TEHRAN – The new traffic scheme in Tehran, launched on May 5, has reduced traffic congestion by 15 percent in the city, councilor Shahrbanoo Amani said on Tuesday, Tasnim reported.

In December 2017, the then Tehran mayor, Mohammad Ali Najafi, introduced a new traffic scheme that aimed to ease congestion and abating air pollution in the capital.

As per the old traffic scheme the city center used to be closed to all cars every day, from early morning to evening, except for a certain number of cars which have permits issued by the municipality. Moreover, the odd-even traffic scheme, a method of rationing in which access to the streets for private vehicles is granted on alternating days, according to whether the last digit on their license plate is even or odd, was being implemented in zones further from the city center.

Both aforementioned schemes were implemented from Saturday to Thursday. While the traffic scheme, was implemented from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. the odd-even scheme used to be implemented from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursdays.

However, the newly initiated traffic scheme, authorize everyone to enter the traffic restricted areas with paying charges depending on the zone they wish to enter and the time of the day. Entering the city center - the most polluted and heavily congested area - is costlier and the farther the zone is from the city center the charge will be lesser.

The new scheme replaced daily permits with an automatic tax system by cameras, in which Cameras record entry and exit of the cars from the zones depending on time of the day and the daily entry charge will be deducted from the car owners’ account, created on the municipality website.

Ongoing restrictions are enforced from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, except for Thursdays, Fridays and bank holidays. Moreover the odd-even scheme which used to be implemented from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. is also implemented until 7 p.m. which is the most distinct difference between the new and old schemes.

Moreover, the special, free-of-charge permits issued by the municipality for some minority groups, such as disabled war-veterans, doctors, journalists, etc. authorizing them to enter the zone all year round, decreased by 26,000. This year some 103 permits was issued by the municipality.

The minimum and maximum fees for entering traffic zone is 96,000 rials (nearly $2.5) and 360,000 rials (nearly $9) per day respectively. While, the cars with premium vehicle inspection certificates will get a 20 percent discount.

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