Hamburg officials anticipate the ban will effect this month

Right now, the officials are waiting on a court decision over whether cars with engines that fail to meet the 2014 “Euro 6” standard or a small number of cars that don’t meet the 2009 “Euro 5” standard will be barred. A German court ruled in February that cities are entitled to impose such bans.

This week, the city put up 100 signs to tell motorists where the cars will not be welcome. They will also offer alternative route suggestions.

Not everyone is onboard with the diesel ban, and it’s not just motorists. Environmentalists have said the ban doesn’t go far enough because the alternative routes will make motorists drive even more and produce greater emissions. The streets that will not accept diesel cars feature air quality monitors.

Other solutions to the air quality problem have been considered, such as electric buses. Officials concluded the partial diesel ban will be the most effective solution.

While Germany works on banning older diesel cars, other European countries are taking things further. The United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Norway  proposed plans to ban cars powered by internal-combustion engines by 2040 at the latest.