Edinburgh Low Emission Zone: Extent of council fleet non-compliance revealed despite pledge to meet standards

Local authority criticised for failing to learn lessons of Glasgow’s LEZ introduction last year.

The City of Edinburgh Council has been accused of "failing to get its own house in order" after revealing 41 of its vehicles which use the city centre will not be compliant with its low emission zone despite pledging the entire fleet would meet strict standards.

The local authority is to hire replacements for those vehicles whose engines do not comply with the LEZ, which will be enforced from Saturday, June 1.

They include specialised buses to take people to schools and day care centres, such as those with mobility problems. Other affected vehicles are used by parks, housing, property and roads staff.

A further 35 council vehicles which would not use the LEZ are also non-compliant, which covers petrol cars and vans registered before 2006, those with diesel engines registered before September 2015, and buses, coaches and lorries registered before 2013.

The revelation comes despite transport convener Scott Arthur pledging in September last year: “I can reassure you that, by the time the LEZ comes into force, every single one of the council vehicles will be LEZ compliant.”

He made the vow when he said lessons would be learned from the introduction of an LEZ in Glasgow in June last year when 40 per cent of the city council’s fleet was non-compliant.

Drivers with vehicles that do not meet the standards face £60 fines, which are halved if paid within two weeks, but double for each subsequent offence. Aberdeen and Dundee are also enforcing their LEZs from June 1.

Edinburgh council said the 41 vehicles comprised 3.5 per cent of its fleet. It said replacements had been ordered, but they would not be delivered until after LEZ enforcement started.

A report to Thursday’s transport committee stated: “Hire vehicles are required to ensure business continuity. This includes 14 welfare buses in community transport. It is anticipated these welfare buses will have all been delivered by September.”

The report said the other 35 non-complaint vehicles were part of a replacement programme, but they were not priorities. However, the Scottish Conservatives said the council should have been better prepared.

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said: “These restrictions are a matter of days away from being imposed on hard-pressed capital residents, yet the council have failed to get their own house in order.

“Communities in Edinburgh will be wondering why dozens of the local authorities vehicles do not comply with their own law, when they are about to be hit during a cost-of-living crisis.

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“Lessons should have been learned from Glasgow’s shambolic low emission zone rollout, at a time when cash-strapped councils clearly do not have the resources to cope with it. The council must be upfront about exactly when all relevant vehicles will finally be compliant with the low emission zone.”

The IAM RoadSmart motoring group said the council was setting a poor example to other drivers.

Neil Greig, its Scotland-based policy adviser, said: “Sadly, Edinburgh council don’t seem to have learned from Glasgow’s embarrassing mistakes with LEZ compliance for its own vehicles.

“If the authority championing a new measure can’t get it right, how can it expect ordinary hard-working residents to do it? Hopefully, they will be similarly sensitive to problems for real money earners in the city when the zone starts.” Cllr Arthur expressed disappointment the council’s vehicles were not fully compliant.

He said: “We were looking to ensure the council fleet was 100 per cent LEZ compliant ahead of enforcement starting, so I feel disappointed by the news that replacements for a small number of vehicles now won’t be delivered until after it comes into force.

“I want to confirm, however, that I have asked that no non-compliant council vehicle enters the LEZ. Last year, councillors agreed unanimously to ensure the fleet was 100 per cent compliant, and set aside funding to make that happen ahead of enforcement starting.

“Whilst it’s great the fleet is now 96.5 per cent LEZ ready, I am disappointed that we missed a target that we expect others to meet.

“The LEZ, alongside schemes to cut congestion and make it easier and safer for people to walk, wheel, cycle and use public transport, is about making it much more pleasant and enjoyable to spend time in our fantastic capital city.

“Indeed, it supports our wider plans to make central Edinburgh a better place to live, work and visit. The reality is that people don’t want to spend time in a congested and polluted city centre, and our plans recognise that.”