Older vehicle ban in centre of Edinburgh
Older vehicles that produce higher emissions are set to be banned from Edinburgh city centre – with heavy fines for drivers who fail to comply.
Proposalsforalowemission Zone (LEZ) – designed to tackle air pollution and protect public health – are set to be agreed at a meeting of Edinburgh City Council’s transport committee on Thursday, June 17.
From spring 2022, diesel cars registered before September 2015 and petrol cars registered before January 2006, as well as HGVS and buses that do not meet the Euro VI emission requirements, will be banned from the city centre. The restrictions will not apply to motorcycles and mopeds.
Council officers estimate this will affect 16,000 vehicles in Edinburgh, mostly diesel cars. Lothian buses’ fleet does not yet meet the emission standards, but is expected to reach compliance by the end of 2021.
From 2024, the council will begin using automatic number plate recognition technology to fine drivers who fail to adhere to the restrictions.
The penalty charge notice will be £60 for the first transgression – but that will double for each subsequent offence within a 90-day period. For light vehicles, such as cars, the maximum fine will be £420, and for HGVS the maximum fine will be £900.
A spokesperson for Edinburgh City Council said: “An evidence-led approach was taken when appraising the schemes, adhering to the National Low Emission Framework and based on detailed traffic and air quality modelling and data.
“Each option was assessed against a series of principles and objectives including the reduction of harmful NO2 and greenhouse gas emissions and minimising the displacement of traffic as a result of the LEZ.
“If approved, a 12-week public consultation would be carried out.
“This would inform a report back to committee in autumn before the statutory process to introduce the LEZ begins, with
the aim of implementing the scheme in spring 2022.”
Work to introduce an LEZ in Edinburgh began in 2018 in line with the Scottish Government’s commitment to implement LEZS in Scotland’s four
largest cities. It was originally intended that LEZS would be in place by 2020 but, due to the pandemic, this date has been pushed back to 2022.