Aberdeen’s LEZ will be enforced on 1^st of June, two years after it came into effect. This was to allow time for motorists to prepare.

Low Emission Zone in Scotland’s cities are Scottish Government policy which is aimed at tackling the serious health problems, particularly in children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems attributed to air pollution.

Air pollution affects nine out of 10 individuals living in urban areas, and putting the population at risk of serious health conditions, like asthma, respiratory infections, allergies, heart attacks, strokes and other chronic diseases.

Children are more vulnerable to air pollution because their lungs are still developing, they have weaker immune systems and they take in more polluted air because they have a faster breathing rate, breathe through their mouths and are closer to the ground where traffic fumes are more concentrated.

Air pollution in parts of Aberdeen city centre exceeds WHO guidelines in terms of harmful emissions and volume of particulate matter. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from, primarily, diesel vehicles, is invisible but highly dangerous to children but also to the elderly and those suffering from respiratory diseases. The LEZ will dramatically reduce pollutants which cause, and impact on, serious health conditions.

It is predicted that NO2 concentration will reduce by up to 57% in some areas, as a result of the LEZ in our city centre.

Air quality is closely linked to the earth’s climate and ecosystems and many of the contributors to air pollution are also sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing air pollution is therefore a win-win for both people and the planet, helping save lives, as well as tackling climate change. At a Scottish level, the introduction of LEZs will help Scotland achieve its zero carbon emission targets.

There were two rounds of public consultation and stakeholder engagement, as well as a formal objection period which closed on 28 November 2021.

Extensive modelling and planning was completed to deliver the optimal LEZ for Aberdeen, carefully balancing the reduction of air pollution against the impact on city centre businesses and residents. As a result of the consultation, a number of amendments to the initial LEZ boundary was made. The full report into the processes which led to the final LEZ can be viewed here.

The two-year grace period was to allow sufficient time for people to make changes to their vehicles.

Funding to help with changing vehicles was available during this time but has now closed for the 23/24 financial year. However, previously submitted applications will continue to be processed and funding offered on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability.

If you wish to register your interest for any potential future funding, click here.

It covers Aberdeen’s city centre, stretching east to west along Union Street, and north to south from Skene Street/Schoolhill to Willowbank Road/Virginia Street.  

It is a relatively modest area measuring 0.9 km2 which represents 0.5% of the total city area. The area is marked by signs with green circles on all roads enclosed in the LEZ. These can be found on the roads themselves or on signposts. A detailed map can be found below:

Aberdeen’s LEZ is concentrated around Union Street and the surrounding streets where there is the most concentration of air pollutants. It covers a surface area of 0.9km2 representing only 0.5% of the total city area.

Extensive modelling and planning were carried out to balance the reduction of air pollution against the impact on city centre businesses and residents. Changes were made to the identified zone following feedback from the consultation. The full report into the processes which led to the final LEZ can be accessed here.  

LEZ is an area where only certain vehicles are allowed to enter based on their emissions standards.

There are certain exceptions in place, but many older vehicles will no longer be able to be used in the LEZ. These generally include diesel cars and vans registered before 2015 which do not meet Euro 6 standards, and petrol vehicles registered before 2006. If your vehicle is non-compliant, you will be fined if you enter the LEZ.

Studies conducted in 2019 predicted that around 86% of vehicles in Aberdeen will be compliant and able to drive in the LEZ.

Drivers can check if their vehicle is compliant by entering the registration number on the official website for Scotland’s Low Emission Zones.

Visit: lowemissionzones.scot/vehicle-registration-checker

This applies across all of Scotland’s LEZ areas.  

Aberdeen’s LEZ does not apply to motorcycles or mopeds.  

Blue badge holders, emergency and specialist vehicles (emergency, military, showman) are also exempt from LEZ restrictions but should register their details on the website so the vehicle they are travelling in can access all of Scotland’s low emission zones. To register for an exemption click here.

Emergency and specialist vehicles (historic, military or showman vehicles) are also exempt.

There are broadly two types of non-compliant vehicles:

• Pre-Euro VI diesel cars (generally registered before 2015)
• Pre-Euro IV petrol cars (generally registered before 2006)

To check if your vehicle is compliant, enter your registration at lowemissionzones.scot/vehicle-registration-checker 

Vehicles can be retrofitted with emission abatement technology to improve emissions. Suitably certified retrofitted or repowered vehicles, which meet emission standards are LEZ compliant.

If your vehicle doesn’t meet the right standards you should not drive in the LEZ and will be fined if you do. The two-year grace period was to allow sufficient time for people to prepare.

Funding for those who met the eligibility criteria was available to help drivers switch to compliant vehicles during this time, but has now closed for the 23/24 financial year.

Previously submitted applications will continue to be processed and funding offered on a first-come, first-served basis subject to availability.

If you would like to register your interest for potential future funding, click here. 

There is also an additional offer of up to two £500 mobility grants or Travel Better vouchers for people to purchase a bike, e-bike or public transport voucher.  You can find out more about the grants available: lowemissionzones.scot/funding  

There is also an option to become a member of Aberdeen’s Car Club, giving access to a range of electric and hydrogen vehicles for personal or business use. Find out more about the Car Club here.

The two-year grace period was agreed to allow sufficient time for people to see if they would have to make changes to their vehicles. Funding for those who met the eligibility criteria was available to help drivers switch to compliant vehicles, but this has now closed for the 23/24 financial year.

