The Audit Office of the Community of Madrid has audited the degree of implementation of Low Emission Zones and concludes that Arganda del Rey is the only one of the 24 obligated municipalities that has not even started drafting the technical project.
The City Council of Arganda del Rey has not taken any action regarding the Low Emission Zone (LEZ). This is reflected in the latest report from the Audit Office of the Community of Madrid, approved on June 30, 2026, which analyses compliance with the Climate Change Law in municipalities with over 50,000 inhabitants. Of the 24 obligated municipalities, Arganda is the only one listed with the project "Not started" as of March 31, 2025.
A blank file
The report, which has audited the years 2022-2024, notes that eight other municipalities – Collado Villalba, Galapagar, Majadahonda, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Las Rozas, San Fernando de Henares, Torrejón de Ardoz, and Valdemoro – also did not have the LEZ in force at that date, but at least had drafted the documentation or were in processing. Arganda del Rey, however, appears in the comparative table as the only one with the box "Not started", a circumstance that the Audit Office highlights in its conclusions.
The City Council argued during the audit that the "peculiarities of the territory" and the "lack of viable mobility alternatives" justified the absence of the project. However, the Audit Office maintains its diagnosis: as of March 31, 2025, no action had been initiated to draft the technical project required by state regulations.
A grant of nearly 97,000 euros unspent
The economic section of the report adds a striking fact: Arganda del Rey received a grant of 96,694.22 euros to finance the implementation of the LEZ. However, according to the audit, as of the closing date, there were no recorded costs associated with the development of the project. In other words, the money is available, but has not been spent.
This situation contrasts with that of other municipalities in the Community of Madrid, which have already implemented their Low Emission Zones or are in advanced stages. Madrid, Alcalá de Henares, Alcobendas, Alcorcón, Aranjuez, Coslada, Fuenlabrada, Getafe, Leganés, Móstoles, Parla, Pinto, Rivas-Vaciamadrid, San Sebastián de los Reyes, Colmenar Viejo, and others already have the LEZ operational or in the process of implementation.
Legal obligation since 2023
Law 7/2021 on Climate Change and Energy Transition established that all Spanish municipalities with over 50,000 inhabitants must have a Low Emission Zone by 2023. The objective: to reduce pollutant emissions and improve air quality in cities. Arganda del Rey, with over 58,000 registered inhabitants, is obliged to comply.
For the reader in the Community of Madrid, the situation in Arganda is relevant because the lack of an LEZ could delay the improvement of air quality in the Henares Corridor, an area with high traffic density. Furthermore, the municipality risks possible sanctions or requirements from the central government or the European Union if it does not meet deadlines.
The report from the Audit Office does not specify deadlines for implementation, but makes it clear that Arganda del Rey starts at a disadvantage compared to the rest of the Madrid municipalities. While others have already taken firm steps, the Arganda City Council will need to accelerate if it does not want to fall behind in the race for sustainable mobility.
So far, the City Council has not announced any date to start the project. Meanwhile, the residents of Arganda continue to hope that the LEZ will be more than just a project in the drawer.
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