translated press release by Berlin Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment - from 02/02/2024*
Public participation for the new clean air plan begins
Berliners can breathe easy - air quality in Berlin has improved significantly over the last five years. Since 2020, all current air quality limits have been met across the city. On the vast majority of roads, the limit values for nitrogen dioxide were even significantly undercut in 2021.
As a result, the third update of the clean air plan stipulates that the low emission zone must continue unchanged. Without the low emission zone, there is still a risk that the limit value for nitrogen dioxide could be exceeded on roads with high traffic volumes and poor dispersion conditions.
A 30 km/h speed limit is still necessary on seven main roads.
On 34 routes, the air quality limits can be complied with even without a 30 km/h speed limit. This means that the 30 km/h speed limit imposed for reasons of air pollution control can be cancelled.
Environment and Transport Senator Manja Schreiner: "For four years now, all applicable limit values have been complied with in Berlin, which is a success of over twenty years of clean air planning. We were already able to lift the last diesel driving bans in 2022. We have now put further restrictions on road traffic to the test.
Theoretically, the 30 km/h speed limit could now be dropped on 34 stretches of road. They are no longer required for air pollution control. However, this is not a free pass. Only if road safety allows it, only if there is no school, daycare centre or care facility on the way, will the speed limit be 50 km/h again.
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The new Clean Air Plan of the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment will be available as a draft for public participation from 12 February 2024.
The draft plan can be viewed on site at the Senate Department, Monday to Thursday from 10 am to 6 pm and Friday from 10 am to 4 pm at Brückenstraße 6, 10179 Berlin, (Jannowitzbrücke entrance) Room R2/183 on the second floor.
The draft can also be viewed online at 
www.berlin.de/luftreinhalteplan
All Berliners, as well as companies, associations and authorities, have the opportunity to view and comment on the draft Clean Air Plan and to submit their comments, objections and opinions to the Department of Immission Control of the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment.
The deadline for submitting written comments is 26 March 2024."