A CHARITY which feeds homeless people in Glasgow has warned lives will be lost as a result of three of its emergency outreach vehicles being banned from the city centre's low emission zone.

Colin McInnes, chairman and founder of Homeless Project Scotland, said his organisation had spent £16,000 on a fourth van, which can transport food in a cool environment, so that it could continue to feed hungry people.

Mr McInnes said its other three vehicles which carry first aid equipment could not be driven into the city centre as they did not meet the requirements of the LEZ. His organisation has now launched a fund raising campaign to raise £80,000 for new replacement vans compliant with the emissions' restrictions.

"We would far rather be spending the money on food for people rather than on vehicles," he told The Herald.

"I know that lives will be lost when we are off the road. Drug overdose deaths will increase because we are not able to take our emergency outreach vehicles into the LEZ and more people will be hungry."

Mr McInnes wants an exemption for the charity's vehicles which emergency vehicles have.

His warning comes after he yesterday accused the SNP's deputy leader Keith Brown of misrepresenting the situation faced by the organisation in Holyrood. He is now writing a letter of complaint to the Scottish Parliament's Presiding Officer demanding an apology from Mr Brown. 

The former cabinet minister on Thursday demanded that Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross retract comments he made in the chamber the previous week when the Tory MSP raised Homeless Project Scotland's situation.

Mr Brown called on Mr Ross to "correct the record" and "to explain why he pursued a misleading line of questioning in last week’s session of First Minister’s questions".

In a point of order at the end of First Minister's Questions Mr Brown told the chamber: "While questioning the First Minister, Douglas Ross attempted to discredit the new low-emission zone in Glasgow. He stated: 'Homeless Project Scotland was refused an exemption to use a refrigerated van within the restricted area.'

"He went on to heavily imply that the LEZ was condemning the charity to being unable to do the work that it wants to do. Of course, he failed to clarify that Glasgow City Council had, in fact, given an exemption to Homeless Project Scotland so that it could continue its work."

Homeless Project Scotland yesterday took to Twitter to say Mr Brown was wrong, it had only been granted a two month exemption and had been forced to buy a new vehicle and fundraise for the three others. 

The HPS added that "for the last week we have not been able to bring our emergency street outreach vehicles into the city". The charity, which says on its website it distributes more than 250,000 meals a year, urged the SNP and First Minister to assist them.

The statement said: "We are disappointed with Keith Brown as he misrepresents Homeless Project Scotland yesterday in parliament challenging Douglas Ross for raising the very serious matter about Glasgow City Council refusing our fridge van along with our other three vehicles into the LEZ zone.

"[The exemption] was accepted [for] only for 2 months 3hrs before it came into force. We have been forced to buy a new fridge van and fundraise for a further three vehicles due to Glasgow city council's LEZ.

"For the last week we have not been able to bring our emergency street outreach vehicles into the city.

The statement added: "We would appreciate if Keith Brown would support us instead of misrepresenting us. Douglas Ross was right on this occasion and we are still suffering today as a result of LEZ. 

"Humza Yousaf it would be better if your Scottish Government and the SNP supported use rather than hindering us."

From Thursday 1 June, any vehicle entering the LEZ within the city centre has to meet certain emission standards or will face a penalty.

Blue badge holders, emergency vehicles, motorbikes and mopeds are exempt, and local residents who live in the zone have an extra year to comply with the measures.

Glasgow is the first of four major Scottish cities to enforce the year-round scheme to reduce air pollution, with Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dundee to follow in 2024.
Glasgow City Council believes that by excluding the most polluting vehicles from the centre, it will help protect public health by tackling "unacceptably high levels of harmful air pollution that have long persisted in the zone area".

The SNP and Glasgow city council were approached for a response to Homeless Project Scotland's comments.