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Scope, current regulations, and operation of the LEZ

Content index:

What is the LEZ?

A Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is a geographically defined area aimed at reducing air and noise pollution, thereby improving citizens’ quality of life. It promotes the use of public transport, walking, and micromobility through bicycles and personal mobility vehicles (PMVs). It also seeks to optimize the management of Urban Goods Distribution.

Why a Low Emission Zone in Oviedo?

Law 7/2021, of May 20, on Climate Change and Energy Transition, establishes in Article 14 that all Spanish municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants must adopt Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (PMUS) that include measures to reduce transport emissions, including the creation of Low Emission Zones (LEZ).

This action is a mitigation measure that will reduce emissions from mobility.

Oviedo is working on implementing its Low Emission Zone through the “Aid program for municipalities for the implementation of low emission zones and the digital and sustainable transformation of urban transport”, within the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan – Next Generation EU (Government of Spain, 2020).

How does Oviedo’s LEZ work?

Oviedo’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) organizes the city center into two rings with different levels of traffic restriction. Access and circulation in each ring depend on the DGT environmental label of each vehicle.

The most polluting cars will have progressive limitations to enter the most sensitive areas. The goal is to improve air quality and urban mobility, benefiting all citizens.

The LEZ regulation is designed with a progressive and adaptive approach, allowing the population enough time to adjust to the new access conditions. This gradual implementation minimizes the impact on Oviedo residents’ mobility, economic activity, and local commerce, facilitating an orderly transition to a more sustainable mobility model.

The start of each phase of the project will be announced in advance through this website and all our communication channels.

Which areas of the city are affected?

Oviedo’s Low Emission Zone covers the city center, including the historic quarter and the entire central area within the ring road.

Territorially, regulation is carried out by dividing two distinct areas:

It is important to note that the streets listed above, which delimit each contour, will not be included within the regulation of the corresponding ring, while the inner streets will be.

What regulations apply to each ring?

Initially, regulation will affect vehicles without an environmental label (or with category A), which will have limited access to the inner ring from 2026, and to the outer ring from 2028. However, vehicles without a label may still access if they park in a public parking lot or are included among the exempt groups (such as residents, merchants, people with reduced mobility, and others provided for in the Ordinance).

When will it come into effect?

The implementation of the LEZ is integrated and consistent with municipal strategic urban planning instruments and air quality and noise action regulations, as well as measures adopted by the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (PMUS).

The LEZ will be permanent and will be implemented through a phased calendar to allow citizens and economic sectors to gradually adapt to its characteristics.

Specifically, the first key date will be January 1, 2026, when the restriction for driving with the corresponding label will affect the inner ring, which includes the historic quarter and the main commercial area. From January 1, 2028, this regulation will extend to the entire center, within the ring formed by the Inner Ring.

An informative period will begin so that citizens can learn about and adapt to the new LEZ access rules. Only after this informative process will the new LEZ usage regulations officially come into force.

The start of each of these phases will be announced in advance through this website and all our communication channels.

What are environmental labels?

The environmental labels from the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) classify vehicles according to their energy efficiency, helping to assess their environmental impact.

Currently, there are 4 different labels: 0, ECO, C, and B.

Vehicles not included in any of these classifications are not entitled to any type of label.

B environmental label C environmental label ECO environmental label 0 emissions environmental label

How do I know which environmental label my vehicle has?

Oviedo City Council offers a license plate search tool. By simply entering your vehicle’s license plate, you can immediately find out which DGT environmental label applies (0, ECO, C, B, or none).

This label determines the access and circulation conditions within the Low Emission Zone (LEZ).

Is it necessary to place the label on the vehicle?

No. It is not necessary to display the environmental sticker on the windshield.

LEZ access control will be carried out automatically through the license plate, which is linked to the DGT environmental label in the database.

I don’t have a label. Can I access?

For vehicles with restricted access, there are certain cases in which these vehicles may still enter the LEZ, such as those parking in a public parking lot, or those included among the exempt groups (such as residents, merchants, people with reduced mobility, vehicles transporting dependent persons, and other cases provided for in the Ordinance), provided they are registered in the municipal authorized vehicles platform for the LEZ.

Authorizations granted to vehicles registered on the mentioned platform will be time-limited, and may be continuous or discontinuous, referring to months, days, and hours.

The City Council will publish through various channels the procedures for requesting authorizations to access the LEZ in extraordinary cases. Likewise, all cases with exemptions for accessing the LEZ for vehicles without an environmental label will also be published.

How is LEZ access controlled?

Access will be regulated by an automatic system connected to a municipal technology platform, which will check whether each vehicle can enter the LEZ.

Control will be carried out with cameras and image capture systems, always complying with road safety and data protection regulations.

All technological management will be carried out in accordance with the Data Protection Law to guarantee citizens’ rights.

Where and how to park in the LEZ?

Within the LEZ, there will be regulated and reserved parking areas according to use (residents, loading and unloading, services, etc.). These areas will be clearly marked and may be permanent or operate only at certain times or days.

Usage control will be carried out using electronic or technological systems, which allow monitoring how long each vehicle occupies the space and ensure compliance with maximum times. Only vehicles authorized under municipal regulations may park in each area.

There will be exceptions and special permits for residents, workers, essential services, or economic activities.