In front of the administrative court in Wiesbaden today a complaint of the German environmental aid against the air pollution control plan of the south Hessian city is negotiated. After Frankfurt and Mainz Darmstadt would be the third city in the Rhine-Main area, for which a court imposed a driving ban for diesel vehicles. The environmental aid is supported by the Traffic Club Germany.
The complainants want to ensure that the EU limit value for the harmful nitrogen dioxide of 40 micrograms per cubic meter of air is respected. A verdict is expected on Wednesday.
Darmstadt is one of the 15 intensive cities in this country, where in 2017 the pollutant limits were exceeded especially by diesel exhaust particularly strong. The Federal Environment Agency leads Darmstadt with a value of 72 micrograms in third place. Only in Munich and Stuttgart is still thicker air.
The city of Darmstadt hopes to be able to prevent driving bans with its „Green City Plan“. With around 200 measures, the limit of 40 micrograms can be reached by 2020, she is convinced. In contrast to other cities, in Darmstadt there is anyway only a „very small-scale load situation, which is limited to a few road sections“.
Driving bans for older diesels already exist in Hamburg on two sections. Among others in Berlin, Frankfurt, Mainz, Stuttgart, Cologne, Bonn and Essen prohibitions are to come.
