Constraining the use of diesel vehicles under heavy air pollution

Under unfavourable atmospheric conditions, certain Norwegian cities are exposed to brief spells of excessive air toxicity due, mainly, to exhaust emissions from diesel vehicles. Possible measures to combat such emissions on short notice include low emission zones and strongly differentiated cordon toll rates. Under conservative assumptions, prohibitive toll rates targeted at diesel driven passenger cars involve welfare costs 6 to 20 times higher than the estimated health benefit from reduced NOx and PM10 emissions.