Countdown is on with less than a month until LEZ comes into force in Aberdeen

Aberdeen’s new Low Emission Zone will come into force in just one month, with motorists today being urged to check their vehicles are compliant and plan their routes in advance over the coming weeks.

It is estimated only around 14% of vehicles in the local area do not comply with the LEZ, while the majority of city centre car parks can still be accessed without entering the low emission zone.

In line with Scottish Government policy and LEZs in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, Aberdeen’s LEZ is being introduced to reduce serious health risks by improving air quality in the city centre.

READ MORE: Family of Brit killed on gas rig in Persian Gulf appeal against 'woeful' sentence for his killer

READ MORE: MSP hits out as 'lifeline' Post Office to close in Aberdeen town

The Let’s Clear the Air campaign has been developed to provide information for everyone navigating their way around the city centre once the zone is enforced from Saturday, June 1.

The information campaign has been developed in partnership with Aberdeen City Council and Getabout to clearly communicate what and where the LEZ is, why it is being introduced and what motorists should do ahead of enforcement.

After June 1, drivers of vehicles which are not compliant face fines if they enter the LEZ area.

Financial support through the LEZ Retrofit Fund may be available to eligible micro-businesses and sole traders operating within a LEZ, to help with the cost of fitting technology to vehicles to ensure they meet the emissions standards.

A spokesperson for Let’s Clear the Air said: “With just four weeks to go until the LEZ becomes operational, this is a good opportunity to remind motorists to double check if their vehicle is compliant and plan ahead if they are among the small percentage that will no longer be eligible to drive in the zone.

“Clearly marked routes and online videos will show motorists how to navigate their way around the city centre, safe in the knowledge that we’re ‘clearing the air’.

“The overarching aim is to help make the city centre a cleaner, greener, healthier and more attractive place in which to live, work and play, while still being accessible to all and with clear health benefits for residents, visitors and future generations.”

Extensive modelling, planning and consultation by Aberdeen City Council has led to the optimal LEZ for Aberdeen that carefully balances the impact on air quality with the impact on residents and businesses in the city centre.

Concentrated around Union Street and the surrounding streets, the zone measures slightly under 1km2, representing just 0.5% of the total city area.

Air pollution affects 9 out of 10 individuals living in urban areas, killing 2,500 people in Scotland each year and putting the population at risk of serious health conditions such as asthma, respiratory infections, allergies, heart attacks, strokes and other chronic diseases.

The introduction of LEZs in Scotland’s four largest cities is part of a Scottish Government initiative which seeks to address the serious health problems, particularly among children, attributed to poor air quality in city centres.

Glasgow’s LEZ was enforced 12 months ago and LEZ zones already exist in major cities across the rest of the UK and Europe.

• To check if your vehicle is complaint, see a map of the LEZ and find out more about the Let’s Clear the Air campaign, visit www.getabout.org.uk