Katowice is preparing SCT. Krakow authorities: learn

Let’s start with the fact that Katowice has no choice. Too high a level of pollution forces the city to create an SCT. Otherwise, the city may lose access to part of the KPO funds. This amounts to PLN 2 billion, the payment of which depends on the introduction of the zone. Bogumił Sobula, vice-president of Katowice, admits this:

Failure to fulfill this obligation will result in the country withholding part of the funds from the National Reconstruction Plan, amounting to approximately PLN 2 billion. It cannot be that, on the one hand, Katowice is a beneficiary of EU funds that help in the revitalization of the city, and on the other hand, as a local government, we will ignore certain European rules

This zone is to be established in Katowice on June 29 this year and will cover the very center of the city. So there’s really little time left to prepare for it. Although the inhabitants of the city and the entire GMZ… do not have to. Well, according to the regulations, the restrictions will not apply to their cars. Therefore, vehicles they own or purchased before June 29, 2026 will not have to meet any standards to legally move around the zone.

Therefore, there is no way that residents of the center will be forced to buy a new car. But that’s still not all. If you buy a car after June 29, the standards for GMZ residents will also be extremely lenient. We are talking about the EURO 3 standard and the production date after 2000 for petrol cars and EURO 4 and the production date after 2005 for cars with a diesel engine.

In the final form of the regulations, which will enter into force on January 1, 2034, petrol cars will have to meet the EURO 4 standard and be manufactured after 2005, and diesel cars will have to meet the EURO 6 standard and be manufactured after 2014. So we are talking about 29 and 20-year-old cars, respectively.

People from outside GMZ will have to take into account more restrictive rules. Gasoline cars will not be older than 26 years and must meet the EURO 3 standard, and those with a diesel engine will not be older than 17 years and must meet the EURO 5 standard.

It is worth adding that these restrictions do not apply to special vehicles, public transport, motorcycles or vehicles registered as historic ones. As you can see, it is possible to introduce STC in a way that will not be burdensome for residents.