Author(s)

LUKA VUKIĆ, ALEN JUGOVIĆ, DRAŽEN ŽGALJIĆ, TANJA POLETAN JUGOVIĆ

Abstract

This paper examines the establishment of a low emission zone (LEZ) in the city of Split (Croatia), a Mediterranean port city, with a particular focus on the area surrounding the Marjan Forest Park, a highly sensitive and valuable urban green space. The proposed LEZ is conceived as a pilot model in a national context where no formal legal or strategic framework for LEZ implementation currently exists. The study employs a case-study approach, combining a review of European best practices, an analysis of local spatial and traffic characteristics, and the use of available air-quality monitoring data to develop a feasible and context-sensitive LEZ design. The proposed model contains a phased implementation strategy, clearly defined access criteria based on vehicle emission standards, designated monitoring points supported by automatic number plate recognition systems and a structured framework for exemptions, enforcement and public consultation. The results demonstrate how LEZ principles can be operationalized in medium-sized Mediterranean cities with constrained urban space and protected ecosystems, including port cities characterized by intensive transport interactions, even in the absence of a dedicated regulatory basis. The findings contribute to the broader discussion on urban air quality management by offering a transferable methodological framework for ecosystem-oriented LEZ planning and by highlighting the role of pilot implementations in supporting evidence-based policy development and long-term sustainable urban mobility strategies.

Keywords

low emission zones, urban air quality, sustainable urban mobility, port city, Split