Oslo’s new left-center city government was going ahead this week with placing restrictions on the use of vehicles fueled by diesel. No diesel driving will be allowed on days with high rates of air pollution, and city-run parking garages may also be closed.
Oslo is thus following Bergen in placing new limits on driving to ease air pollution. City-owned and maintained roads will be closed to diesel cars under a new measure due to be approved by the city council on Thursday.
“Air pollution damages health and the need for fresh air,” declared Lan Marie Nguyen Berg of the Greens party, which is part of the new city government. “I think it’s terrible to hear parents say that they have to keep children with respiratory problems indoors and home from school. We shouldn’t have that in our city.”
Berg told NRK that the police and the state highway department, Statens Vegvesen, will be responsible for enforcing the ban on diesel vehicles, which can take effect this winter. She said the city will also shut down 1,174 city-operated parking places on days with “acute” levels of pollution.
newsinenglish.no staff
