Plans to effectively exclude the most polluting vehicles from driving into city centre have been given the green light after Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was approved by Scottish Ministers.
Formally introduced today with a one-year grace period, Glasgow’s LEZ will be enforced from 1 June 2023 - affecting all vehicles entering the zone area, with a penalty charge payable if the required emission standards are not met.
Those living within the LEZ boundary have additional time to prepare, with the enforcement start date for vehicles registered to a residential address within the zone deferred until 1 June 2024.
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We've drawn up wee explainer into everything you need to know about Glasgow's LEZ:
How Glasgow's LEZ will work
- Glasgow's LEZ will affect all vehicles except for motorcycles and mopeds, and those vehicle types or uses considered exempt such as vehicles for disabled persons.
- Glasgow's LEZ will operate 24 hours a day - all year round and will cover an area of the city centre bounded by the M8 motorway to the north and west, the River Clyde to the south and Saltmarket/High St to the east.
- Key emission requirements for Low Emission Zones in Scotland have been set nationally. It is generally the case that diesel engine vehicles registered after September 2015, petrol engine vehicles registered from 2006 onwards and buses, coaches and HGVs registered from January 2013 will meet requirements.
- The penalty charge for non-compliance is consistent across all of Scotland’s Low Emission Zones - set at £60 and reduced by 50% if paid within 14 days. Where repeat entry by the same vehicle is detected within a 90-day period, this penalty charge rate will double, doubling again on each subsequent entry up to a maximum amount determined by vehicle type.
- Practical, targeted assistance from the Scottish Government to help prepare for the introduction of Low Emission Zones in Scotland has included funding for households, micro-businesses, and a separate retrofit fund including support for taxi drivers.
- Funding is again available in 2022, with further information available on the Energy Saving Trust website. Interest-free loans are also available through the Energy Saving Trust for purchasing e-bikes, electric vehicles, and home charging points. This focused response has made funding accessible to those who may have the most difficulty complying with LEZ requirements, as well as incentivising a move away from personal vehicle use.
- To reflect the impact of the pandemic on the uptake of the retrofitting scheme - taxi operators who can demonstrate by early 2023 that they have applied for retrofitting grants, are awaiting vehicle conversion work or are in the process of purchasing a compliant vehicle will be able to run their business without penalty should their taxi not yet be compliant by the time the LEZ becomes enforceable.
Here's what is being said about Glasgow's LEZ
Councillor Angus Millar, City Convener for Climate, Glasgow Green Deal, Transport and City Centre Recovery: "I’m pleased that Glasgow’s LEZ plans have secured the backing of Scottish Ministers.
"Glasgow has made good progress in tackling air pollution in recent years, in no small part thanks to the success of the early stages of LEZ roll-out which has dramatically improved the emission standards of buses on our city centre streets. But we still have stubbornly high levels of harmful air pollution in some parts of the city centre, which is why restricting access to the most polluting vehicles is vital to protect public health and ensure our city centre is a more appealing and healthier place to be.
"We will continue to raise awareness and understanding of Glasgow's LEZ ahead of full enforcement as well as encourage and support compliance through a range of initiatives and projects, including those that including those that encourage a switch to active and more sustainable forms of travel and a reduced reliance on private car."
Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma and Lung UK Scotland said: "Glasgow’s LEZ is a game-changer for public health in the city centre and sets the precedent for the roll-out of clean air plans across Scotland’s towns and cities that will protect future generations from the dangers of breathing in dirty air.
"Air pollution is an invisible killer that causes new lung conditions such as lung cancer and worsens existing ones, with the potential to trigger life-threatening asthma attacks and flare-ups and can even stunt the growth of children’s lungs.
"We would like to see wider action to tackle toxic air throughout the city and surrounding areas, not just in the city centre. This includes safer streets for walking and cycling, cleaner public transport and pollution-busting schemes outside of all schools."
