Helsinki seeks tougher measures to phase out studded tires

Helsinki wants drivers to give up studded tires, but its earlier experiment on Lönnrotinkatu did not deliver the desired result. The city is now considering tougher tools.

A fresh municipal review identifies a fee for studded tires as the most effective way to push motorists toward friction tires. Experiences elsewhere in the Nordic countries have been positive, it says, although Finnish law does not currently allow the city to charge for using studded tires.

The review proposes advancing the introduction of such a fee. A seasonal charge of 120 euros could reduce studded-tire use from 60% to 40%, while bringing as much as 12 million euros into the city treasury each year.

Studded tires already impose direct costs on Helsinki. The city estimates that wear to road surfaces forces it to spend roughly 2 million to 3 million euros annually on resurfacing. The tires also produce up to half of harmful street dust, and Helsinki expects it will be difficult to meet tighter European Union air-quality limits due to take effect in 2030.

The city previously banned studded tires on through traffic along Lönnrotinkatu from 2022 to 2025. Measuring the ban’s effect on air quality proved difficult, as did enforcement. Officials had earlier estimated that most motorists ignored it. The review also considers incentives, including financial support for friction tires or parking prices based on tire type, though changing parking fees would be politically difficult.