The Plenary of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council has approved the ordinance regulating the Low Emission Zone, which includes exceptions for mechanical workshops, tow trucks, and resident vehicles. The measure will affect cars without an environmental label.
The Plenary of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council gave the green light last Friday to the ordinance that creates and regulates the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) of the city. The regulation was passed with votes in favour from the governing group, made up of Coalición Canaria and Partido Popular, and the non-attached councillor Juan Manuel Hermoso. Vox voted against and the PSOE abstained.
The LEZ, which is part of a programme funded by European Next Generation funds worth 12 million euros, also includes the acquisition of eleven electric buses, the installation of charging points, and the renovation of Imeldo Serís and La Rosa streets, as well as the personal mobility network.
One of the most notable aspects of the ordinance is the exceptions to restricted access. Customers of mechanical workshops will be allowed to enter the LEZ with vehicles without an environmental label as long as they are heading for repairs or maintenance. Access is also permitted for tow trucks, workshop cars, and roadside assistance vehicles.
The exemptions extend to vehicles of companies and self-employed individuals whose activities take place in a premises or market within the LEZ, as well as to commercial vehicles intended for urban goods distribution, including spare parts. To benefit from these exceptions, interested parties must register in the Municipal Vehicle Registry or obtain a free authorization.
Residents of the LEZ will also be able to access with their vehicles, provided they are registered in the Municipal Tax Registry for Mechanical Traction Vehicles of the City Council. This provision also applies to vehicles under ownership, usufruct, renting, leasing, remuneration in kind, or substitution, declared by individuals residing in the area.
The ordinance pays special attention to vulnerable groups. Access will be allowed for vehicles whose owners cannot renew their car due to economic incapacity, with incomes not exceeding twice the IPREM, as well as for vehicles of caregivers accessing to assist the elderly or dependents registered in the LEZ. Vehicles intended for the transport of persons with reduced mobility, regular public transport, taxis, essential public services, emergencies, health, private security, cleaning, and supplies are also exempt.
Historic vehicles, according to Royal Decree 895/2024, will also have authorized access. Additionally, large families residing in the LEZ will be able to access with a maximum of two cars per family unit, although they cannot use them simultaneously.
The perimeter of the LEZ is located within the area bounded by Barranco de Santos, Méndez Núñez, San Isidro streets, and Anaga avenue, with the external area of these roads exempt. The restrictions will apply from Monday to Saturday, from 7:00 to 20:00 hours, and will affect petrol vehicles registered before January 1, 2001, and diesel vehicles registered before January 1, 2006.
Regarding the process of objections, the final document incorporates 15 of the 30 objections presented by social, community, economic entities, and citizens. According to municipal sources, the contributions represent changes of a clarifying, technical, guaranteeing, or regulatory improvement nature, aimed at specifying justified specific cases subject to administrative control.
For the residents of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the entry into force of the LEZ will mean a change in their mobility habits. Those with vehicles without an environmental label will need to seek alternatives if they need to access the centre during restricted hours, unless they meet one of the exceptions. The City Council recommends consulting the municipal registry to know the requirements for registration and authorization.
You may also like
