Montcada i Reixac, a municipality heavily crossed by high-capacity road and rail infrastructures, experiences high levels of air pollution despite generating little local traffic. To reduce air pollution and comply with national climate change legislation, the City Council is promoting the creation of a Low Emission Zone (LEZ). This measure aims to protect public health and foster a more sustainable mobility model, taking into account principles of social justice and territorial equity.
In collaboration with the consultancy firm Doymo, the challenge of designing an LEZ in a municipality crossed by roads outside the jurisdiction of Montcada was addressed. The scope of the project includes an environmental and territorial study, an air and noise pollution diagnosis — including SO₂, CO₂, NO₂, PM₁₀, PM₂.₅, CO, O₃, benzene — the proposal of an access control system through automatic license plate recognition (ALPR), a sociodemographic study, an analysis of the municipality’s mobility, an analysis of the potential social impact of implementing the LEZ, and a communication plan to inform citizens.
Given that 90% of the local population is exposed to pollution levels above the limits established by Catalan regulations, the LEZ is identified as a necessity for the well-being of residents.
A study of the biophysical environment was also carried out to establish climatic and topographic characteristics. A mobility analysis was conducted, assessing the different roads that cross the municipality and contribute to its pollution, the evolution of daily trips over the last 10 years, and the origin and typology of trips (on foot, private vehicle, public transport, etc.). Based on this analysis of mobility in Montcada i Reixac, the strengths and weaknesses of residents’ mobility were identified in order to foresee the impact of LEZ implementation. It was determined that 33% of registered vehicles lack an environmental label, while among circulating vehicles this figure is 9%. This indicates that the short-term impact of the LEZ will be limited, and that alternative mobility policies will therefore be necessary.
It was highlighted that, based on criteria such as income, population density, and the impact on the local economy, five different zones for the LEZ were defined. The best alternative to reduce pollution and improve public health under fair and equitable criteria was identified as covering the entire municipality, with a total of 37 control points equipped with automatic license plate recognition cameras (ALPR).
The project was drafted in accordance with national and regional regulations that establish the minimum requirements for the implementation of LEZs. In addition, the project includes a benchmarking study of LEZs implemented in other parts of the world, which served to define the most suitable model for the municipality of Montcada i Reixac. A communication plan was also developed to inform residents about the new LEZ and raise awareness of its importance.
The LEZ project is a major social impact initiative that gives cities back to the people, significantly improving their quality of life. Once again, engineering not only provides technical solutions but also practical and valuable contributions to society as a whole.
