Edinburgh set to ban older cars under Clean Air Zone plans

Edinburgh City Council has announced plans for a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) to be introduced in spring 2022, which would result in heavy fines for drivers of older, more polluting vehicles in the city centre. However, enforcement won’t begin until 2024.

From spring next year, diesel cars that don’t meet the Euro 6 emissions standard could be banned from driving in Edinburgh’s city centre. Generally speaking, these will be diesel cars registered before September 2015.

Petrol vehicles which don’t meet the Euro 4 emissions standard, generally those registered before January 2006, would also be banned — meaning non-compliant cars, buses and HGVs will all be charged. Motorcycles and mopeds won’t be charged under the proposals.

Those who don't comply with the proposed regulations will face a penalty charge of £60, which will be halved if paid within 30 days. Penalties will roughly double for repeat offences within any 90-day period.

For light vehicles, such as cars, the maximum fine will be £420, while the maximum fine for HGVs will be £900.

>>> Birmingham's Clean Air Zone explained

There will, however, be a two-year grace period — meaning that fines aren't expected to start being given until 2024. The decision for Edinburgh’s proposed LEZ will be made on 17 June. Current proposals suggest that Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras and Mobile Enforcement Vehicles will be utilised to enforce the LEZ.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said: "As we approach Clean Air Day, which aims to tackle air pollution and its harmful effects on our health and wellbeing, it’s fitting that we’re progressing our own plans to significantly improve air quality in the city.

"A great deal of analysis and monitoring has gone into the latest proposals for a Low Emission Zone in Edinburgh. This takes into account the urgent need to lower emissions for the good of our health, while remaining aware of the impact on local businesses, residents and on traffic patterns. We know from our consultation in 2019 that lowering air pollution matters to everyone, so I look forward to hearing from the public on the preferred option, if approved by committee."

Work to introduce a LEZ in Edinburgh began in 2018 in line with the Scottish Government’s commitment to implement LEZs in Scotland’s four largest cities – Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee. It was originally intended that LEZs would be in place by 2020 but, due to the COVID pandemic, this date has been pushed back to 2022.