ALICANTE’S Low Emission Zone(ZBE) officially came into force on Friday after two years of discussions and preparations.
The council passed a motion approving the city’s ZBE area on December 30.
There are however few noticeable changes as the Old Town area maintains restrictions introduced in 2011, and has now been classified as ZBE Zone 1.
READ MORE:
- Valencia’s city centre Low Emission Zone will not fine motorists with polluting cars throughout 2025
- Madrid’s low emission zone is ANNULLED after court rules it is unfair to force low-income residents to buy greener vehicles

In fact the categories of vehicles that can enter Zone 1 has been increased- notably for employees of companies and businesses in the area.
As for the last 14 years, fines for transgressors will only apply to the Old Town Zone 1
The newly created Zone 2 covering the ‘traditional centre’ and Zone 3(Gran Via) will continue to allow all vehicles to enter as before.
The Alicante ZBE ordnance states that it is ‘flexible’ and does not contemplate extra restrictions or penalties for Zone 2 and Zone 3.
Temporary measures, however, would be introduced if pollution levels get too high.
In such an instance, vehicles with the highest levels of emissions would be banned.
Alicante City Council has used the ZBE arrival to install a network of cameras plus 10 information display screens at a cost of €4.4 million.
70 cameras- which can all read licence plates- have been erected and linked by 32 new fibre optic lines in a network that has a capacity for up to 300 surveillance cameras.
14 air quality measurement monitors and nanosensors have also been pressed into service.