Today, the 1st of January, 2017, Madrid will have traffic circulation restrictions placed on its streets. This is the second time in less than a week.

The problem is the pollution and lack of rain and wind to clear it. In fact, the restriction on the 29th of December was the first time in history that a Spanish city had these measures imposed.

The measures include a maximum speed of 70 KPH on the Madrid bypass motorway, the M-30, and cars with a number plate that end in a odd number are banned for the day from the city centre. If the restriction goes into a second day, it will be the turn of the even-number endings.

Obviously, there are exceptions such as electric cars and taxis, as well as buses, of course. Motorbikes were also exempt from the ban.

And of course, it has been something for politicians to fight over, with the opposition party in the city claiming that the decision was purely ideological – the governing party are left-wing. No matter that when they, the conservatives, were in power, they recommended taking such measures, should meteorological conditions require it.

Whatever the motivation behinds the measure, the fact is that this action is recommended by the EU for all member states should pollution levels hit 200 microgrammes of Nitrogen Dioxide, which is the present reading of air samples taken.

(News: Madrid)