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Madrid restricts parking in city centre, lowers speed limits to reduce pollution

Heavy traffic is seen after Madrid City Council reduced the speed limit on roads approaching and around the Spanish capitall to 70km per hour on November 12, 2015 in Madrid, Spain. The measures were taken after authorities revealed excessive nitrogen dioxide pollutant levels across the city.
Heavy traffic is seen after Madrid City Council reduced the speed limit on roads approaching and around the Spanish capitall to 70km per hour on November 12, 2015 in Madrid, Spain. The measures were taken after authorities revealed excessive nitrogen dioxide pollutant levels across the city. Denis Doyle/Getty Images

MADRID – Street parking for non-residents has been banned in central Madrid and speed limits reduced on access highways in a bid to reduce pollution levels that have left the city covered with a murky brown cap that can be seen from afar.

The town hall said Friday it was applying the restrictions after three days of excess levels of nitrogen dioxide.

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It called on people to use public transport and said extra bus services were being provided.

The measures were decided on late Thursday and many drivers were caught by surprise on arriving in the city to find parking meters turned off.

For the second day in a row, the city imposed a speed limit of 70 kph (40 mph) on access highways, down from the normal limits of 80-90 kph.

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