Google Maps He has released a new icon in his mobile app that warns the drivers of a circumstance that they can find in their journeys and affect not only driving, but also to their pockets. This new icon, A Z inside a circleindicates the presence of a Low emission zone On the route.
The low -emission areas were established by the Climate Change Law of 2021 that came with the aim of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and complying with those of the 2015 Paris Agreement. The article 14.3 defines the zbe as an area delimited by a ‘public administration, in the exercise of its powers, within its territory, of a continuous nature, and in which they apply Restrictions for access, circulation and vehicle parking to improve air quality and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, according to the classification of vehicles by their level of emissions in accordance with the provisions of the GENERAL REGULATION OF VEHICLES current’.
The law establishes that all the municipalities of Spain with more than 50,000 inhabitants They must have a zbe by the end of 2023. that is, 150 cities that group approximately half of the Spanish population. However, more than a year after the deadline, The vast majority still have established them. If they have them, among other locations, Madrid, Barcelona, Córdoba, Pontevedra, A Coruña, Sevilla, Badalona, Rivas-Vaciamadrid, San Cugat del Vallés, Valencia, Sant Joan Despí, Getafe, Bilbao, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga or San Sebastián .
How to use the Z icon on Google Maps and avoid fines of 200 euros
The Z is an informative icon that is shown so much on the route itself as in the drop -down tab With the information of the path. It is in this section where Google Maps indicates which Zbe or Zbedep -zone of low emissions of special protection -is found on the route and Provide additional information. He explains that while vehicles with Zero and Eco environmental classification can circulate without restrictions, to which they have the C and B ‘label are allowed with certain exceptions’. That is, someone who circulates with a combustion car that fits these labels can continue to access whenever you use a public parking or private garage in the Zbe. Therefore, You will be clearly warned of the presence of a zbe in your displacement.
You should keep in mind that in the ZBedep the restrictions for vehicles with B label are higher and in the ZBE they are not equal in all places. For example, in Madrid they will not be able to circulate through the Central District, even if they use a parking lot, from 2026 and in Estepona they cannot access the ZBE between 08:00 and 21:00 hours. Google Maps also facilitates A link with the complete information about the ZBE and ZBEDEP that shows.
This is important, not to save the planet, but to protect yourself from the sanction that it is imposed if they catch you breaking the regulation The cameras responsible for controlling which vehicles enter and leave the Zbe. The sanction established by the Traffic Law since 2022 is currently in 200 euros, 100 for soon payment.