The future Low Emissions Zone Santa Cruz de Tenerife is taking shape after the initial approval of its municipal ordinance in the City Council plenary session. This is a key step in a process that is behind schedule compared to the state deadlines, but which is now entering the decisive phase of appeals and technical adjustments.
This new regulation will affect traffic in the heart of Tenerife's capitalThe measure will restrict the circulation of older vehicles and is in line with the requirements of the Climate Change Law and European funding. The city council insists that it has sought a flexible model, with many exceptions and a long timeframe, to allow for flexibility for residents and local businesses.
Processing of the ordinance and administrative deadlines
The full city council has given the green light, in a first vote, to Draft of the ordinance that creates and regulates the Low Emission Zone (LEZ)This agreement now opens a thirty-day public comment period, during which any person or entity may submit allegations and proposed modifications.
Once that deadline has passed, the City Council will have to analyze and respond to the contributions received before returning the text to the plenary session for final approval. Until this second step is completed, the ordinance will not actually come into effect, although work is already underway on the technical aspects necessary for its gradual implementation.
The mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, has stressed that the city is subject to a legal obligation to implement a ZBE because they exceed 50.000 inhabitants, in accordance with state regulations on climate change and energy transition. The city council acknowledges that, regardless of whether the local government shares the philosophy of these areas, this is a mandatory requirement.
Furthermore, the City Council has an additional condition on the table: if the ordinance is not approved before June 30, Santa Cruz could be forced to return around 11 million euros These funds have already been invested in the city using European funds linked to sustainable mobility. This "sword of Damocles," in the mayor's own words, explains the urgency in finalizing the procedure.
For her part, the Councillor for Mobility, Evelyn Alonso, has defended the transparency of the process and the existence of a prior technical projectThe plan, already approved by the Governing Board in June 2024 and published on the municipal website, has been criticized by the opposition for the lack of time to thoroughly review all the documentation and, in their view, the absence of some key reports in the file.
A project funded with European funds and focused on sustainable mobility
The Low Emission Zone ordinance is not conceived as an isolated measure, but as part of a comprehensive program funded with Next Generation funds from the European Union. In total, some 12 million euros are being mobilized to transform mobility in the capital of Tenerife.
The actions associated with this package include the acquisition of eleven electric buses, the installation of new charging points for electric vehicles, the remodeling of streets such as Imeldo Serís and La Rosa, as well as the reinforcement of the personal mobility network (which includes, among others, personal mobility vehicles and the use of bicycles).
The City Council frames this strategy within the transition towards a more sustainable model which, at least on paper, aims to reconcile emissions reduction with maintaining economic activity and daily life in the city center. In the political debate, however, the governing team has reiterated its disagreement with the state-imposed requirement that all cities of a certain size have a Low Emission Zone (LEZ), arguing that each municipality should be able to adapt its traffic policies to its own circumstances.
The opposition has also questioned the specific choice of geographical area where the LEZ will be implemented, raising the question of whether there are other areas of the city that are equally or more problematic in terms of air quality or noise, especially in areas close to the highway.
Where will the Santa Cruz Low Emission Zone be located?
The future Low Emission Zone will be located in the heart of the capital, in the inner perimeter delimited by the Barranco de Santos and the Méndez Núñez, San Isidro and Anaga avenuesEverything within that perimeter will be subject to the new access rules, while the area outside those streets will be excluded from the restrictions of the ordinance.
In practice, this means that the measure will focus on the busiest commercial and administrative area of Santa Cruz, an area through which a large part of the daily traffic circulates, both from residents and non-residents, and where offices, shops, services and public parking are concentrated.
According to data provided by the Mobility department, approximately thirteen out of every one hundred vehicles that travel through this area today Their access will be limited by the new regulations. The councilwoman clarified that, without the numerous exemptions included in the rule, the potential impact could have affected around 30% of the vehicles circulating within the Low Emission Zone.
Other political groups cite different figures, suggesting that a higher percentage of residents and non-residents could be affected by the chosen criteria. In any case, the ordinance clearly focuses on older and more polluting cars and vans, in line with general guidelines for these types of zones in Spain and the European Union.
The creation of the Low Emission Zone places Santa Cruz in the Map of European cities that regulate their traffic for environmental reasonsThis trend has spread strongly in recent years in large capital cities and medium-sized municipalities, driven by both EU legislation and national air quality policies.
Schedules and vehicle types affected by the restrictions
The ordinance states that the Access restrictions to the Low Emission Zone will be in place from Monday to Saturday, between 7:00 a.m. and 20:00 p.m.Outside of that time frame, and on Sundays and public holidays, the restrictions will not be in effect, so access will be free for all vehicles that the rule would normally affect.
The limitations are specifically directed at the petrol vehicles registered before January 1, 2001 and diesel vehicles registered before January 1, 2006These are the passenger cars and light vehicles that, in general terms, are considered the most polluting according to the environmental criteria applied in Spain.
In contrast, cars and motorcycles with DGT environmental badge 0, ECO, C and B They will be able to enter the Low Emission Zone without any additional formalities, within the restricted hours. Mopeds, bicycles, other cycles, and personal mobility vehicles will also not be affected by the ban and will continue to circulate normally.
The design of the Santa Cruz Low Emission Zone (LEZ) thus seeks to focus regulatory pressure on the progressive renovation of the oldest parkWhile most vehicles with a valid environmental label will be able to maintain their access, at least in this first configuration of the ordinance.
