Geneva offers free public transport due to ozone spike

Owing to a spike in ozone pollution, public transport will be free throughout the canton on Wednesday. Keystone / Martial Trezzini

Public transport will be free in canton Geneva on Wednesday due to a spike in ozone pollution - a Swiss first.

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Owing to a spike in ozone pollution, public transport will be free throughout the canton on Wednesday, Geneva’s department of territory said on Tuesday evening.

“Enhanced differentiated traffic flow” has also been activated. With a few exceptions, only vehicles equipped with the autorised Stick’AIR stickers 0, 1, 2, and 3 will be permitted to drive in the centre of Geneva from 6am to 10pm, thus excluding the most polluting vehicles. Anyone contravening this order risks a fine. The Geneva bypass will also be limited to 80 km/h.

This system will be repeated depending on how the situation evolves until the end of the pollution peak, the authorities say.

Decrease in nitrogen dioxide

While these measures cannot directly affect ozone, they aim to reduce nitrogen dioxide. Aline Staub Spörri, director of the cantonal air service, estimates that by banning the most polluting vehicles, Geneva should be able to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions by 20-25%.

The canton’s goal is to lower health risks. The main symptoms of ozone peaks include headaches, asthma attacks and lower respiratory function, particularly among young children, the elderly or people with heart or respiratory diseases.

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Since 2020, free transport must be made available the day after an ozone level of 180 μg/m3 is exceeded in Geneva. This condition was met on Tuesday at the Meyrin measuring station, where the level approached 230 μg/m3, the authorities said.

Adapted from French by DeepL/sb

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