http://www.dw.com/en/german-court-allows-city-ban-on-diesel-cars/a-42753227
Germany's Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig ruled on Tuesday that cities may be permitted to put driving bans in place for diesel vehicles.
The ruling does not determine whether the bans will be implemented, but rather that German states, cities and communities have the right to impose them to maintain air pollution limits without needing federal legislation.
The decision concerned two earlier court rulings in Stuttgart and Düsseldorf, the capital cities of the German states of Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia, where air pollution massively exceeds allowable levels. The environmental and consumer watchdog Environmental Action Germany (DUH) took both cities to court, saying they hadn't done enough to combat emissions.
The court in Stuttgart said driving bans were the "most effective" means to improve air quality and safeguard health in urban areas, while the Düsseldorf court found the bans had to be "seriously examined."
The German government and the country's influential car industry oppose the diesel driving bans.
Millions of German drivers and businesses have also been anxiously awaiting the court's decision, with many concerned about their disrupted driving routes and a possible devaluation of their vehicles.