In political debates, it has been suggested that the profile of affected vehicles includes a significant number of veteran vans and trucks that operate daily in the centerThis introduces an important economic dimension to the impact of the measure, especially for small businesses and self-employed individuals who depend on urban delivery and logistics.
Exemptions through the Municipal Vehicle Registry
One of the pillars of the new ordinance will be the creation of a Municipal Vehicle Registry of the ZBEThrough this list, certain cars and vans that, due to their age, would be subject to restrictions may obtain a permanent exemption, provided they meet certain criteria.
Those eligible for this formula are vehicles of residents registered in the ZBE areaThis also includes vehicles registered for municipal vehicle tax within the designated area. Vehicles registered to individuals residing in the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) under ownership, usufruct, rental, leasing, in-kind compensation, or replacement arrangements are also included.
The registration will also apply to the Vehicles intended for the transport of people with a parking permit for reduced mobilityThis includes vehicles providing regular public transport and taxis. Similarly, vehicles providing essential public services, emergency services, healthcare, private security when providing public services, cleaning, basic supplies, tow trucks, and roadside assistance will also be covered.
This category will also include the vehicles linked to acts on public roads or spacesoccupancies or space reservations duly authorized by the City Council. In addition, specific exemptions are contemplated for historic vehicles recognized in accordance with current state regulations, which may circulate within the Low Emission Zone without being subject to the general restrictions.
Registration in the Municipal Register will have free characterTherefore, no additional fee is introduced for this procedure, at least according to the current draft of the ordinance. The aim is to ensure that access to exemptions does not represent an extra financial barrier for residents and essential services.
Special authorizations for vulnerable groups and economic activities
In addition to permanent registration, the regulation provides for a system of specific access authorizations intended to address individual and collective cases that could be left in a difficult situation with the automatic application of restrictions.
Among these authorizations, those designed for people with financial difficulties who cannot renew their vehicleprovided their income does not exceed twice the IPREM. Access is also permitted for caregivers who need to enter the Low Emission Zone to care for elderly or dependent persons registered in the area.
Large families residing within the ZBE will be able to Register up to two vehicles per family unitHowever, the authorization cannot be used simultaneously by both households. This aims to facilitate the mobility of these households without duplicating the impact on restricted traffic.
Another authorization pathway opens up for the Owners or tenants of private parking spaces within the ZBEUsers will be able to link up to three vehicles to each parking space, provided they do not use the exemption simultaneously. The same will apply to paid users of public parking facilities located within the perimeter of the regulated zone.
Economic activities located within the Low Emission Zone will also receive specific treatment. Thus, authorized access will be granted to... Vehicles of companies and self-employed individuals who carry out their activity in premises or markets located within the areaas well as those intended for the urban distribution of goods, a key sector for supplying the center.
Public services, education and healthcare within the LEZ
The text of the ordinance devotes special attention to the public services and travel related to education and healthThe aim is to ensure that access regulations do not hinder basic citizen needs.
In the educational field, the following may obtain authorizations: Vehicles accessing to drop off or pick up students from preschool, primary and secondary education in centers located within the LEZ. Discretionary transport services and special-use regular transport services that serve lines crossing this perimeter will also be covered.
Regarding healthcare, the regulation contemplates the possibility of authorizing access to vehicles attending medical appointments and treatmentsas well as to veterinary centers located in the area. Specific permits may be required for these types of trips when mobility needs so require.
Furthermore, the ordinance includes exemptions for the vehicles that deliver medicines to health centers or pharmacies within the Low Emission Zone (LEZ), as well as for those accessing 24-hour or on-call pharmacies outside of regular business hours. Also included are funeral services, chauffeur-driven rental vehicles, and repair shop vehicles operating from premises located within the regulated zone.
The list of exceptions is completed with the Vehicles with foreign or diplomatic registration and those belonging to driving schools based within the LEZ, which will be able to operate in the area without being caught by the general restrictions, always within the framework of authorizations provided.
Implementation schedule and timeframe for sanctions
Although the initial approval of the ordinance represents a significant step forward, the Santa Cruz Low Emission Zone (LEZ) will not be activated immediately. The City Council has designed a phased implementation schedule which extends the full application of the rule until 2029.
Initially, after final approval, a extended period for registration in the Municipal Vehicle Registry and the processing of special permits. It is estimated that it will take up to 18 months to adapt the census of affected vehicles and clarify all individual cases.
Subsequently, an additional, transitional margin is foreseen before begin the sanctions regimeAccording to municipal forecasts, fines for violating the restrictions would not be effectively applied until 2029, leaving several years for citizens and companies to adjust their habits and their vehicle fleet.
The Mobility department insists that this timeframe aims to avoid a sudden impact on daily activity in the city center, both economically and socially. The implicit message, however, is that those who drive very old vehicles have a few years to consider changing their vehicle or take advantage of the various exemption options available.
The City Council acknowledges that the process has suffered delays compared to the initial planningwhich aimed for a launch towards the end of 2023 or during 2024. Today, the project is still in the administrative phase, although it is already focused on meeting the legal and financial requirements set by both state legislation and commitments to the European Union.
The regulation of the Low Emission Zone in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is therefore shaping up to be a significant change in traffic management and air quality in the city centerHowever, it is structured around a broad system of exemptions, subsidies, and extended timeframes. Between European and national regulatory pressures and the city's specific characteristics, the chosen model attempts to balance emissions reduction with the economic and social life of the capital, allowing several years of transition for residents, businesses, and public services to adapt to the new mobility reality.
