Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone: read all about it
Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) will go live on 1 June 2023. If you live or work in Glasgow, you may be wondering what this means for you. Maddy, our Regional Campaigns and Policy Officer lays out what you need to know about the LEZ and why it’s such a vital step towards cleaner air for the city.
What is the Low Emission Zone?
In 2017, the Scottish Government announced plans to introduce Low Emission Zones in four of Scotland’s biggest cities, including Glasgow. This was in response to research showing air pollution in the cities breaching legal limits, putting the health of local people at risk.
Low Emission Zones are designed to reduce air pollution from vehicles within a dedicated zone, usually in an urban area or city. They are being introduced as a way to tackle harmful and illegal levels of air pollution by encouraging people to upgrade to less-polluting modes of transport. People driving within the zone must be driving a vehicle that doesn’t exceed a certain level of emissions, and those who continue to drive vehicles with higher emissions face a penalty charge.
The LEZ timeline
Phase 1 Glasgow’s LEZ began in 2018 and applied to all local bus services.
Phase 2 In 2022, phase two was introduced to apply to all vehicles, including private cars. There was a grace period of one year where no fines would be issued, to allow local people to adjust to the change.
Phase 3 On 1 June 2023 the LEZ will be enforced to all vehicles in the zone.
Why Glasgow needs the Low Emission Zone
According to recent data, air pollution in urban Glasgow is still 4.5x higher than World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The guidelines propose annual limits for harmful pollutants; however, it is important to emphasise that there is no safe level of exposure to air pollution.
Air pollution is dangerous to everybody’s health, but people with lung conditions are particularly at risk. The air quality in Scotland is also often worse in inner city deprived areas, where the least people contribute to the problem as less households own cars. In fact, Glasgow has some of the lowest levels of car ownership in the whole of Scotland - yet the rate of people being hospitalised for asthma and COPD is significantly higher in Glasgow city centre compared to the national average. That’s why it’s so important to ensure that vehicles on the roads are compliant with the new LEZ limits.
Low Emission Zones work
Low Emission Zones (also known as Clean Air Zones outside of Scotland) are one of the most effective ways to tackle the air pollution caused by vehicles, quickly. By restricting the most polluting vehicles, they encourage people to use less polluting modes of transport, such as electric vehicles, public transport and active travel. There are already encouraging signs of change in Glasgow - since the launch of the LEZ in 2018, there has been a shift towards using buses with lower emissions. What’s more, according to the charity Sustrans, walking, wheeling or cycling in Glasgow takes up to 150,000 cars off the road every year and prevents an estimated 1390 serious long term health conditions.
Case study: London ULEZ
London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone has been a game changer in proving the benefits of low emission zones. In early 2023, a report by the Mayor of London demonstrated that pollution levels in inner London were 21 per cent lower than they would have been without the ULEZ, with 74,000 fewer polluting vehicles travelling through the zone every day. This shows that LEZs have a measurable impact on tackling toxic air.
Helping you adjust
There are various grants available to households and small businesses to help make the switch to less polluting modes of transport. These include a grant to scrap your non-compliant vehicle, funding for bus passes, train season tickets and access to new and used bikes. Some businesses are also eligible for a fund to retrofit their vehicle to become compliant.
It is also important to know that there are exemptions for those who require their car for mobility reasons. You can check the Glasgow City Council website for more information.
Demand cleaner air for Glasgow
The Low Emission Zone is an important step towards a cleaner, healthier Glasgow but air pollution levels in the region are still some of the worst in the whole of the UK. Further measures are needed to bring pollution levels down, protecting the lungs of the community and everyone’s right to breathe clean air.
The work won’t stop after the LEZ roll-out. Asthma + Lung UK is calling on the local government to tackle toxic air from several angles - from creating a better public transport network, to measures that protect the city’s schools. Add your voice by signing our petition today.