Drivers 'clobbered' with fines worth almost £500,000 in new 'ill-thought-out' Low Emission Zone

Scotland’s first Low Emission Zone launched on June 1, with all vehicles driving into the city centre needing to adhere to particular emissions standards.

The emissions standards for the LEZs in Scotland also apply to other national schemes like Clean Air Zones and London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone.

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Petrol vehicles must be Euro 4, meaning they were generally made after 2005, although some vehicles produced after 2001 may also qualify.

Diesel drivers have far stricter rules to abide by with a Euro 6 vehicle being needed to escape fines which are generally those produced after September 2015.

If someone’s vehicle does not have the required emissions standards, they will be hit with an initial fine of £60.

However, for every subsequent breach, the fine will double, with penalty charge rates capped at £480 for cars and LGVs, while buses and HGVs will need to pay £960.

The council states that all money made from the scheme is reinvested and used to reduce air pollution in the city.

Although only one £960 fine was issued in July, the charges have seen a dramatic rise since with 21 issued in August and 89 issued in September.

Graham Simpson, the transport spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives, said: “It is clear that Glasgow’s low-emission zone has clobbered hard-pressed motorists for huge sums of money, only a few months since it was imposed.

“A rising number are being hit with the council’s new full-penalty fines, which total nearly £1,000.

“Ordinary Glaswegians, and in particular motorists and city centre businesses, are paying a huge price for this ill-thought-out policy.

“The SNP council must be upfront about how they intend to spend this money and other cities across Scotland must learn from how Glasgow’s low-emission zone has been so badly botched.”

Other Scottish cities including Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dundee will launch Low Emission Zones in May and June next year.

The Court of Session ruled that Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone was lawful and proportionate following a legal challenge last month.

A spokesperson for the council said: “Scottish LEZs operate by way of a penalty system, set in legislation to discourage non-compliant vehicle entry and to maximise the air quality benefits that can be delivered.

“Penalties are reduced by 50 per cent if paid within 14 days, with all revenue above that incurred in running Glasgow’s LEZ scheme itself only used for activities that help reduce air pollution or contribute toward achieving our climate change targets.

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“We would remind drivers that Glasgow’s LEZ is now in force and to familiarise themselves with its emissions requirements.”