After the past episodes of high pollution in the city of Madrid, the local executive already talked about harden the conditions encompassed in the protocol of episodes of high pollution NO2. There was talk of a hardening, but also a better prevention to reduce the possibility of entering in an advanced stage as it happened months ago. Now the Madrid city Council has approved the new protocol and shall enter into force as of February of this year.
focuses, above all, to reduce the possibility of entering in phases that carry a high health risk, by reducing the limits by which you will enter at levels notice, warning, or alert. In addition, it is contemplated the possibility of prohibit entirely the traffic in the central core of Madrid, a possibility is quite remote that would reach the level of alert higher by pollution, something that until now has not happened.
is usually a protocol quite similar to the previous one, only with some harsh conditions. Now go into Scenario 1 when you take a day level of notice, before two. In the same way, the level of notice in the easier to accomplish this as it is considered that must exceed 180 micrograms/m3 of NO2 two stations of the same zone during two consecutive hours.
If this happens we would be in the Stage 1 restrictions, the same until now. In this case, will reduce the maximum speed on M30 and access from M40 to 70 km/h. Also they will announce the use of public transport. It will increase the frequency but, although there has been talk of an incentive in the form of free usage, nothing has been specified. We would be talking about, in any case, scenarios more serious.
Scenario 2 will take two consecutive days in level of warning or one warning. This means that two stations of the same zone will be required to record more than 200 micrograms/m3 of NO2 for two hours straight. In this case the result will be already known, add to the restrictions of the previous level 1 prohibition of parking in area to BE except for non-residents. The essential services, vehicles, zero emissions, and people with reduced mobility are excluded.
The next step is the Scenario 3, a level that we have not yet arrived although the past episodes of pollution. In this case we would arrive with two days notice consecutive. The restrictions will be much more aggressive, limiting directly the circulation. In the interior of the M30 only will be able to move the car with registration pair on even-numbered days and cars with tuition odd odd-numbered days. Excluded are motorcycles or mopeds.
Scenario 4 is the prior to the stage of maximum restriction. Happens when we’re about three days in a row in level of notice or a day in alert level. To do this it is necessary that three stations of the same zone to exceed 400 micrograms/m3 of NO2 during three consecutive hours. The restrictions are similar to the previous scenario, only that the limitation registration fees also extends to the actual M30. The free taxis will also be limited.
There is one last scenario considered in Scenario 4, which is complicated to achieve, but has been provided for when the health conditions are really dangerous for the citizens of Madrid, arriving to the extreme. Will not be treated as numbers, but persist the adverse conditions during the following days has been given the Stage 4. That is to say, we are still at warning levels or alert, there is no forecast improvement, or the above restrictions have not taken effect. What that would demonstrate, moreover, that the car is not the only contaminant, as they seem to make us want to see.
In this situation we would come to a restriction total traffic in the interior of the M30, it included. It will restrict the traffic to any vehicle to the central core and, as expected, will foster a free public transport to make up for the lack of mobility that would be. It is a complicated scenario to reach, and designed for extreme situations. Not expected to occur.