Glasgow's Low Emission Zone (LEZ)

Overview

Low Emission Zones set an environmental limit on certain road spaces - restricting access for the most polluting vehicles to improve air quality.

Whilst Glasgow has made good progress to reduce air pollution, harmful nitrogen dioxide is being recorded in our city centre at levels that do not meet statutory objectives. As the main source of this pollutant is from road traffic, Glasgow's LEZ is an essential measure to improve air quality and protect public health.

We are phasing in Glasgow's LEZ to give everyone time to prepare:

• Phase 1 (buses only) was introduced on 31 December 2018
• Phase 2 (all vehicles) is now in operation and will be enforced from 1 June 2023 

Enforcement for vehicles registered to a residential property within the zone will start on 1 June 2024.

The emission standards required to drive into Glasgow's LEZ will apply to all vehicles except for motorbikes and mopeds.

Some vehicle types or uses are exempt. This would include emergency vehicles and vehicles for disabled persons, including blue badge holders. 

Fully electric vehicles comply with LEZ requirements in Scotland.

 Glasgow's LEZ - Information Booklet [2Mb]

 

Full details about Glasgow's LEZ can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page, including where the zone is, emission standards, penalties, grace periods 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.

LEZ Key Details

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

• All vehicle types are affected except for motorbikes and mopeds.
• Some vehicle types or uses are 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
• A penalty charge will be payable by the vehicle's registered keeper if a non-compliant vehicle enters a LEZ. This penalty is set 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, the penalty charge rate will double, doubling again on each subsequent entry up to a maximum amount determined by vehicle type.

At local level, Glasgow's LEZ will operate 24 hours a day - all year round. It 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:

Full details of Glasgow's LEZ scheme design is available in the document below:

 Glasgow's LEZ Final Scheme Design [671kb]

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

LEZ Funding Assistance

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.

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 were 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 LEZ scheme design was approved by City Administration Committee on 10 March 2022.
• Glasgow's LEZ was approved by Scottish Ministers on 19 May 2022 and was introduced on 31 May 2022. Enforcement will start on 1 June 2023, following a one-year grace period.  Enforcement for vehicles registered to a residential property within the zone will start on 1 June 2024.
• An update of progress made to ensure the city is ready for LEZ enforcement from 1 June 2023 was provided to our Net Zero Committee on 20 September 2022.

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