Bidcar.pl, a used car auction platform, is the first in Poland to inform you about the exhaust emission standard that every sold car complies with. This is important because in just two years, major Polish cities will introduce clean transport zones.
As Bidcar.pl recalls, additional restrictions apply in Krakow for cars registered from March 1, 2023. Owners of cars that do not meet European standards will want to get rid of them, experts predict.
As we read, from July 2024 all of Krakow will be covered by the Clean Transport Zone (SCT). At the same time, in Warsaw, SCT will cover Śródmieście and adjacent parts of other districts (public consultations are ongoing). The authorities of other cities are already planning their zones - for example, SCT should appear in Wroclaw, probably in 2025. The goal of Clean Transport Zones is to improve air quality in cities by reducing the pollution emitted by the oldest cars.
Clean transport zone in Krakow
Two stages are planned in Krakow:
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Stage 1. Will last from July 2024 until the end of 2025 and will cover cars registered before March 1, 2023. Cars with gasoline engines and with LPG installations will have to comply with the Euro-1 standard (release after 1992), and with diesel engines - Euro 2 (issue after 1996). Thanks to this, almost everyone who owned this car before March 1, 2023 will be able to continue driving it in Krakow.
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Stage 2: Vehicles currently registered (i.e. after March 1, 2023) will be subject to the Clean Transportation Zone Stage 2 requirements effective from 2026. Gasoline (LPG) vehicles will then corresponding min. Euro 3 standard (produced after 2000) and diesel engines with min. Euro 5 standard (issue after 2010).
Clean transport zone in Warsaw
Five stages of SCT implementation are planned in Warsaw:
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Stage 1. From July 2024, the planned restrictions will be slightly stricter than in Krakow - min. Euro 2 (release after 1996) for vehicles with petrol engines and Euro 4 (release after 2005) for diesel engines.
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Stage 2. Standards must be the same as in Krakow and applied simultaneously.
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Stages 3-5. In the next stages, which will be introduced every two years (2028, 2030, 2032), cars will have to meet standards one level higher than the previous one.
Drivers began to ask about the European standard
According to Artur Kopania, co-founder of Bidcar.pl, until now the emission standards have been mainly paid by the owners of trucks used for international transport.
- The introduction of clean transport zones in the first Polish cities will also increase the interest of car buyers in what European standard the proposed car corresponds to, - says Kopania. – As a result, this parameter will become an obligatory element of offers for the sale of used cars on advertising services and auction sites. On Bidcar.pl, every car sold already has information about the minimum European standard it meets.
The Regulation on Clean Transport Zones also contains a number of exceptions. Therefore, regardless of whether they comply (or not) with the standards, cars for the disabled, special equipment (services, roadside assistance, etc.), historical and vintage cars and motorcycles will always be able to enter the territory of the SCT.
20- and 30-year-old cars will enter the market
According to the calculations of the Samara Research Institute of the Automotive Market, the clean transport zones at the first stage will cover a relatively small percentage of cars. It will be only 2 percent. cars are currently registered in Krakow and about 5.5 percent. registered in Warsaw. In absolute terms, this will give a total of approximately 70-80 thousand for both cities. vehicles over 20 years old, and in the case of Krakow even over 30 years old.
Vehicles that do not meet emission standards will enter the market because owners want to get rid of them. Due to the year, these cars will be heavily exploited. Their prices will be attractive, and cars can generate a lot of interest. However, it will be difficult for buyers to choose cars whose condition will allow them to be used for some time.
- The fact that the previous owners drove the car for 25 years does not mean that it is not suitable for further driving. However, before making a decision to buy such a car, you need to familiarize yourself with its current state and history, says Artur Digging. – One of the solutions is to use the services of professionals who will do this for a fee. But you can also search for offers containing reliable information about the car. We have every car put up for auction checked in detail by an expert who prepares an extensive photo and descriptive report. Anyone interested in buying has free, unlimited access to this data, as well as information about the car’s history and the European emissions standard it meets.
Source: Wprost
I am Jason Root. I work in the news website industry and mostly cover the automobile industry. I have also written for Daily News Hack. My work revolves around new car models, prices, and features. In addition, I often write about used cars and tips for buying them. My articles are meant to be helpful for those who are in the market for a new or used car.
