The authorities of Istanbul (Turkey) plan to introduce a fee for the entry of cars into the historical center of the city as part of the fight against traffic jams and air pollution.
This follows from Istanbul’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SKUP), in which the city government has identified 26 decarbonization targets, the priority of which is expanding the rail and metro networks.
The city will have zones with low exhaust emissions; the historical center in the area of Sultanahmet Square will be declared a pilot zone. To enter there, owners of private cars will have to pay a fee, the amount of which has not yet been announced.
“The plan aims to improve the lives of Istanbul residents, reduce the use of private cars, and motivate city residents to use less environmentally harmful modes of transport,” said the city’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu.