MSPS raise concerns about timescale for introduction of low emission zones

0 Graeme Dey: Questions on support for implementing LEZS A Holyrood committee has raised concerns about the tight timescale for implementing low emission zones (LEZS) in Scotland.

MSPS on the environment committee said they supported the move, but questioned whether councils had the resources for them to be fully operational in time.

The committee held an inquiry to examine the effectiveness of the Scottish Government’s 2015 Cleaner Air for Scotland Strategy. Its report expressed concerns about the “direction of travel, rate of change and action on the ground” and called for the strategy to be kept under review to ensure it is “fit for purpose”.

Scotland’s first LEZ is due to be running in Glasgow by the end of the year, with zones in the four biggest cities by 2020.

But the report said even if the zones were in place by the deadlines, “they will not be enforced for a number of years” which might cause confusion for bus operators and small freight firms.

MSPS called for a progress update by the end of June “along with an indication of the date of which they will be enforceable”.

The committee backed private cars being included in the LEZS and urged ministers to consider exploring congestion charging and workplace parking levies. The report also said compliance would come “at a significant cost” and more detail was needed.

MSPS also noted concern that at the current rate of progress it would take around 239 years to reach the government’s target for 10 per cent of journeys to be made by bike by 2020, while bus passenger numbers have fallen over the past five years.

Committee convener Graeme Dey said: “Poor air quality remains an issue in a number of our towns and cities across Scotland, and effective change is needed now so that all of us can breathe clean air and lead healthy lives in the future.

“While we recognise that the Scottish Government has ambitious targets to tackle pollution, we have questions on whether the necessary support is going to be in place to achieve these.”