A Spanish trade union has branded the Low Emission Zone in Granada as ‘unfair and disproportionate’.
The CCOO said workers are facing ‘thousands of euros’ worth of fines after the city council took months to deliver fines for their first infraction.
It means many were unaware that they were breaking the rules on a daily basis until they received their first sanction months after the fact.
In Granada, entering the Low Emission Zone (ZBE) without permission or in a forbidden vehicle carries a €200 penalty.
In one case highlighted by the CCOO, a commuter has accumulated €8,000 in fines, after allegedly receiving notifications months after the original infraction.
According to CCOO Granada, the complaints mainly involve workers who travel daily into the city for their jobs – often young people or middle-income earners – who continued driving through the ZBE unaware they were being fined.
In the €8,000 case, a worker commuting from another province reportedly received in February a batch of fines dated back to October. By then, the total had already spiralled.
The CCOO argues that the delay in communication leaves drivers ‘defenceless’, as they are unable to adjust their route or transport habits in time to avoid further penalties.
The union also claims affected workers say they are not receiving responses to appeals.
Call for urgent reform
The union is demanding urgent changes to the municipal ordinance regulating the Low Emission Zone, arguing that workers are being sanctioned without being informed ‘in time and proper form’.
CCOO has launched a campaign to give visibility to those affected, describing the current system as ‘unfair and disproportionate’.
It is also calling for the creation of peripheral parking areas and park-and-ride facilities near the ZBE, particularly in neighbourhoods such as Barrio de los Periodistas and La Chana, which are included within the zone but lack supporting infrastructure.
The controversy comes as Low Emission Zones continue to be rolled out across cities in Andalucia and Spain, raising fresh questions about enforcement, communication and the impact on everyday commuters.
What to know about Granada’s Low Emission Zone
Granada’s Low Emission Zone (ZBE) rules largely depend on where your vehicle is registered, rather than solely on its environmental label.
The zone covers 95% of the entire city, with only a few streets on the outskirts not included.
Who can enter freely?
All vehicles registered in the city of Granada can circulate without restriction – regardless of their environmental badge.
There is no discrimination based on DGT label (B, C, ECO or Zero) if the car is officially registered in Granada. Drivers can move around the city freely and for as long as they wish.
This creates an important distinction in a metropolitan area with many neighbouring towns:
- If you live outside Granada but your car is registered in the city, you can drive without issue.
- If you live in Granada but your vehicle is registered elsewhere, you face restrictions.
Who cannot enter?
Restrictions apply to vehicles not registered in Granada.
For those vehicles:
- Cars without an environmental label are restricted.
- Vehicles with B, C, ECO or Zero Emissions labels can circulate freely, without time limits.
What are the exceptions for non-registered cars without a label?
There are several exemptions allowing access without a fine:
- Hospitals and pharmacies: Entry is permitted, provided the driver completes the required online form within one week and justifies the visit.
- Drivers over 67: Allowed access after submitting a declaration confirming they are the driver.
- Workers: Entry is permitted if annual income does not exceed twice the IPREM (around €16,800). A declaration and employment contract must be submitted to the city’s Mobility department.
- Public car parks: Access is allowed if the vehicle parks in one of the 36 authorised public car parks for more than one hour.
- Historic vehicles: Permitted when participating in official events, with prior notification.
- Workshops and courts: Access is allowed if travelling to a garage or court, subject to prior declaration.
- Dependent persons: One vehicle per dependent person may enter after completing the required form.
The system has generated controversy, particularly among commuters from surrounding municipalities, as enforcement tightens across Andalucian cities implementing Low Emission Zones under national regulations.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
