Milan to see temporary vehicle bans from high levels of air pollution

Milan, situated in the Lombardy region of Italy, is currently facing severe air quality issues. In February the city was labelled 'unhealthy' by the Swiss private air quality website IQAir, after having recorded levels of particulate matter (PM 2.5) 24-times higher than the recommended limit of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The measurement from 19 February 2024 ranks Milan among the most polluted cities in the world.

Other sources such as the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service and the Italian environmental lobby Legambiente have also ranked air pollution in Milan by PM 2.5 and other pollutants among the highest in Europe, and according to the Italian Society for Environmental Medicine, Italy leads Europe for deaths attributed to atmospheric pollution with around 80,000 a year. Milan officials call for a cooperation of local and regional level to improve air quality, and in October 2023, Mayor Sala did announce plans to restrict cars from the city centre by mid-2024.

As a result, Milan is set to introduce a temporary ban on private vehicles from operating during the day in the city centre to improve air quality levels in its capital. To enforce the ban, cameras will be installed along the Corso Venezia to record traffic and prevent entry to private cars. Residents with a garage, anyone accessing car parking, taxis and public transport are exempt from the ban. Those caught accessing the area unauthorised will face a fine, though the mayor has not specified this sum yet.

The move will make some of Milan’s busiest areas more pedestrian-friendly, including the elegant Fashion Quadrilatero where many of the city’s high-end boutiques are located.