In 2022, the Municipality of Budapest provided an opportunity for Budapest-based NGOs to submit proposals for the 2023 work plan of the Municipal Assembly. Clean Air Action Group (CAAG) has put forward a number of proposals that could be implemented in a short time and at relatively low cost, and would make Budapest a much more liveable place.

Two years ago, the Budapest Municipal Assembly adopted the Budapest Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Budapest by at least 40 percent by 2030. Little progress has been made since then, and therefore, CAAG urges the Assembly to adopt annual emission targets and measures to achieve them.

Traffic calming on Üllői út, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út and Váci út could be quickly implemented. Following the renovation of the M3 metro line, the bus lane on these main roads should not be given back to car traffic, but a physically separated cycle lane and green lane could be created. Such a redistribution of road space has been discussed before but has not been implemented.

“We also propose to extend parking charging and to increase the fees, as this is one of the most effective ways to reduce car traffic. As experience in recent months has shown, raising parking fees for non-local residents enjoys broad support from local residents. And the fact that a certain increase of parking fees for residents is accepted by the residents is proved by the action of the Józsefváros District Municipality, which recently abolished free parking for residents and set the annual fee for them at between 18.000 and 30.000 HUF” – said András Lukács, CAAG's President.

CAAG also recommends banning internal combustion engine scooters from the centre of Budapest, as the health-damaging hydrocarbon emissions of such a scooter can be a thousand times higher than those of a truck, and it emits 100 times as much carcinogenic benzene as an older car.

“We also recommend the creation of school streets, i.e. restricting cars from entering streets near schools wherever possible, especially during the morning arrival and afternoon departure hours, to protect children's safety and health,” said Judit Szegő, the NGO's project manager.

Also, CAAG recommends that the Municipal Assembly of Budapest should take the initiative to create additional bus lanes on the roads leading to the capital.