Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ), which has been in place since June, was recently challenged by a local business. After a two-day hearing, the Judicial Review of the LEZ has been dismissed.
Glasgow’s clean air bill was challenged by Paton’s Accident Repair Centre, objecting to the legality of the scheme.
The case also challenged the national regulations that determined the penalties when a vehicle does not meet the emission standards. All non-exempt vehicles that breach these standards face a charge, which is not a policy within London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and other Clean Air Zones in England.
This is the first LEZ to be put into place in Scotland, but Edinburgh, Dundee, and Aberdeen have plans to follow Glasgow’s scheme. Its first part included the introduction of low-emission buses, requiring an improvement each year in the quantity of low or zero-emission buses for the city centre.
Glasgow’s council have stated they hope the scheme will inspire more sustainable transportation and boost the city’s amenity, on top of improving air quality.
Cllr Angus Millar, the council’s convener for transport and climate, said: “Today’s decision reflects that Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone is an important public health measure, aimed at bringing down harmful levels of air pollution within the city centre after decades of unacceptable non-compliance with legal standards.
“A strong and substantial body of work underpinned our decision to roll out the LEZ, and we’ve always had the utmost confidence in the lawfulness and proportionality of the scheme given its clear, scientific evidence base.”
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