LEZ Edinburgh: City leaders warned in new poll over new ban on 'dirty' vehicles after lessons learned in Glasgow

Edinburgh City Council has “a body of work to do” before the roll-out of new rules banning the most polluting vehicles from the centre of the capital, politicians have warned.

The caution comes as a new poll conducted for Alex Salmond’s Alba Party suggests Edinburgh residents are divided over support for the plans, with almost equal numbers in favour and opposed.

However, the survey carried out by polling company Find Out Now shows one in five of the 768 people questioned “don’t know” whether they support the proposals or not.

The new low emissions zone (LEZ) is due to go live in Edinburgh in June, with drivers who enter the area in cars and vans which do not comply with standards facing fines of £60 for a first offence. Penalties will double for each subsequent breach within a 90-day period, up to £480 for a four-time offender.

A similar scheme has been in operation in Glasgow since the summer, with Aberdeen and Dundee also due to bring in their own versions in the coming year. Glasgow City Council issued nearly £500,000 of fines in the first four months of its scheme.

The LEZ in Glasgow has proven controversial, provoking a major backlash from businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, which claim their trade has been damaged due to the regulations.

Alba Party MSP Ash Regan said: “In the six months of the new year before this scheme comes live, we need to see a much greater effort by Edinburgh City Council to promote the benefits they say the LEZ will bring and to set out what support they intend to provide for businesses in our city that may be negatively impacted.”