The 'astonishing' level of fines for breaching Edinburgh's low emission zone revealed

More than double the number of fines have been issued for breaching Edinburgh’s low emission zone (LEZ) in the scheme's first month compared to the launch in Glasgow, with the level of penalties described as “astronomical”.

A total of 6,030 penalty notices were issued in the first full month since the LEZ went ‘live’ in Edinburgh’s city centre on June 1 this year, according to figures released by the city council.

Of these, 5,756 were for first offences, while 274 were for second-time breaches. Together the fines will bring in at least £378,240 for council coffers – possibly more, depending on the class of vehicle being driven.

Only 2,922 penalty charges were issued for breaching Glasgow’s LEZ in the corresponding first 30 days when enforcement started on June 1 last year.

Ban on most polluting cars, vans, busses and lorries

Dundee City Council has meanwhile issued 2,144 fines for the corresponding first month since the city first started enforcing its own LEZ on May 30.

Critics said the level of fines for Edinburgh was a case of “demonising motorists” and accused the city council and Scottish Government of failing to listen to the concerns of businesses.

The number of fines issued for breaching Edinburgh's low emission zone in the first 30 days of its operation has been revealed

LEZs, which bar entry to vehicles whose exhaust fumes breach an official set of standards, have been rolled out in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee in a bid to reduce air pollution in cities and tackle climate change. The system was officially introduced in the capital in spring 2022, but went live on June 1 after a two-year grace period.

Low emission zones: What is a LEZ and when do fines start in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee?

Glasgow was first to begin enforcement, while Dundee and Aberdeen rolled out fines this year, on May 31 and June 1 respectively.

First offenders are hit with a £60 charge, which is reduced to £30 if paid within a fortnight. However, each subsequent breach within a 90-day period sees the penalty charge double, up to a maximum £480 for a four-time offender.

The charges are considerably higher for buses and lorries, with a top amount of £960 for a fifth contravention.

The system resets after 90 days, with only one charge issued within any 24-hour period.

Penalties over 30 days

The number of offences recorded in Edinburgh is also likely to be greater than in Aberdeen, where the number of penalties issued – 1,956 in the first 11 days, amounting to an average of around 180 a day – has been described as “astronomical”.

Despite Edinburgh’s high figures, councillor Scott Arthur, transport and environment convener at Edinburgh City Council, said the level of repeat offending was encouragingly low.

“Whilst our objective is to ultimately see zero non-compliant vehicles enter our LEZ, I’m conscious that this is a process which will take time to fully materialise,” he said.

“I was encouraged to see the relatively low level of second contraventions in the figures, alongside none for further levels. This shows clearly that people are getting used to the LEZ and modifying their transport habits accordingly.”

However, the Scottish Conservatives criticised the “whopping” number of fines issued in the capital and warned of the impact on footfall and spending in Scotland’s struggling city centres.

Demonising motorists

Scottish Conservative shadow transport minister Graham Simpson said: “It is astonishing that [for the whole month of June], Edinburgh council has handed out a whopping 6,000 penalties to hard-pressed motorists. This is yet another example of Labour demonising motorists and deterring people from coming into our city centre.

“City of Edinburgh Council and the SNP government must listen to the concerns of businesses and motorists who are understandably worried about the impact of the LEZ.”

Mr Arthur said he believed support for LEZs was increasing, despite a massive outcry in Glasgow since the restrictions came into play.

He said: “We’ve already seen that public attitudes towards LEZs are improving across Scotland, with a national poll earlier this year indicating that 60 per cent of respondents were in favour of the zones, with just 21 per cent opposed.

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“This is clear evidence that people are seeing the many benefits of LEZs, and how they link in with our wider aims to make our city cleaner, greener and healthier for everyone.”

Evidence from Glasgow – which collected more than £1 million in income from offenders over the zone’s first ten months – suggest the doubling of penalties is not deterring some drivers.

In more than 100 cases, the fine reached the £960 maximum because they had been caught for a fifth time.

All money raised through fixed penalty notices is to be reinvested in the LEZ, with any surplus being used to support the scheme’s objectives – primarily to reduce harmful emissions from transport and encourage sustainable travel.

“These ambitious goals include achieving net zero, accommodating sustainable growth, cutting congestion and improving air quality, amongst other commitments to create a safer and more people-friendly city,” Mr Arthur said. “Edinburgh is a city with big ideas for the future and the LEZ forms a key part of these.”