The multimillion-euro cost of Vox's refusal to implement a low-emission zone in Valencia

ValenciaUp to €150 million, according to the most pessimistic estimates from opposition groups, €14 million of which will be lost in the coming weeks. This is what the Valencia City Council stands to lose due to Vox's refusal to implement a Low Emission Zone (LEZ), required for cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants. The decision, already announced in October, was confirmed this week with the approval by the People's Party (PP) and the far-right party of the city's 2026 budget without including any restrictions on the circulation of the most polluting vehicles. The first penalty will come with the loss of government subsidies for passenger transport, which the national government makes conditional on the existence of an LEZ. To compensate, the city council will have to allocate €14 million of its own funds to maintain the reduced price of the 10-trip pass for the municipal bus network (EMT), which currently costs €5.40. Beyond the bus discount, the implementation of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was one of the requirements for receiving funding for urban development projects such as the Petxina superblock or the construction of various bike lanes, among others. This is the complaint of opposition groups, who point out that the Ministry of Transport could demand the return of its subsidies and could also impose fines of up to three times the amount of money provided by the State. This is the basis for the opposition's calculations, which amount to 150 million euros, slightly more than 10% of the city's budget, which will be 1.415 billion euros in 2026.

The city's mayor, María José Catalá, disagrees, significantly reducing that amount based on a report from the Valencian Court of Auditors that sets the penalty ceiling at 30 million euros, but does not include transport subsidies. "People are talking about 150 million very casually, but we've never been dealing with figures like that. We're going to fight it. We think we have more than enough arguments," the mayor asserted. For the Socialist spokesperson, Borja Sanjuan, the mayor's actions are a clear example of "irresponsibility." "Valencia will be the only major city left without public transport subsidies," he complained. The Compromís councilor, Giuseppe Grezzi, echoed this sentiment, predicting that the loss of funds will ultimately be paid for by the citizens, either "through an increase in bus fares or through taxes and fees."

Not even a minimum ZBE

Faced with Vox's refusal, this autumn the PP proposed a minimal Low Emission Zone (LEZ) to its municipal government partners. The conservatives aimed to reach a last-minute agreement after months of negotiations and after the new regulations had already been disseminated to the public and traffic cameras had been installed. Despite the PP's efforts, the offer failed to convince the far-right party, which maintained its position. Faced with this impasse, Compromís and the PSPV offered to approve a LEZ with the PP, but the conservatives rejected the offer, deeming the demands excessive.