Edinburgh city centre is set to see some major changes this year to introduce a low emission zone.
Expected to given a final approval from the city council this week, the new zone will limit and ban cars bringing harmful gases into the centre of the capital.
Described as “tackling poor air quality”, the scheme will aim to decarbonize transport and encourage locals to walk, cycle or take public transport over a private car.
On Thursday (27 January) committee members will consider a report outlining analysis by SEPA via the National Modelling Framework.
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This notes that, while the low emission zone will take significant steps towards tackling poor air quality caused by harmful NO2 and PM emissions, there are limits to how much the fossil-fuelled vehicles that are allowed within the zone will reduce carbon emissions.
However, the zone is one of many encouragements that the council hope will keep the city centre as eco friendly as possible.
Expected to be approved with no changes, the new zone will be introduced this spring.
This will mean that cars of a certain age or model that do not meet the correct emissions standards will not be permitted to enter the zone.
Although a two-year-grace period is to be introduced, those who break the emission zone rules will be subject to hefty fines from 2024.
Starting off at £60 for a non-compliant vehicle, the penalty rate can double for subsequent contraventions to a maximum level, depending on the vehicle.
Currently, the proposed boundary stretches from Palmerston place along Queen Street and down to the bottom of the Royal Mile.
From there, it will run along through Newington, past and including the Meadows, before coming down through Tollcross towards Shandwick Place.
Set to follow the Transport Scotland guidelines for what is an eco-friendly vehicle will bee:
- Euro 4 for petrol cars and vans (generally vehicles registered from 2006*)
- Euro 6 for diesel cars and vans (generally vehicles registered from September 2015*)
- Euro VI for buses, coaches and HGVs (generally vehicles registered from January 2013*)
- Mopeds and motorcycles are out with the scope of the current LEZ for Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen
Speaking about the proposals Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said:
The LEZ put forward for approval in October followed several years of planning, modelling and analysis, in line with national frameworks, as well as consideration of feedback received through a major public consultation.
Additional work carried out since then to assess the scheme’s impact on carbon emissions, as well as the proposed boundaries and grace period, demonstrates that these proposals are appropriate for the city.
The LEZ, alongside a range of ambitious projects to improve air quality, will encourage cleaner transport and support active travel, and is key to achieving cleaner air for everyone.
