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First Scottish low-emission zone

New year, new zone

Scotland will have its very first low emission zone (LEZ) at the end of 2018 when Glasgow’s new scheme comes into place on New Year’s Eve. The new zone is part of a wider plan supported by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and Transport Scotland to tackle air quality in Scotland and get more people out of their vehicles.

The development marks the start of a process that will ultimately lead to only the lowest-emission vehicles being allowed to enter Glasgow by the end of 2022.

Who is affected?

The Council said that the introduction of a LEZ needs to be “proportionate and managed in such a way that ambition and practicality can be balanced” - obtaining the required air quality improvements while not disrupting the economy.

Therefore, the first vehicles to be impacted when the LEZ comes into place at the end of 2018 are buses. Under the plans already announced, they are expected to meet Euro VI emission standards by December 2022.

What about businesses?

While there is currently no timetable in place to ensure that cars, vans and lorries face similar restrictions on entering the city centre, approval has been granted to extend the scheme to apply to all vehicles by the end of 2022.

Between now and then, the Scottish government says it will be engaging widely with residents and businesses to make sure everyone is prepared.

Not fans

Environmental campaigners say the Glasgow LEZ lacks teeth, with no signs to indicate its existence and no new cameras to catch offenders. Meanwhile, the Federation of Small Businesses seems happy with the slow and phased approach, given the lack of awareness of the LEZ and its impact on business.

Just how ambitious Scotland is in tackling air quality remains to be seen. But given how successful London’s congestion charge system has been in raising money for local authorities, a similar system will probably get the go-ahead in Glasgow, but only after 2022.

The bigger picture

There are already zones in London, Brighton, Norwich, Nottingham and Oxford. But it is only in London that businesses are affected; everywhere else it only applies to buses. In London, there is a daily charge of £100 for a large van (over 1.205 tonnes unladen) to enter the LEZ. For lorries weighing more than 3.5 tonnes, it’s £200.

Tip. To avoid paying the charge, you can have an approved filter fitted, or choose to buy a cleaner vehicle. There is a list of those which quality for the discounts (see The next step ).

For a link to further information on LEZ vehicles, visit http://tipsandadvice-environment.co.uk/download (EN 13.03.06).