Previously submitted applications will continue to be processed and funding offered on a first-come, first-served basis subject to availability. To register your interest for potential future funding click here. 

There is also an additional offer of up to two £500 mobility grants or Travel Better vouchers for people to purchase a bike, e-bike or public transport voucher.  You can find out more about the grants available: lowemissionzones.scot/funding  

There is also an option to become a member of Aberdeen’s Car Club, giving access to a range of electric and hydrogen vehicles for personal or business use. Find out more about the Car Club here. 

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras are set up at each entry point. If your vehicle is not compliant and you enter the LEZ, you may receive a fine.

The fine for entering the LEZ in a non-compliant vehicle is £60, which will be reduced by 50% if paid within 14 days of issue.

The penalty amount doubles with each subsequent breach in the same LEZ. Penalty fines are capped at £480 for cars and light goods vehicles, and £960 for buses and HGVs. If there are no further breaches within a 90-day period, the fine resets to £60.

Blue badge holders are exempt and can drive in the LEZ. However, Blue Badge holders are advised to register their details on the LEZ exemption system so that the vehicle they are travelling in can access all the Scottish low emission zones.

You can register for your Blue Badge Exemption here.

Emergency and specialist vehicles (historic, military or showman vehicles) are also exempt.

The grace period has been in effect since May 2022, to give drivers the opportunity to check if their vehicles are compliant and to make changes if necessary. From 1 June 2024, fines will be enforced.

In accordance with Scottish Government legislation, any income from LEZ fines will be used to cover the running costs of the LEZ enforcement system. Should there be any money remaining once operational costs have been covered, the council can spend this on projects that will further improve air quality within the LEZ or the wider City Centre Air Quality Management Area.

Drivers of non-compliant vehicles can still access the city centre and use 10 out of the 14 city centre car parks: College St, Union Sq, Trinity Centre, Virginia St, Frederick St, West North Street, Gallowgate, Loch St, Harriet St and Denburn.

The car parks at Chapel St, Ship Row, Queen St and Justice Mill Lane by Park Inn are within the LEZ. Vehicles entering these four car parks must be compliant.

All buses and coaches are required to comply with the LEZ. Stagecoach and First Aberdeen have already invested in 84 new zero-emissions buses, providing a much greener service which is both comfortable and reliable.

The LEZ applies to all types of vehicles, including HGVs (heavy goods vehicles) LGVs (light goods vehicles), buses and coaches and minibuses. It does not apply to mopeds and motorbikes.

The Council is required to monitor and evaluate the impact of the LEZ and this will be reported on an annual basis. Air quality monitoring is undertaken via specialist monitoring equipment throughout the city centre which measures levels of pollutants.

The LEZ is Scottish Government policy, designed to address the serious health problems, particularly among children, attributed to poor air quality in city centres.

Aberdeen’s LEZ has been subject to consultation, extensive modelling and planning to balance the reduction of air pollution against the impact on city centre businesses and residents. Changes were made to the identified zone following feedback from the consultation.

The council can suspend Aberdeen's LEZ in emergency situations such as if an incident on a nearby road requires traffic to be temporarily diverted through the zone area. Any emergency suspension will be determined by the council.

Aberdeen City Council may also temporarily suspend the zone (in full or in part) for events of local/national significance. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Scottish Government.

If the LEZ is found not to be having the desired impact in reducing emissions or causes unforeseen negative impacts, the council has powers to amend or revoke it.

The LEZ was designed using extensive modelling and planning to deliver the optimal LEZ for Aberdeen, carefully balancing the reduction of air pollution against the impact on city centre businesses and residents.

Along with the bus gates, the aim is to make our city centre a cleaner, safer, healthier, more sustainable and more attractive place in which to live, work and play while still being accessible.

The LEZ should not significantly affect access to the city centre, as the majority of car parks and key destinations remaining fully accessible to all vehicles, albeit drivers may have to take different routes than they are used to.

The Let’s Clear the Air campaig has been designed to make sure that everyone knows and understands how to navigate their way around the city with the new measures in place so that there is no detrimental impact on our city centre and the people and businesses who rely on it.

The Harbour remains fully accessible from the north and the south, and the ferry terminal is fully accessible via Market Street from the south. Vehicles looking to travel north to south or vice versa are encouraged to use Anderson Drive or the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and this is reflected in existing directional signage. The Council will be monitoring the impacts of the LEZ on surrounding streets and will respond to any issues that do arise.

The traffic and emissions impacts on streets outside of the LEZ have also been subject to modelling and have been judged to be acceptable, with the LEZ having an overall positive impact on the city as a whole.  If the LEZ is found to be causing problems in other areas of the city, the Council will investigate and respond.

The LEZ in all four cities came into effect in May 2022. Glasgow began enforcing its LEZ 12 months ago and has already reported improvements in air quality. City residents were also given a grace period until June 1 to change their non-compliant vehicles to compliant ones. Dundee will start enforcing its LEZ on May 30 and Edinburgh on 1 June this year. LEZs are in place in major cities across the UK and Europe.

Data has shown that air quality in cities has improved considerably since the introduction of LEZs. A recent Clean Cities study found that there was an average reduction in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions of around 20% in LEZ areas across Europe.

Research by TomTom showed that London's ULEZ has reduced articulate matter emissions by 40% and nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide emissions by 54%.  Glasgow’s LEZ was enforced 12 months ago and air pollution has dropped dramatically, with data from SYSTRA predicting an 86% reduction of traffic emissions.