Glasgow drops congestion charge plan for city centre

GLASGOW has come under fire for dropping plans to look into congestion charging in the city to help tackle a “pollution crisis”.

But councillors have backed older cars being banned from the city centre in four years’ time with a low emissions zone extended to all vehicles by December 2022.

Glasgow City Council said it was “forging a path towards cleaner air”.

Council documents had confirmed officials were exploring road user charging in Glasgow and some councillors had supported an implementation of a scheme, following consultation, 2020.

But a Conservatives’ amendment before the City Administration Committee to take out the congestion charge policy entirely from the planned low emissions zone was backed by the SNP and passed.

It is understood the SNP group want a debate on congestion charging separate from the low emissions zone planning.

A letter to Glasgow City Council signed by nine health and environmental campaign groups and over 350 members of the public says that “road user charging” should be introduced as part of the low emissions scheme. And it wanted all vehicles to be compliant by April 2021.

Joseph Carter, head of devolved nations at the British Lung Foundation, said: “While we welcome the general basis of Glasgow City Council’s plans for a low emission zone, the decision to drop exploration of congestion charging is hugely disappointing. ”

Friends of the Earth Scotland said it remained a “no ambition zone” and that the decision means the “toxic, illegal levels of air pollution in Glasgow will carry on poisoning people’s lungs for at least four and a half more years”.

A low emission zone will apply to 20% of buses from the end of 2018, rising to 100% by December 2022. Cars will need to meet the strict standards from the end of 2022.

After that date petrol cars made before 2005 and diesels built before September 2014 will not get in.

Councillor Anna Richardson, city convener for sustainability and carbon reduction said: “The low emission zone will make significant reductions to air pollution in the city centre.”