pollution, and traffic restrictions in Madrid, you are becoming a real headache for those who live, and work, in the Spanish capital. In the last few weeks we have seen how Madrid had to face, for the first time in its history, major traffic restrictions to solve a pollution problem, derived from high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide in the air of the city. We have had to face the reduction of speed limits in the M30 to 70 km/h, the prohibition on parking in the central core for non-residents, and it is a matter of time that they advocate for even more drastic measures, such as the restriction to odd-even license plate. How do I know if tomorrow there will be new traffic restrictions in Madrid?
Know if there will be traffic restrictions in advance, it is essential for those that the next day you have to navigate by car to the capital.
The big problem that we’ve found the drivers during these days, and the major criticism has been generated in the administration of the City of Madrid, and the mayor Manuela Carmena, has been precisely in the communication of the restrictions. The initial surprise in the face of these measures are emphasized, to a large extent, by the fact that many drivers some restrictions to them pillase by surprise. Get up to go to work and find that you will not be able to park in the centre is, definitely, a big problem. And the concern of going to bed without knowing if the next day you’ll be able to use your car, or you’ll have to resort to alternative means, it is also.
How can we be better informed?
why not advised of the restrictions until the night?
Due to the action protocol for high pollution, the City of Madrid can not set traffic restrictions before the pollution rises above a certain level, which is often, and can occur at night, or even early in the morning.
The big problem, from which many citizens have been complaining about these days, is that the warnings about traffic restrictions are offered very late, almost at night, and guile (forgive the expression). The problem is that the protocols of action of the day following have to be defined at the time that the air quality is of concern in two seasons, during two hours in a row. Often, these situations occur during the night, or even early, since there is an effect of accumulation of pollutants derived from traffic (and other sources of pollution, such as industry, and boilers) throughout the day. What is common is that these levels of pollution rise over the last few hours of the day.
At the time it is detected that the levels of contamination are sufficiently high as to activate a new protocol performance for high pollution, the City of Madrid has to announce these measures, which put in place the next day, from 6 in the morning.
The current protocol does not allow to take preventive measures, on the basis of estimates, the establishment of a more strict protocol before even that the levels of contamination are sufficiently high as to make the measurement. Although the city Council has given to understand during these days that might be one of the measures taken later, by reforming the current protocol.
How do I know if there will be traffic restrictions tomorrow in Madrid?
At the time in which it is active a protocol of action for high pollution, the city Council informs the media. In any case, the most direct way remain social networking, and especially the Twitter feed @MADRID. The measures are also advertised at the bus stops, and the neon signs of the roads of the capital. But if it is necessary to have a plan B to move around in Madrid the next day, obviously it is important that you know the traffic restrictions that will be practiced before you leave the house with our car.
The City of Madrid also offers a service that will notify citizens about the traffic restrictions that will take place in the capital. This is the alert service SMS of the System of Surveillance of the Quality of the Air (in which you can sign up from the website of the Municipality). This service will inform, by sending a SMS free alerts by pollution in Madrid, as well as the traffic restrictions that are carried out. Probably the most direct method and effective way to inform us of these measures.
The registration in these moments, it can give some errors, and the processing of the high can take up to 24 hours, since, according to the city Hall, these days is very saturated by the amount of requests you are receiving.
Source: Ayuntamiento de Madrid
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