Milan bans cars until Wednesday to curb pollution

The three day ban has been imposed to bring down the worrying pollution levels in the city.

A six-hour ban on cars this Monday and Tuesday was announced by Rome on Thursday, while Milan’s anti-pollution measure sees six-hour bans daily from Monday to Wednesday.

In both Rome and Milan vehicles carrying a disabled sticker or carrying people or animals undergoing medical treatment or essential medical examinations or discharged from hospitals and nursing homes will be able to use the roads, but only with a medical certificate.

Traffic restrictions were also in place in the southern city of Naples, where only vehicles operating to an emissions standard known as Euro 4 are allowed to circulate this week.

Critics have said the measures do not go far enough, with some calling for more incentives for people to use public transport, the shutting off of school heating systems during the winter holidays and asking people to turn down their heating.

The deserted street in front of Milan central station during a ban on vehicles.

Italy ranked among the most affected by air pollution in a recent report by the European Environment Agency; it had the most air pollution-related deaths in 2012 of all EU countries.

A figure of 102mg/m3 was registered in Milan, which breached the World Health Organization threshold for the 32nd day in a row and its 97th since the start of 2015. Milan’s Mayor Giuliano Pisapia said it was a necessary response to an emergency situation. Rome has introduced a ban on cars with odd and even number plates on alternate days.

Consumer group Codacons said the key to beating pollution was providing residents with alternatives to the vehicle.

Hybrids and other cars deemed environmentally friendly, are exempt from the new regulations in Rome.

Fortunately, relief from the pollution seems to be on the way, as cool winds forecast for the end of the week will cut the volume of airborne particles.