1.   Measures are necessary to be taken regarding the reduction of unnecessary urban trips with private cars and more cycles in addition to provide public transport infrastructures particularly subway and bus, cultural infrastructures (encouraging citizens to use public transport), and law enforcement to punish single-seat cars. Focusing on these measures as well as optimizing number of automobiles in cities, saving fuel and removing traffic problems will lead to sharp reduction in pollutants. Policy makers and city managers should pay special attention to new construction projects in cities that lead to build more roads such as Sadr highway and Towhid tunnel are green lights to enter more cars to the cities. About 50 kilometers underground subway can be built in Tehran with Sadr project budget. In addition to the benefits of public transport rail passenger safety, reduce congestion and urban pollution, reduced fuel consumption it is considered a very important advantage in urban areas in urban passive defense.

2.   It is necessary to adopt correct policies to develop technical examination of vehicles. In this regard, good technical infrastructures have been provided in a city like Tehran that it is necessary to improve them. But it seems that the main problem is monitoring. Serious measure with vehicles without technical examination is one of the necessities of removing pollutants particularly in large cities. It seems that there is no serious determination in continuing with the institutions involved in environmental monitoring and law enforcement instruments.

3.   More effective measures should be taken in terms of execution, regarding improving urban transport system, particularly public transport fleet. Coordination of environmental institutions and law enforcement is very effective in this regard. The government can also support plans to automakers’ purchasing power enough to provide replacement vehicles to their owners.

4.   Using proper fuel with high quality is important for the reduction of air pollution and it will help a lot to improve environmental conditions. In this regard, it is necessary to import foreign gasoline more accurately and necessary infrastructures should be prepared for producing high quality petroleum in refineries at national oil company.

Source: Resalat Newspaper, No. 8559, date: Sunday, December 27, 2015, page 10 (social)