Starting July 1st, Madrid will introduce smart parking meters that charge more for high-emission vehicles, and less for low-emission vehicles.
For instance, drivers of older, non-clean diesel vehicles will have to pay 20% more to park, while hybrid owners will save 20%. Parking will be free for electric vehicles.
“We thought it would be fair if the cars that pollute more pay more, and compensate those who use more efficient vehicles,” Elisa Barahona, head of Madrid's sustainability division, told The Guardian.
This is also an attempt to reduce traffic in typically congested areas of Madrid. The smart parking meters will calculate how many cars are within a particular vicinity and if it's less than 15% empty, drivers will be charged 20% more to park.
City officials claim most drivers won’t be affected by the new prices.
A similar system already exists in Los Angeles, among other places.
Source : news.vice.com
For instance, drivers of older, non-clean diesel vehicles will have to pay 20% more to park, while hybrid owners will save 20%. Parking will be free for electric vehicles.
“We thought it would be fair if the cars that pollute more pay more, and compensate those who use more efficient vehicles,” Elisa Barahona, head of Madrid's sustainability division, told The Guardian.
This is also an attempt to reduce traffic in typically congested areas of Madrid. The smart parking meters will calculate how many cars are within a particular vicinity and if it's less than 15% empty, drivers will be charged 20% more to park.
City officials claim most drivers won’t be affected by the new prices.
A similar system already exists in Los Angeles, among other places.
Source : news.vice.com