A car intended for official Renfrewshire Council business does not meet the standards for Glasgow’s low emission zone (LEZ), it has been revealed.
Environment chiefs confirmed the civic car is non-compliant and won’t be used in the LEZ, which kicked in at the start of June to drive pollution down in the city centre.
But the council has devised an “interim solution” that would see one of its electric cars used for civic duties in the neighbouring authority or if necessary an eligible executive vehicle hired for more formal events.
Councillor Eddie Devine, who represents Paisley Southeast, was not impressed with the situation – claiming the LEZ has been “shown up for what it is” in a scathing rant.
He said: “The council could end up having to buy a new car for these events at some point. It’s bonkers.
“The low emission zone has been shown up for what it is. It’s going to punish everybody that has to go through the centre of Glasgow.”
Gordon McNeil, director of environment, housing and infrastructure, explained the council’s stopgap plan to Councillor Devine.
He said in an email: “We have introduced an interim solution, that if civic duties are required within Glasgow we will supply one of the electric pool vehicles within our fleet and would make these vehicles available for any civic duties that are required.
“If the event is a more formal event we have agreed to spot hire an executive vehicle that will meet the LEZ specifications, using our current Scotland Excel hire framework.”
On the prospect of the council hiring a vehicle, Councillor Devine added: “It’s an expense the council is facing that they can’t afford because they’re already going to have to borrow money to build things.
“We have an official council car but it can’t do the job it’s supposed to do. I’m not complaining about people going to meetings, we have to go to meetings.
“But we’re having to possibly hire in an executive vehicle – a fancy car for what? There is a perfectly good one sitting there, which hasn’t done a lot of miles.”
A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “To reduce levels of harmful air pollution in our city centre and protect public health, Glasgow’s low emission zone came into force on June 1.
“Glasgow’s LEZ is also expected to help accelerate the uptake of less polluting vehicles, encourage people to use more sustainable forms of transport and increase the safety and attractiveness of our city centre.
“While the vast majority – up to 90 per cent – of vehicles currently entering the city centre will be unaffected, the LEZ standards will address the most polluting vehicles which are disproportionately creating the harmful concentrations of air pollution.”
Meanwhile, a Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “Our civic car does not meet the Glasgow low emission zone specifications which came into force on June 1.
“We will now use an electric or other LEZ compliant car from our fleet for civic duties and formal events in Glasgow.”
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