There are calls for the Scottish Government to “pause and review” plans to introduce low emission zones in Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen, as official figures show air quality levels are within legal limits in all three cities.
The Scottish Mail on Sunday quotes Scotland’s transport spokesman Graham Simpson as saying: “The Scottish Government’s own data shows pollutants within the legal limit at every monitoring spot in the proposed LEZs since at least 2020. It’s difficult to see the justification for their introduction.
“The lesson from Glasgow is that it is easy to botch these schemes. They impose huge costs and inconvenience on motorists. If they go ahead with their introduction, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh must not repeat those mistakes.”
Mr Simpson was referring to figures showing nitrogen dioxide levels in Glasgow last November rose at both monitoring stations in the zone compared with the same month in 2022, despite the ban on diesel vehicles made before 2015 and petrol cars from before 2006.
A Transport Scotland spokesman told the newspaper: “LEZs are key to protecting public health by improving air quality and support Scotland’s wider emission reduction ambitions.”
(Picture – Glasgow City Council)
