First, some facts. On July 1, 2024, the so-called Clean Transport Zone. What is it about? Cars of a certain age will not be allowed to drive in a designated part of the capital, mainly Śródmieście and the districts closest to the center. First, these will be gasoline engines that are over 27 years old and diesel engines that are 16 years old, but then, every two years, the restrictions will increase, and finally in 2032 they will reach one of the most restrictive clean transport zones in Europe. At the end of this process, cars manufactured earlier than 2021 (diesel) and 2015 (petrol) will not be allowed to drive in the center and surrounding areas. You can see how it looks in detail in the table below.
Of course, there are some exceptions to these regulations. These are historic vehicles, motorcycles, scooters, quads, special vehicles (in addition to ambulances, fire brigades, police and other services, also campers and food trucks), vehicles of disabled people and, for the first four years, vehicles of people paying taxes in Warsaw. And if you are 70 years old by the end of 2023 and live in the zone, you can drive the car you had before the beginning of 2024. This is a nod to seniors. There is also a nod towards event organizers – if you register an event organized by an official entity (club, association, foundation) in advance and this event is included in the official calendars, previously known and published, the guests of such an event will be excluded from SCT. This provision was prepared by the Youngtimer Warsaw Foundation during public consultations.
Please go away, there's nothing interesting here
On the one hand, the city hall has studies in which the vast majority of Warsaw residents are in favor of introducing such a zone, on the other hand, from the very beginning, SCT caused considerable controversy and protests from Warsaw residents. Of course, those who are more aware of what is happening in the city. Because, as we well know, many people do not have time to follow reports from city council meetings.
Are you in favor of introducing a Clean Transport Zone, which will significantly improve the air quality in the city center? This is more or less the answer to most questions in surveys conducted by organizations wanting to reduce traffic in cities or promoting locally zero-emission vehicles. Then the vast majority of people answer yes and, considering the question posed in this way, there is nothing strange about it. Especially since research shows that approximately 50 percent people in Warsaw do not have a car at all or use public transport to get around the city or walk. It couldn't have happened otherwise.
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What if the question was asked this way: Are you in favor of introducing a Clean Transport Zone, according to which in a few years you will not be allowed to enter the city center and neighboring districts with vehicles produced in 2021 (for diesels) and 2015 (for petrol engines). Then the support would certainly be lower, because it would turn out that SCT directly affects many residents. Some say 77%, but this is also not entirely true, because we do not know what it will look like in 2032 and this number will certainly be smaller, but still significant.
Another proof that SCT is not very popular among the public is the behavior of the magistrate. In all media reports and advertisements posted around the city, officials assure that "Warsaw will breathe a sigh of relief" and this will be a significant change for our health and well-being. On the other hand, when asked about the less wealthy inhabitants of Warsaw who simply cannot afford newer cars and need a car for work, taking their children to school, going to the doctor and for many other reasons, the city explains that this problem affects only 3 percent drivers, and taking into account numerous exclusions it will probably be 1.5%, so the problem actually does not exist.
At this point it is clear that the city is afraid of angry drivers who will find out every two years that their vehicles will not enter the zone. For now, this issue actually affects only a few people, but it will gradually change. After all, if it was about 3%. cars, so where is the improvement in air quality in all this? To be effective, the restriction must apply to several dozen percent of the capital's inhabitants who do not know about it yet. And why don't they know?
"A 20-year-old car? It must be junk" Nope!
When you think about a 20-year-old Ford, what car do you have in mind? I have an Escort, one that was once assembled in Płońsk. Unfortunately, the 20-year-old Ford is a 2nd generation Focus, with a common rail diesel engine, meeting Euro 4 standards, which is a relatively modern vehicle, used by your uncle, brother and neighbor. These are still very popular vehicles that can still be used for comfortable everyday driving. This is the problem – when people ask about the Clean Transport Zone, they think of Daewoo Tico, Stara from Janusz Rewiński's music video, Fiat 125p and Lublin. Most people don't realize that the regulation will soon also affect his 2020 Volvo XC90, which he just bought for a lot of money on the secondary market.
And the officials' narrative goes in this direction: "calm down, the problem doesn't concern you today, it's just a margin, but the air will improve." Oh no. In order for something to improve, traffic needs to be reduced to a very large extent and no one is saying this officially, and all restrictions directly affect the least affluent people, for whom replacing a car from 2004 with one from 2022 is a "mission impossible".
It can be said that a car is not necessary in a city, especially one like Warsaw, where public transport is at a high level. That's true. But tell that to the mothers and fathers who drive their children to school and special activities, or to people who have sick seniors in the family or who have a barely viable business that only allows them to survive until the first o'clock. Expense 60 – 100 thousand. PLN for a new vehicle is, for many of them, an expense that is too high and even stupid from the point of view of sensible use of money.
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Next, it is clear that the city authorities have some research that clearly shows that full information about the zone is very dangerous. Evidence? The information campaign about SCT was launched on June 8, the day after the European Parliament elections. Previously, SCT was quiet and people made sure that no one talked about it too much. At the moment, officials have their hands full because their e-mail boxes are filled with applications for exemption from the entry ban in SCT. People call, ask questions, come to the office. There is complete disinformation because there was no time to properly inform people about the ban planned for July 1, 2024.
Information problem
Added to this is the image of chaos in offices. Officials on the phones do not know which vehicles may be excluded from the zone and which are completely prohibited. The clerks at the counter say one thing, the posters say one thing, and the announcements on the Internet say another thing. On the hotline one day, someone on the phone says that a historic vehicle on the so-called yellow plates must have a green sticker on the windshield, which authorizes entry. On the second day, someone else says that he doesn't have to, because it's visible to the naked eye. The chaos is visible – when we send an application for exemption from the ban online, it is usually checked for two or three weeks, even though the matter seems quite simple. Perhaps the delay is due to the number of applications and the small number of employees delegated to the case.
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– I went to the office to get an exemption from the ban on moving around the zone. I saw an elderly man arguing that he had to go to the center to see a doctor by car, and his health did not allow him to travel by crowded public transport with many transfers. As he was leaving, he shouted that he wouldn't leave it like that. Apparently there are more such cases here – said Piotr, a lover of vintage vehicles.
The above-mentioned Piotr also has a problem, because he was told that if his car is not re-registered in his name, and he only has a purchase and sale agreement, he will not be excluded from SCT as a resident paying taxes in Warsaw. There should be no problem with this, because until the end of 2023 it was legally possible not to register the car "in your name", only by sending a notification about the purchase of the vehicle to the appropriate office. This has been completed and in CEPiK Piotr is listed as the owner. So there will be another complaint and harassment of officials. Or maybe the next day the matter will be dealt with, because there will be someone else behind the desk who will understand the regulations? This is also possible.
Will there be fines at all?
It's going to be an interesting time in Warsaw, but will there be more fines? Probably not, because only the city guard can check vehicles in SCT, which will do it using foot patrols and in police cars, as well as this one patrol, which will have a single camera at its disposal, which can be placed wherever the guards wish. So the system will be as leaky as a colander.
By the way, and finally, it is worth mentioning that the fine for entering the zone with an unauthorized vehicle is PLN 500, but before we get such a fine, we have 4 chances, just like in a computer game, because that is how many times you can enter the SCT with impunity (a gateway for emergency cases). Only after the fifth time will the relevant authorities send us a fine, if they notice us in the zone at all.
