After companies operating in Stockholm appealed the planned petrol car ban, the County Administrative Board (CAB) for the county of Stockholm has decided to block its implementation, which had been scheduled for December 31.
The CAB decided against the move on November 29.
“The County Administrative Board of Stockholm County decides that the appealed decision shall not apply until further notice,” it said in a statement.
It opposed the prohibition mainly over concerns about how it may affect the economy and transportation system. It called for a balanced strategy that took into account both environmental objectives and the pragmatic requirements of residents and local businesses.
The CAB argued that before imposing stringent car restrictions, sufficient infrastructure and support mechanisms should be established to facilitate a more gradual shift towards cleaner alternatives to petrol-powered vehicles.
Lars Strömgren, member of the Swedish Green Party and Vice Mayor for Transport and Urban Environment in Stockholm under a coalition of Socialists and Greens, expressed disappointment at the decision.
“Parties from Left to Right in Stockholm have agreed to phase out petrol and diesel cars in the inner city. I can only regret that this transition is being delayed.
“Now we need to analyse how we can best proceed so that the low emission zone is in place as quickly as possible,” Strömgren said in a press release.
“The point of low emission zones is to make Sweden’s cities healthier. We have pointed out an area where thousands of Stockholmers are exposed to harmful exhaust fumes on a daily basis. Of course, it must be legal to introduce a low emission zone there,” he added.
He added that exhaust fumes in Stockholm city made the air harmful to inhale “not least for pregnant women, children and the elderly”.
“We cannot accept that,” Strömgren said.
The ban was initially approved in October 2023, focusing on a 20-block area centring on the Swedish capital’s financial and main shopping areas.
If the planned ban had gone through, only electric cars, plug-in hybrid lorries and low-emission gas-powered vehicles would have been allowed to drive in the city, with a few exceptions for emergency vehicles and disabled permit holders.
Stockholm’s plans also envisioned removing 130 parking spaces to create space for walking and cycling infrastructure.
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