Glasgow's Low Emission Zone (LEZ)

Overview

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:

• improve air quality
• protect public health
• support wider climate change ambitions by encouraging more sustainable transport options

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]

LEZ Key Details

Key entry requirements for Low Emission Zones in Scotland have been set at national level for consistency.

• 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.
• In general, diesel engine vehicles registered after September 2015 and petrol engine vehicles registered from 2006 onwards will usually meet the required emissions standards, as will buses, coaches and HGVs registered from January 2013.
• Failing to comply with LEZ requirements will result in a penalty charge. This is set nationally at £60 and is 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.

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:

• Glasgow's LEZ will operate 24 hours a day - all year round
• The zone covers 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

All of the other evidence used in the scheme design can be viewed in the LEZ Reports/Evidence Base section of this webpage below.

LEZ Funding Assistance

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. 

LEZ Scheme Development

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:

• Design proposals were consulted upon in summer/autumn 2021 - with almost 3,000 responses received
• Consultation responses were noted by our Environment, Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Committee on 23 November 2021 and fed into the final Phase 2 scheme design
• Details of the final scheme design was published in December 2021
• A report summarising objections to Glasgow's LEZ was published and noted by our Environment, Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Committee on 7 March 2022. Whilst all objections were considered, the pressing need to address the negative health impacts arising from air pollution, combined with the practical support that has been made available to those most affected, resulted in no further changes to the proposed final scheme design.
• The final scheme design was approved by City Administration Committee on 10 March 2022
• Details will now be submitted to Scottish Ministers, with potential outcomes including approval of our LEZ design, a requirement to modify, or a move to formal examination.

LEZ Legislation/Regulations/Guidance

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:

• The Low Emission Zones (Emission Standards, Exemptions and Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 - these regulations cover emission standards, exemptions, penalty charge rates, and enforcement.
• The Low Emission Zones (Scotland) Regulations 2021 - these regulations cover  consultation, publication and representations, examinations, approved devices, and accounts.

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.

LEZ Reports/Evidence Base

 Glasgow’s LEZ – Final Scheme Design as Approved [3Mb]

 Glasgow's LEZ - Preferred Scheme Design (Phase 2) [626kb]

 LEZ Objections Report [147kb]

 Glasgow Air Quality Evidence Report – initial report on the LEZ proposals by SEPA [5Mb]

 Glasgow’s LEZ – Prepared by SEPA – an interim report from 2020 on phase 1 of the LEZ and lockdown [3Mb]

 Glasgow LEZ Emissions Report – final report from SEPA detailing emissions reductions through the LEZ [1Mb]

 Low Emission Zone – Glasgow Evidence Report by SEPA (final) [4Mb]

 Consideration of Carbon Dioxide emissions within an LEZ scheme: Glasgow – Report by SEPA [570kb]

 Glasgow City Centre LEZ Testing – Transport modelling report on the LEZ boundary options by Systra [2Mb]

 LEZ Post Covid Uncertainty Summary Note – Note on post covid uncertainty prepared by Jacobs / Systra for Transport Scotland [771kb]

 Glasgow City Centre LEZ Testing Covid Measures – Report on LEZ transport modelling including preferred boundary options and uncertainty prepared by Systra [2Mb]

 Glasgow LEZ IIA Final Report – Integrated Impact Assessment of the preferred LEZ scheme prepared by Jacobs [2Mb]

LEZ Data Analysis Tool

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:

LEZ Data Analysis Tool