Older vehicles banned from Glasgow as low emission zone launches

Car, van and truck drivers entering Glasgow's low emission zone in a non-compliant vehicle will be fined from today (Thursday, June 1).

A vehicle can only drive within the Glasgow LEZ if it meets the specified emission standards, which are Euro 4 for petrol cars and vans, Euro 6 for diesel cars and vans, and Euro VI for buses, coaches and HGVs.

When a non-compliant vehicle is detected in the zone, a penalty charge notice (PCN) will be issued to the registered keeper. 

The initial penalty charge of £60 will double for each subsequent breach detected - subject to a cap of £480 for cars and LGVs, and £960 for buses and HGVs.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras linked to a national vehicle licencing database will be used to enforce Glasgow's LEZ.

The zone, which operates 24 hours a day, all year round, covers an area of the city centre bounded by the M8 motorway to the north and west, the River Clyde to the south and Saltmarket/High Street to the east. The motorway itself however is not included.

Motorcycles and mopeds are not included in the current LEZ schemes and no restrictions will apply.

Glasgow's LEZ is the first to come into force in Scotland. It follows the initial, bus-only phase of the scheme which, since 2018.

The cities of Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh will enforce their own LEZ schemes in 2024.

Cllr Angus Millar, convener for climate and transport, said: "While the vast majority - up to 90% - of vehicles currently entering the city centre will be unaffected, the LEZ standards will address the small minority of vehicles which pollute the most, disproportionately creating the harmful concentrations of air pollution."

A national online vehicle checker from Transport Scotland is available to check for compliance with LEZ emission standards. 

There are some exemptions, such as for blue badge holders, and zone residents have an extra year to prepare.

Transport Scotland has developed an online portal where Blue Badge holders can register vehicles they are travelling in to obtain the required exemptions.

For further details about the LEZ scheme in Glasgow, click here.