Harmful nitrogen dioxide is being recorded in our city centre at levels that do not meet statutory objectives. As the main source of this air pollutant is from road traffic, Glasgow's LEZ is an essential measure to:
Glasgow's LEZ will apply to all vehicle types, except for motorbikes and mopeds, and those vehicle types or uses considered exempt - this would include emergency vehicles and vehicles for disabled persons, including blue badge holders.
Phase 1 of Glasgow's LEZ applies to local service buses only, however when Phase 2 is enforced from 1 June 2023, all vehicles entering the city centre zone must meet the required emission standards to avoid a penalty.
Zone residents will have an extra year to comply, with enforcement starting from 1 June 2024. The vehicle must be registered to a residential address within the LEZ zone area to qualify for this grace period.
Full details about Glasgow's LEZ can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page, including where the zone is, emission standards, penalty levels, grace periods for zone residents and exemptions.
You can also find out more about the availability of funding assistance to ease compliance; whether your vehicle is likely to meet the expected emission standards, and general information about how you can prepare for Glasgow's LEZ.
Glasgow's LEZ - Information Booklet [2Mb]
Key entry requirements for Low Emission Zones in Scotland have been set at national level for consistency.
Complementing the nationally set elements of LEZs in Scotland - the council has determined the design and operation of our own scheme based on local requirements.
Glasgow's LEZ Final Scheme Design [671kb]
Details include:
All of the other evidence used in the scheme design can be viewed in the LEZ Reports/Evidence Base section of this webpage below.
Practical, targeted assistance from the Scottish Government to help prepare for the introduction of LEZs has included vehicle retrofit support and money for lower income households and small businesses through the LEZ Support Fund. 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 shift 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.
Full details of all current Scottish Government grant funding availability (and to register for future rounds where appropriate) can be found on the national Low Emission Zone website. Other, related grants and loans funded by Transport Scotland and managed by the Energy Saving Trust (EST), can be found on the EST website.
Complementing the nationally set elements of LEZs in Scotland - the council has determined the design and operation of our own scheme based on local requirements.
The main development stages are as follows:
The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 provides the legislation to enable the creation and civil enforcement of LEZs.
The Scottish Government has developed regulations and guidance, relating to a number of key LEZ aspects including emissions, penalties, certain exemptions and parameters for grace periods. The council however has the powers to create, enforce, operate or revoke a Low Emission Zone and to design its shape, size and vehicle scope, based on local requirements.
There are two sets of national regulations for LEZs:
These regulations were finalised following a consultation which asked questions about key aspects of LEZ regulations and guidance, particularly views on emission standards, exemptions and penalty charges.
The Traffic Signs Amendment (Scotland) Regulations and General Directions 2022 refers to the road signs and markings that indicate a Low Emission Zone.
Glasgow’s LEZ – Final Scheme Design as Approved [3Mb]
Glasgow's LEZ - Preferred Scheme Design (Phase 2) [626kb]
Glasgow Air Quality Evidence Report – initial report on the LEZ proposals by SEPA [5Mb]
Low Emission Zone – Glasgow Evidence Report by SEPA (final) [4Mb]
Consideration of Carbon Dioxide emissions within an LEZ scheme: Glasgow – Report by SEPA [570kb]
Using traffic modelling information provided by SYSTRA, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has developed an interactive tool to show the predicted changes in both emissions and traffic levels expected under the proposed Phase 2 LEZ measures. The tool allows users to explore these changes on a street by street basis and is available via the link below: