The city of Glasgow in the United Kingdom will begin the operation of its Low Emission Zone (LEZ) on 1 June 2023. Vehicles entering the zone will have to comply with the specified emission standards or their owners will be fined.
The preparations for the operation and enforcement of the LEZ are underway: LEZ signage has been installed at all of the entry points to the zone, and infrastructure for automated number plate recognition to enable the enforcement of the zone has also been put in place. The necessary cameras will be installed during April 2023, after which they will be tested to ensure that they are ready to enter into operation before the official start of the LEZ.
Non-infrastructural preparations, such as compiling the list of exemptions and registering taxi operators so that they avoid being fined, are also well underway. Exemptions to the LEZ standards will be given to emergency vehicles and the vehicles belonging to those who are registered as disabled, while residents living in the zone will have an additional year time to comply. Since December 2022, Glasgow has also been running an awareness campaign, “Plan Ahead for the LEZ”, to inform and familiarise people with the scheme. The campaign will continue beyond the start of the operation and enforcement of the LEZ.
Councillor Angus Millar, City Convener for Transport and Climate said: “Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone is an essential measure to tackle unacceptably high levels of harmful air pollution that has long persisted in the city centre. … Generally, diesel vehicles registered after September 2015, and petrol vehicles registered from 2006 onwards will meet LEZ standards. However, to be certain you can enter your registration number into Transport Scotland’s online vehicle checker, details of which are on our LEZ webpages.”
Glasgow’s LEZ can also:
- help accelerate the uptake of less polluting vehicles
- encourage people to move away from private car use
- increase the safety, attractiveness, and amenity of our city centre