Arnhem is to ban all diesel cars built before 2004 from the city centre from 2019, a move which will make the city the toughest on diesel car pollution in the Netherlands.

The council estimates some 800 older diesel cars, which are considerably more polluting than petrol-driven cars, use the city centre. But by banning them – just 3% of the total fleet – soot emissions will be cut by over 17% and other pollutants by 10%.

‘City centre residents live a year shorter than others because of the poor air quality,’ city alderman Geert Ritsma told broadcaster NOS. ‘As responsible politicians, we cannot let this rest, so we are acting now.’

Rotterdam and Utrecht have already banned diesel cars dating from before 2001 from their city centres. Amsterdam has stopped giving parking permits to diesel cars which predate 2005 and will ban older mopeds from next January.