The low-emission zones (LEZ) in Flanders appear to be on the way out.
Where Antwerp and Ghent were once pioneers in reducing polluting vehicles, the rules are now being relaxed, and in Ghent they are even considering abolishing the LEZ altogether. This evolution raises questions about the future of air quality and the sustainability of this policy.
The administrative agreement of the Ghent cartel Voor Gent en Groen explicitly states that the added value of the current LEZ will be evaluated. If it turns out that the impact is not significant enough, the LEZ will be abolished. This possible step back is partly prompted by the Flemish government agreement, in which it was decided not to tighten the existing rules any further. This means that diesel vehicles with Euro standard 5 or higher, as well as petrol vehicles with Euro standard 2, may continue to drive without restriction. This is striking, because according to experts, these categories of vehicles still emit substantial quantities of nitrogen oxides, which are harmful to public health.
The introduction of the LEZ in Antwerp in 2017 and in Ghent in 2020 led to a noticeable improvement in air quality. Reports from the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) confirm that the concentrations of particulate matter and soot decreased significantly. This policy not only had a local effect, but also caused changes in surrounding areas, because people adjusted their driving behaviour.
low hanging fruit
However, the political support seems to be decreasing. Joris Vandenbroucke (Vooruit), future alderman for Mobility in Ghent, states that the low-hanging fruit has already been picked. “The most polluting cars have been replaced. But the LEZ puts the greatest pressure on low-income groups, who cannot buy expensive electric cars. That is unfair. Traffic plans are fairer, because they hit everyone equally.” This view is in line with criticism that the policy is socially unbalanced.
Not everyone is convinced that the LEZ has lost its usefulness. Stijn Vranckx, air quality expert at research centre VITO, emphasises that major improvements are still possible, especially with regard to nitrogen oxide emissions. “European requirements will become considerably stricter from 2030. The LEZ is an important lever to make the vehicle fleet greener more quickly. Without this policy, that transition will slow down.”
“The LEZ would have been better off holding out until the cheating diesels had completely disappeared.”
Antwerp, where the LEZ was introduced seven years ago under mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA), currently complies with the European limit values for particulate matter and nitrogen. But if the stricter standards of 2030 were to apply today, they would be exceeded at more than half of the measuring locations in Antwerp. “The biggest gains have been made, but that does not mean the story is over,” De Wever stated earlier, although he now sees the LEZ as a closed chapter.
The situation is similar in Brussels. The French-speaking parties MR, Les Engagés and PS recently postponed the tightening of the LEZ until 2027. This means that the so-called cheating diesels, which came to light during Dieselgate, will be allowed to continue driving for the time being. Nevertheless, Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) points out that the air quality in Brussels has improved by 40 percent since the introduction of the LEZ. Socially vulnerable groups and children in particular benefit from this. “The air quality is still two to three times worse than the standards of the World Health Organization. Every year, more than 900 Brussels residents die prematurely due to air pollution,” Van den Brandt said in the Nieuwsblad.
Wat nu?
The electrification of the vehicle fleet continues and is expected to remove many polluting vehicles from the road. However, experts are critical of the abandonment of a policy that has delivered demonstrable benefits. A new report from the VMM emphasises that further reduction of nitrogen oxide concentrations can yield significant health benefits, especially for vulnerable groups. “It is a pity that the next phase has been stopped,” says Frans Fierens of the Interregional Cell for the Environment. “The LEZ would have been better off holding out until the cheating diesels had also completely disappeared.”
Although the Flemish government agreement states that Flanders is “on track” to achieve the European air quality objectives, the political and social support for the LEZ seems to be increasingly eroding. The question remains whether scrapping this policy is a step forward or backward for public health and Flanders’ environmental ambitions.
