The 'suffering' Scottish trader forced to spend £40k on vans to comply with Edinburgh LEZ

The owner of a roofing company has revealed he spent £40,000 to upgrade four vans to comply with Edinburgh’s low emission zone (LEZ).

Scott Miller, owner of Compass Roofing Limited, is among traders who have needed to pay significant sums of money to make sure vehicles comply with the LEZ restrictions, which have been enforced since June 1.

The chairman of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, Mr Miller said group members were “suffering” because of the financial strain of replacing vehicles.

He told Edinburgh Live: “It’s never a good time to spend £40,000 on something you don’t need to spend it on. The vans were roadworthy, they were well-maintained, and they were good vans.

“[I felt like] I didn't have to spend it. But I did have to spend it in relation to accessing the LEZ.”

A penalty for breaching the LEZ starts at £60, with a 50 per cent discount if paid within a fortnight. But the cost doubles each time the rules are broken with a 90-day period, with the penalty climbing to £120 on the second contravention, then £240 for the third and up to top charge of £480 for a four-time offender.

The LEZ boundary circles the city centre from Tollcross in the south to Palmerston Place in the west, along Queen Street in the New Town to Picardy Place, then around Abbeyhill and on to Holyrood Road, along the Pleasance in the east, before heading back along the Meadows to Tollcross.

Mr Miller said the harsher fines, compared to London’s LEZ that carries a £12.50 daily charge to drive within the zone, was causing problems.

“The fines keep racking up,” he said. “It’s not like the fines are £50 at a time like a parking ticket. These fines keep going up and doubling. I think it’s an unfair way of doing things.”

Mr Miller claimed those roofers who didn’t have access to compliant vehicles were not taking jobs in the city centre.

The business owner added: “It’s doing a disservice to people who live within the zone, because they can’t get good tradesmen to carry out the work. It’s a two-way thing.”

Critics have previously told The Scotsman the level of fines for Edinburgh was a case of “demonising motorists”.

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.

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

Edinburgh council leader Cammy Day said: “A LEZ was introduced in Edinburgh on 31 May 2022, along with zones in Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dundee, restricting the most polluting vehicles and benefiting everyone’s health. In Edinburgh a two-year grace period was in place, meaning no fines were issued during this time. Enforcement in Edinburgh began on 1 June 2024.

“For over two years we ran an extensive information campaign alongside our partners to make sure everyone is aware of the requirements of the LEZ and can plan accordingly.

“The various schemes to help individuals and businesses retrofit or scrap vehicles which do not meet emissions standards have been widely promoted and people can still apply if they meet the criteria.

“The Scottish Government is providing £5m across Scotland to reopen the LEZ Support Fund for 2024-25 where eligible residents and businesses can apply for support to ease the transition through retrofitting, disposal and other grants. The capital costs of these schemes are met by the Scottish Government and administered by the Energy Saving Trust, not the council. I wish more funding was available, but the council is not in a position to provide it on top of what the Scottish Government has already provided.

“Any revenue that we generate from the LEZ will be reinvested into the running of the zone, with any surplus funds supporting the LEZ’s wider goals. 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. I’d add that we’re always looking for ways in which we can support and celebrate our local businesses. They’re a cornerstone of our local economy and are key figures in just transition to net zero which needs to take place across society.

“Edinburgh is a city with big ideas for the future and the LEZ forms a crucial part of these.”