Business Briefing - Glasgow's Low Emission Zone

Glasgow is committed to improving air quality and with the first phase of Glasgow's Low Emission Zone now in effect, Councillor Anna Richardson (Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction) focuses on the business community in respect of the LEZ and its second phase, which will affect all vehicles from the end of 2022.

Cleaning up Glasgow's Air

Councillor Anna Richardson, Convenor for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction said;

"Clean air is vital for Glasgow and our key driver is the health of our people; particularly so, the very young, the elderly and those with existing health conditions who are most affected by air pollution.

"Through partnership working, we've made great strides to improve our air quality but it's not been quick enough. For too long, Glasgow has made headlines for dirty air and much of that is pollution from road traffic. We simply cannot accept that some of our streets are in breach of air quality regulations and we must change that story.

Scotland's First LEZ

"To help reduce pollution levels, Glasgow introduced Scotland's first Low Emission Zone on 31 December 2018. Glasgow's LEZ is intended to improve air quality and help make our city centre a safer, cleaner and more pleasant place to be.

A Phased Approach

"To give individuals and businesses time to prepare, Glasgow's LEZ is being introduced on a phased basis and so to start with, the vehicle emission standards required to drive into Glasgow's LEZ, only affects local service buses.

"I recognise, particularly for businesses, that the introduction of Glasgow's LEZ needs to be proportionate and managed in such a way that ambition and practicality can be balanced. That's why we're taking a phased approach. It won't be until December 2022 that all vehicles entering Glasgow's LEZ will need to meet the required emission standards which are Euro 6/VI for diesel and Euro 4 for petrol. Motorcycles and mopeds are currently under consideration.

"This phased approach is in line with the lead in time adopted by other European cities and looks at Glasgow's overall needs, to ensure there's no adverse impact on peoples' lives, nor any harm caused to enterprises which contribute so much to the vitality of our city centre economy.

Emission Standards

"I understand that the term 'Euro standard' is unfamiliar to most. The DVLA are working on developing a vehicle checker and until this is available the current alternative is to use vehicle age as an approximate guide to the relevant Euro standard. Our webpages provide information about Euro standards which I hope you'll find helpful. We're also exploring other ways to raise awareness and understanding of the expected Euro standards as we go forward.

Boundary

"The exact boundary of the LEZ when it applies to all vehicles at the end of 2022 will be worked out following detailed transport modelling - a process which involves using models of our city centre roads to help identify the best way forward. Generally speaking however, the zone is expected to be the area bounded by the M8, River Clyde and High Street/Saltmarket.

What we've done meantime to raise awareness of the zone area, is to install indicative LEZ signage at key city centre locations. These highly visible signs are positioned at key entry points into the city centre and will highlight to motorists and others that they're heading towards Glasgow's LEZ.

"We've chosen to be ambitious in the geographical area our LEZ covers so it doesn't just apply to the most polluted streets but instead encompasses the city centre as a whole, to ensure that we don't just shift air quality issues elsewhere.

Details

"The choice to include all vehicles including cars, in the second phase of the LEZ is not an easy one but it is the right one. We acknowledge that to achieve the results our city deserves we must tackle emissions, wherever they come from.

"Exemptions and other specifics will quite rightly be set at national level. This is important to provide clarity to businesses and residents alike who must have consistency as they cross cities but it does mean that there are questions that we simply cannot answer yet which we understand can be frustrating.

Engagement

"We've been actively seeking views from businesses of all sizes who'll be affected, to try and determine the scale of the impact and whether we need to find ways to diminish this. We've held large stakeholder group meetings and also met with individuals. We'll continue to do this. Through this type of engagement, specific issues have come to the fore that we've already taken account of which is why I'm so passionate about the limitless value of listening, engaging and encouraging open dialogue.

"While the ongoing consultation work we do ensures we're hearing as many voices as possible, it's also vital that communication goes the other way too. The success of the LEZ depends on us getting the message out to residents and businesses as early as possible and giving everyone the most up to date information promptly to empower them to make decisions now in time for December 2022.

Benefits

"The LEZ is expected to enhance the comfort and attractiveness of the city centre, complementing projects such as The Avenues which will see £115 million of City Deal investment into streetscape improvements. There's also a new local transport strategy in the pipeline which'll provide a strategic framework for all these projects.

"It's been heartening through the many conversations I've had that there is widespread support for the LEZ. It's understood that this is the only direction for cities to take, both nationally and across Europe if we are to ensure our city centres are welcoming, healthy, pleasant places to be.

"Businesses are the backbone of Glasgow's economy; driving growth and creating jobs. And so, we'll continue to engage with enterprises and their representative bodies over the coming months to ensure that your voices are heard as we deliver cleaner air for Glasgow."