Germany is considering a plan to cut air pollution by rolling out free public transportation in five cities, including Bonn and Essen.  The idea is to lure commuters out of their cars.

The country's active industrial sector means more emissions than the European Union allows, and Brussels is putting on pressure to rein in air pollution.  It stands to reason that fewer cars on the roads will result in less nitrogen dioxide emissions and particulate matter in the air.

The German government selected the five urban areas for free public transport - Bonn, Essen, Reutlingen, Mannheim, plus the town of Herrenberg south of Stuttgart - one of Germany's most heavily polluted cities.  Other ideas include increasing the number of electric-powered taxis and boosting incentives for electric cars in general.

It's not clear how much funding the German government would provide to municipalities to cover the cost, or id local taxes would have to he raised to pay for it.