the north, Strauss St. and King George St. from the west, Agron St. from the south, and Cheil HaHandasa St. from the east, including all roads bordering the area.

Additionally, around half a year later, the Municipality intends to expand the plan by turning the chareidi business center area into a reduced emission area as well. The future inclusion of other areas in the plan is also under consideration.

The decision will lead to a significant improvement in the quality of life and air quality in the city center, reduce transportation loads, and turn the center of Jerusalem into one of the areas with the cleanest air – “mountain air clear as wine”.

The plan will be implemented in two stages:

In the first stage, beginning on July 1, 2018, drivers will be sent messages informing them of the prohibition against the entry of polluting vehicles into the reduced emission area; and in the second stage, beginning on January 1, 2019, the prohibition against the entry of polluting vehicles to the reduced emission area will enter into effect, as will the enforcement of the bylaw, through tickets of the “optional court appearance” type.

At the request of the Ministry of Transport, and with the consent of the Director of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, public transportation has been given the opportunity to operate for an additional half year, such that the prohibition against the entry of public vehicles into the reduced emission area will enter into effect on July 1, 2019.

The proposed bylaw provides definitions of the terms “reduced emission area” and “polluting vehicle”. “Reduced emission area” – An area of roads, the entry to which is marked with road signs specifying restrictions on entry for polluting vehicles. “Polluting vehicle” – Any vehicle weighing over 3.5 tons, containing a diesel engine, with a vehicle registration year until 2005; excluding vehicles in which a particle filter has been installed. In other words, heavy diesel vehicles (over 3.5 tons) will not be permitted to enter the city center area if the year of registration is 2005 or earlier, unless a particle filter has been installed in the vehicle. It should be noted that the proposed bylaw does not apply, in the current stage, to private vehicles (weighing under 3.5 tons).

As part of the Municipality’s efforts to improve the environmental and air conditions in the city, on August 30, 2016, the City Council approved an updated multi-year plan to reduce transportation-caused pollution in Jerusalem, including a decision to declare a “reduced emissions area” in central Jerusalem. The above included an agreement according to which the Ministry of Environmental Protection will provide assistance to the Municipality in the amount of NIS 5 million for the current plan, as well as an additional NIS 5 million to expand the plan and to build nighttime parking lots for public transportation, including electrical charging infrastructure for buses, by the end of September 2018.

Additional background details regarding the Municipality’s efforts to reduce air pollution: It should be emphasized that the Jerusalem Municipality is acting on many fronts to reduce air pollution in the capital. The construction of the light rail system in the city, and the reduction of entry of private vehicles into the city center, have led to energy savings and reduction of fuel use, as has the implementation of a patrol unit to identify polluting vehicles, which is working to take vehicles that pollute above the permitted standard off the road.

The Municipality has installed hundreds of bicycle parking facilities throughout the city, as part of the program to encourage bicycle use and reduce private vehicle use. As part of the above, the Municipality is developing bike paths throughout the city, which are leading to a reduction in the use of polluting energy, and also operates a system of shuttles to encourage employees to forgo the use of their private vehicles to get to work. The Municipality has also installed solar energy-powered street lighting fixtures, and has installed solar panels on the rooftops of public buildings and schools in the city, in order to generate green energy and reduce the use of polluting materials.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat: “Transportation is the main source of air pollution in city centers and population centers. Air pollution endangers the population and leads to an increase in respiratory, cardiovascular and arterial diseases, while also increasing the risk of cancer and early death. The new bylaw will improve the health and quality of life of residents.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)