Glasgow LEZ fines revealed after first month of enforcement

Almost 3,000 fines were issued to drivers who entered Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in non-compliant vehicles during the first month of enforcement.

Glasgow City Council has released figures which show there were 2,922 penalty charge notices handed out in June. They are set at £60 — reduced by 50% if paid within 14 days. A “period of familiarisation” meant drivers only received one fine in June. However, surcharging has been introduced this month, meaning the fine will now double for each subsequent LEZ breach. It will start after the first penalty charge can “be expected to have been received by the vehicle’s registered keeper”.

Fines can increase up to a maximum of £480 for cars and £960 for buses and HGVs. The LEZ has been introduced in an attempt to improve air pollution in the city centre and covers an area from the M8 motorway to the north and west, the River Clyde to the south and Saltmarket/High Street to the east. Phase one of the scheme was rolled out for buses in December 2018, with phase two, for all vehicles, brought in on June 1 this year.

A council spokesman said: “Glasgow’s plan to phase in a Low Emission Zone was announced in 2018 to address decades of harmful air pollution in the city centre. Since then there has been extensive communications and engagement to raise awareness of the scheme, its time-scale for introduction and the availability of funding to support compliance. While up to 90% of vehicles currently entering the city centre will be unaffected, LEZ standards will address the most polluting vehicles which are disproportionately creating the harmful concentrations of air pollution in the city centre.”

Generally, diesel engine vehicles registered after September 2015, and petrol vehicles registered from 2006 onwards will meet the required LEZ standards. Enforcement for vehicles registered to homes within the zone will start on June 1 next year.

Vehicles can be checked at: https://www.lowemissionzones.scot/vehicle-registration-checker