The calendar begins to turn its last page, but on the table of the City Council of Madrid some folios are still accumulated without a decision made just 12 days to the end of this year 2019. Specifically at the table of the Environment and Mobility Area there are two assumptions with Central Madrid as protagonists: the moratorium for merchandise vehicles of less than 3.5 tons with no environmental distinction and the access or not of families with children enrolled in the restricted area.

From the department headed by Borja Carabante , sources consulted by EL MUNDO affirm that "measures are being studied to improve Central Madrid" and insist on highlighting the word "study". "You are working with the technicians, but there is no decision yet," they add from the area.

However, the mayor of the capital, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, took another step in that direction on Wednesday. To the "study" of these two measures, the councilman added a reminder about the workers with a light vehicle of merchandise without environmental distinction. "They are autonomous and that is their main way of life without which they have very difficult to survive," he argued in reference to allowing their entry by linking the extension of the moratorium with the aid to renew the fleet that the Consistory will launch during the next year . A measure that from the municipal corporation already defended last October.

In the same line, Almeida was shown to parents whose children attend schools within the area restricted to traffic. "The problem of parents who have to take their children to school is similar," said the mayor, who said his team is not "innovating in anything" that was not in Central Madrid.

These two moratoriums will have to be decided by the Consistory "on an urgent basis", explained the councilor, because the permits of both parents and carriers are finished at the end of this year and should be renewed for the next one in these 12 days. "We will take measures that can improve Central Madrid and we are studying, of course, to extend that authorization to transporters and parents," he finished before leaving the decision to the "technical services data" of the City Council: "They are the ones who they have to guide . "

Not so urgent will be the extension of the schedule for the entry of motorcycles without a badge in Central Madrid, which is now prohibited from 10 pm, or the removal of some sections of the restricted area. "For that we have some more time," said Almeida without forgetting to outline his intention with both assumptions.

"Motorists who have to do distribution work seem complicated that they cannot enter the Centro district after 10 at night to be able to work," said the mayor of the capital, leaving the possibility open to these vehicles as well. in the low emission zone .

More doubts showed with the redesign of the area restricted to traffic, specifically with Mártires de Alcalá street -parallel to Alberto Aguilera street- , where 20% of the entrance fines to Central Madrid are imposed. "There is not only the possibility of removing it from Central Madrid but making it more intuitive so that not so many penalties are imposed," Almeida said on that route in which he said he was convinced that many of the fined "do not want to enter Central Madrid."

Vice Mayor Begoña Villacís also defended that there is still "nothing closed" and that "many meetings" are held with platforms to know their position on aspects that can be improved in Central Madrid.

For its part, the opposition charged on Wednesday against the measures proposed by the mayor because they seek to "back off" in the area of ​​low emissions instead of "continue moving forward and expanding the areas of low emissions." "These are setbacks that are occurring on Central Madrid, which is still a measure that has been shown to be efficient against pollution in the city of Madrid both in the area that is being applied and in the rest of the city," said the Mayor of Más Madrid, Esther Gómez .

In the same assumptions put the spokesman of the PSOE, Pepu Hernández, who said that the municipal government "is still wrong trying to dismantle Central Madrid." "Something I did recognize at the time of Madrid 360 is that it seems to include all of Madrid, but what is certain is that it does not have much behind," concluded the socialist leader.

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  • José Luis Martínez-Almeida
  • Madrid
  • Pepu Hernandez
  • PSOE
  • More Madrid
  • Begoña Villacís Sánchez
  • Central Madrid

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