Drivers in dark on low emission zones

TRANSPORT Minister Humza Yousaf failed to answer questions on plans for low emission zones across Scotland yesterday as it was revealed motorists face confusion with different rules in each city.

He revealed there will be a ‘national framework’ for the controversial scheme but claimed that ‘one size doesn’t fit all’.

Four low emission zones (LEZs) will be introduced by 2020 in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dundee, with the first to be in place by the end of next year. This will see some motorists banned from entering city centres or automatically fined for entering the restricted zones, which will be monitored by cameras.

This could see cars, taxis and buses banned from LEZs, with the crackdown likely to affect petrol cars registered before January 2006 and diesels registered before September 2014.

Yesterday, Mr Yousaf made a statement to parliament on developments of the first zone, which is set to be in place by Glasgow by the end of next year.

But Scottish Tory transport spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘We are very concerned about the timescale and lack of detail.

‘Many thousands of law-abiding everyday drivers will be affected by these restrictions.’

Mr Yousaf said that details would be published after discussions with local authorities on how best to implement the scheme.