Low Emission Zone backfires and could be 'failing' after rollout

James Rodger

2 October 2024 at 8:37 am·2-min read

Low Emission Zone backfires and could be 'failing' after rollout — -Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)

A Low Emission Zone could be failing as pollution levels 'exceed' in a major UK city. Levels in two Glasgow streets are still too high but are on the way down due to the LEZ traffic zone and restrictions, a meeting has heard.

The two most polluted spaces in the city – with higher Nitrogen Dioxide (N02) levels – were Hielanman’s Umbrella North and Gordon Street near Central Station according to recent figures. According to the latest Air Quality Annual Progress Report by Glasgow City Council, nitrogen dioxide concentrations reduced by 20 per cent in the city centre but saw “exceedance” in some regions.

Scottish Greens councillor Blair Anderson said he is very glad the LEZ went ahead "despite people spreading misinformation about it". SNP Councillor Angus Millar, responsible for climate and transport, said: "The roll out of the LEZ is one of the main ways in which we will continue to tackle air quality and problematic levels of air pollution in the city centre."

Explaining more about N02 levels, a council official said: "The results for 2023 show that all automatic monitoring is within the annual mean objective but the results from Glasgow kerbside (Hope Street monitoring station) remain marginal." He said another two locations monitored "in the immediate vicinity of Glasgow Central Station remain as exceedances (in 2023) although levels have declined significantly over that observed in the previous year".

He said the city has "come very close to full compliance with the statutory objectives" in 2023 and "further improvements can be expected". A council paper said: "As the Glasgow LEZ was only enforced for part of the calendar year and was not universal in scope due to the above grace periods and exemptions, it is not yet possible to determine the full impact of the LEZ on the annual mean objective from the observed 2023 monitoring results."

An air quality management area has been declared in Glasgow city centre as air quality objectives were not met.

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