In 2017, the Scottish Government made a bold commitment to delivering low emissions zones (LEZs) in Scotland’s four biggest cities by 2020.
We did so because this government was not content to allow poor air quality to continue unabated in our towns and cities.
While the quality of our air in Scotland’s towns and cities is generally good, local authorities and government are aware of the problems in our city centres. Nitrogen dioxides and particulate matter are a risk to public health and the reality is that this is a problem caused largely through diesel emissions from older vehicles.
We know that poor air quality negatively impacts on our health. This is incredibly important for the oldest and
youngest in our society – and especially those with existing cardiovascular or respiratory conditions – but it’s also
relevant to all of us who wish to enjoy cleaner air and less polluting emissions in our urban hubs.
Working in partnership with Glasgow City Council, the City of Edinburgh Council, Dundee City Council and Aberdeen City Council, we’re on track to deliver LEZs which provide access to only the cleanest vehicles, in order to reduce toxic emissions and make our communities better places to live, work and visit.
We are not the first country to make this decision. There are numerous European examples of cities taking steps
to protect public health.
In England, in addition to London, more towns and cities are considering taking action as the danger to our health
becomes more understood by the medical community.
My message is clear, we simply cannot afford to continue as we have. The first Low Emission Zone has commenced in Glasgow and applies to bus operators on a phased basis.
Older diesel buses have contributed to the issue we face, however I’ve stated repeatedly that buses are part of the
solution in providing a more sustainable form of transportation than people choosing to drive their cars – especially
when travelling alone. That is why we have supported the bus industry in purchasing new buses or retrofitting their older fleet, so that buses can continue to be part of Scotland’s solution to improving air quality. Other drivers will be affected, with enforcement of private vehicles commencing from 2022 in Glasgow.
There will be grace periods to ensure that there is time to consider how we travel to and from our city centres and to consider whether an individual car or fleet vehicle is compliant.
What is critical – across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen – is that there is a consistent approach to the
standards and enforcement we adopt around LEZs, and that’s where central government can help.
The Transport (Scotland) Bill will enable this government to set consistent standards for how these zones operate,
which will then be implemented by local authorities in accordance with their needs.
We are proposing standards which, very broadly, would mean that diesel vehicles registered from September 2015 and petrol vehicles registered from January 2005 would be allowed into Scotland’s low emission zones.
This is the right thing to do to protect public health by allowing access to only the cleanest and least polluting vehicles in our city centres. Throughout this process, local authorities and Transport Scotland will be keeping the public up to date on how LEZs are developing.
We’ve launched www.lowemissionzones.scot so that you can learn more about what LEZs mean and discover how they help improve the quality of our air and protect the health of the people of Scotland.
Stephen Thomson of Transport Scotland will be delivering a keynote address on LEZ zones at the Low Carbon Scotland event at Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh on Tuesday, June 4.
For more information on how to attend this years meeting, please visit www.low-carbonscotland.scot
The Herald’s Climate for Change initiative supports efforts being made by the Scottish Government with key organisations and campaign partners. Throughout the year we will provide a forum in The Herald newspaper, online at herald.scotland.com and in Business HQ magazine, covering news and significant developments in this increasingly crucial area.
If you are interested in contributing editorially or interested in becoming a Climate for Change partner, please contact Stephen McTaggart on 0141 302 6137 or email stephen.mctaggart@heraldandtimes.co.uk
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