Congestion charge is obvious and neglected way to solve German cities’ pollution problem - commentary

Free public transport, blue badges, hardware retrofits - every day a different solution is touted to reconcile cars with the environment in Germany’s heated diesel debate, writes Marc Beise in a commentary in the Süddeutsche Zeitung. But a congestion charge already in use in London and other cities abroad would be an obvious solution that has barely been mentioned. It would mean that “the same people who cause the pollution must pay for it: the drivers of combustion engine cars,” including those with petrol engines, whose damaging effects are totally neglected in the current diesel discussion. Congestion charges are effective, not as unfair as diesel driving bans, and easy to implement, argues Beise.

Read the commentary in German here.

Find background in the CLEW article Court ruling opens door for diesel bans in German cities, and consult the factsheet Diesel driving bans in Germany – The Q&A.