Low emission zones: What is a LEZ and when do fines start in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee?

Air quality in the Scottish capital has been improving, monitoring shows, but the restrictions should further cut poisonous traffic fumes, which can seriously harm health and even kill.

Drivers who enter the designated patch in cars, vans, buses and lorries which do not comply with standards set out by the local council will be hit with a fine for each contravention. The LEZ has officially been in place for the past two years, but a ‘grace period’ has been given to allow drivers to prepare before penalties begin.

However, all that is going to change soon.

The Edinburgh city centre LEZ was approved by Scottish ministers on May 19, 2022 and was introduced on May 31, 2022. But the system goes ‘live’ on June 1, 2024, after which tickets will be issued to those in breach of the standards.

Scott Arthur, transport and environment convener for Edinburgh City Council, said: “We’ll begin enforcing a low emission zone in Edinburgh, which we’ve introduced alongside similar zones in other Scottish cities.

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“By limiting the most polluting vehicles from the zone, the LEZ will play a central role in lowering harmful emissions in Edinburgh, which negatively affect our health and well-being. Our LEZ has had a two-year grace period to give people time to get ready and to make sure they avoid penalties once enforcement begins.

“In Edinburgh we have pledged achieving net zero, cutting congestion and improving air quality, amongst other commitments to create a more sustainable, safe and people-friendly city.

"In addition to schemes to make it easy and safe for people to walk, wheel and use public transport in our fantastic capital city, the LEZ is a key tool for achieving this.”

So where is the LEZ boundary in Edinburgh?

The LEZ boundary circles the city centre from Tollcross in the south to Palmerston Place in the west, along Queen Street in the New Town to Picardy Place, then around Abbeyhill and on to Holyrood Road, along the Pleasance in the east, before heading back along the Meadows to Tollcross.

Special cameras which can recognise vehicle number plates have been installed at ‘entry points’ to the zone, automatically issuing penalty charge notices (PCNs) to vehicles which exceed the emissions standards.

There are 17 fixed cameras, although the authority will not reveal the locations – presumably to reduce the number of people dodging them, but also due to the risk of vandalism. Cameras may also be moved, added or taken away “to ensure the LEZ is adequately enforced”, while a mobile spotter van will also be on patrol around the city.

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Which vehicles are non-compliant and will face fines?

Mainly older cars and vans, especially diesel-powered vehicles, are likely to fail the standards. Edinburgh City Council has a handy link on its website where residents can enter their registration plate to check whether their motor meets the minimum emission standards.

The guidance is laid out here: Euro 4 for petrol cars and vans – generally vehicles registered from 2006; Euro 6 for diesel cars and vans – generally vehicles registered from September 2015; Euro 6 for petrol and diesel taxis and private hire vehicles, according to standard licence conditions set out in the Taxi Emission Standards Policy (2021); Euro 6 for buses, coaches and HGVs – generally vehicles registered from January 2013.

It is important to note holders of valid residential parking permits are not exempt from the LEZ regulations and penalty charges. Meanwhile, all zero-emission vehicles, including electric vehicles (EVs), meet the zone’s minimum emission standards.

So how much are the fines?

The fines double each time you break the rules within a 90-day period, though cost is halved if you pay up within 14 days of the ticket. The first breach will cost you £60, rising to £120 on the second contravention, then £240 for the third and up to top charge of £480 for a four-time offender.

For anyone driving a non-compliant bus, coach, minibus or lorry, a fifth offence will see them stung for a whopping £960.

The system resets after 90 days. And, very kindly, the council promises only one charge will be issued within any 24-hour period.

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Are any vehicles exempt?

Yes – those for people with disabilities, including holders of a Blue Badge; historic wheels, such as vintage cars which are 30 years old or more; showman’s or circus vehicles; emergency vehicles; and military transport.

So if you’re driving a waltzer, an ambulance or a tank, you should be fine.

So what about parking permits – will you still be able to get one if you live inside the LEZ, but your vehicle does not comply?

Yes, you can still get a residential parking permit. However, having a valid permit on a ‘dirty’ car does not entitle you to actually drive it within the LEZ. All diesel vehicles already elicit a surcharge and this will remain in place.

According to the council, no parking zone is entirely within the LEZ, so anyone whose wheels fail the standard can park in streets outside its boundary to avoid fines. Good luck with that.

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So where will all the money go?

City of Edinburgh Council has said it will use all money raised through the fines to contribute towards running the LEZ. Any surplus may only be used to support LEZ objectives – primarily to reduce harmful emissions from transport and encourage sustainable travel. So probably not for filling in potholes then.

The potential income could be huge. In Glasgow, which began penalty charges last year, more than 35,000 tickets have been issued since the scheme’s rollout on June 1 Last year.

Newly released figures have revealed LEZ fines have boosted council coffers in Glasgow by more than £1 million in just over ten months.

And the results suggest the doubling of penalties is not acting as a major deterrent for some drivers, with more than 100 cases where the fine reached a maximum of £960 because they had been penalised for the fifth time.

What are the schemes in other Scottish cities?

LEZs are also due to go live in Dundee and Aberdeen. Compliance requirements, exemptions and penalties are based on a national set of standards, so will be the same as those in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Dundee

The City of Discovery will begin enforcement of its LEZ two days ahead of the capital, with the scheme going live on May 30. The restricted area lies within a boundary that is simply demarcated by the A991 Inner Ring Road, with the NCP car parks in Bell Street, Wellgate and West Marketgait excluded from the scheme.

Aberdeen

Like Edinburgh, the Granite City will begin enforcement on June 1. The zone extends across a fairly small, central plot around Castlegate to the east and the Union Street area to the west – between Skene Street and Willowbank Road.

Aberdeen’s main train station and bus terminal are outside of the LEZ, and some key city-centre car parks are accessible from outside the boundary, including those at Harriet Street, Loch Street, Denburn and Trinity Centre.