2/3/2015
Drivers of Old Cars Against Ban to Drive Through Lisbon
LISBON – Drivers of cars manufactured before the year 2000 marched through downtown Lisbon to protest against a law banning them from driving the older models during the week in a bid to cut down on pollution in the Portuguese capital.
The march, organized through social networks, gathered many older vehicles and even some classic cars that were driven around Lisbon with their horns blasting to protest against the measure.
Since the march took place on Sunday, they were allowed to drive through the city.
The ban comes after the European Commission took Portugal to court in 2012 due to the high levels of pollution in the country, and after receiving another warning from the EC last fall.
A great number of taxi drivers also joined the march although Lisbon is known for its taxi fleet of old Mercedes that can still be seen around the city.
The protests went down Libertade Avenue, the city’s main road, where the older cars are banned from driving Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Many of the demonstrators complained that the ban was too strict, saying it would have been better to enforce a ban based on even and odd days.
Since Jan. 15, most of the cars that are 15 years old or older (around 20 percent of the ones that drive through the center) cannot access the roads downtown, including those in the historical neighborhood of Baixa and Libertade Avenue.
Drivers who fail to follow the new law are fined 24 euros ($27).
Lisbon joins other European cities that have already carried out measures to decrease the amount of pollution, such as paying taxes to drive through the center (London), limiting the access to certain areas (Rome) or controlling the access according to the plate number (Paris).
source
Drivers of Old Cars Against Ban to Drive Through Lisbon
LISBON – Drivers of cars manufactured before the year 2000 marched through downtown Lisbon to protest against a law banning them from driving the older models during the week in a bid to cut down on pollution in the Portuguese capital.
The march, organized through social networks, gathered many older vehicles and even some classic cars that were driven around Lisbon with their horns blasting to protest against the measure.
Since the march took place on Sunday, they were allowed to drive through the city.
The ban comes after the European Commission took Portugal to court in 2012 due to the high levels of pollution in the country, and after receiving another warning from the EC last fall.
A great number of taxi drivers also joined the march although Lisbon is known for its taxi fleet of old Mercedes that can still be seen around the city.
The protests went down Libertade Avenue, the city’s main road, where the older cars are banned from driving Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Many of the demonstrators complained that the ban was too strict, saying it would have been better to enforce a ban based on even and odd days.
Since Jan. 15, most of the cars that are 15 years old or older (around 20 percent of the ones that drive through the center) cannot access the roads downtown, including those in the historical neighborhood of Baixa and Libertade Avenue.
Drivers who fail to follow the new law are fined 24 euros ($27).
Lisbon joins other European cities that have already carried out measures to decrease the amount of pollution, such as paying taxes to drive through the center (London), limiting the access to certain areas (Rome) or controlling the access according to the plate number (Paris).
source
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