Congestion charge for a clean city
Milan, Italy
Mayor: Giuliano Pisapia
Drivers entering the ‘Cerchia dei Bastioni’ (city centre also referred to as ‘Area C’) of Milan
with certain categories of vehicles will from mid-January 2012 onwards be required to pay a
fee. The revenue collected will finance the city’s sustainable transport facilities.
The congestion charge is part of Milan’s Sustainable Energy Action Plan, an ambitious
roadmap charting the city’s progress towards CO
2
emission reductions and adopted as part of
its commitment to the Covenant of Mayors. With 76.6% of the vote in favour of the scheme at
a local referendum, public acceptance is already secured and will allow inhabitants and
visitors to directly benefit from a safer and cleaner city centre.
Surveillance cameras have been installed at access points around the city centre to detect
entering vehicles and transmit the collected data to a computer system which recognises the
vehicles, their classification (residents, duty vehicles, free access vehicles) and the
corresponding charge. Residents and duty vehicles are charged reduced fees.
Vehicles exempt from charge are bicycles, scooters, electric cars, vehicles for disabled
people and until 31 December 2012, also hybrid, methane powered, lpg and biofuel cars.
“Milan is the first city in Italy to introduce the congestion charge as a concrete step
towards a more sustainable, safer and healthier life for all its citizens. It is an
important tool for us to achieve the 20% CO
2
emission reduction target which we are
committed to in the framework of the Covenant of Mayors.”
Giuliano Pisapia, Mayor of Milan
Payment is made through the purchase of a ticket valid for all accesses during the entire day.
Tickets and prices vary according to the different classifications (residents, duty vehicles). A
tourist entering the city centre by car to visit ‘il Duomo di Milano’ (Cathedral of Milan)
purchases a ticket for €5 valid from 7.30am till 7.30pm that day.
The objective of this new scheme is to reduce road traffic in the city centre by 20 to 30%,
CO
2
emissions by 20 to 25% and to use the revenue for improving the public transport
network, expanding cycle lanes, pedestrian zones and 30kph zones.
Overall, quality of life will improve with fewer vehicles on the road and controlled parking,
less noise and reduced local air pollution.
As a signatory to the Covenant of Mayors, the city of Milan voluntarily commits itself to
reducing its CO
2
emissions by at least 20% by 2020.
Contacts & further information:
Covenant Team Leader – Bruno Villavecchia bruno.villavecchia@amat-mi.it
www.areac.it
Covenant of Mayors contact point:
press@eumayors.eu
Milan – key facts*:
•
City population – 1,308.981
•
Signed up to the Covenant of Mayors on 18 December 2008
•
Baseline year against which commitments are measured is 2005
•
CO
2
emission reduction target by 2020 is at least 20% compared to 2005
levels.
•
The business as usual scenario for the period 2005-2020 shows an increase of
population (9%). This implies an increase of CO
2
emissions by 8.3% according
to the same scenario.
•
The city of Milan will reduce its direct CO
2
emissions from 4,795ktCO
2
in 2005,
to 3,836 ktCO
2
in 2020. A reduction effort of 959ktCO
2
, despite a projected
population increase of 9% during the same period.
*Figures taken from Milan’s profile on the Covenant of Mayors website and from
Milan’s Sustainable Energy Action Plan.