Aberdeen’s low emission zone where high-polluting vehicles will be banned is expected to start by the end of next month… but no fines will be issued until 2024.
It is planned to cover all of Union Street and extend from Albyn Grove in the west of the city centre to Commerce Street in the east.
The low emission zone (LEZ) will have strict criteria on what kind of vehicles can enter it, as it is intended to improve air quality for Aberdonians.
Anyone driving through the zone in a non-permitted vehicle could end up facing a fine.
Transport Scotland says it expects LEZs to be introduced in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen by May 31.
Aberdeen City Council says it is still waiting on the Scottish Government to approve its plans for the Granite City’s LEZ, and so could not provide a precise date for its official launch.
So why is it due to start by May 31, but nobody will be fined for two years?
Initially, the Scottish Government wanted LEZs introduced in Scotland’s four largest cities by 2020, however this date was pushed back to 2022 due to the pandemic.
And although the zone is due to be technically launching by the end of next month, the system won’t be fully up and running as one might expect.
Aberdeen City Council will have a two year grace period, meaning that up until May 2024, drivers entering the LEZ in a banned vehicle will not be fined.
The council intends that the zone “will then come into full effect in June 2024”.
Will there be signs up saying where it is?
The local authority is still waiting for the Scottish Government to formally approve its plans, which include the precise boundaries of where the zone will be located.
Aberdeen City Council carried out a lengthy consultation process before putting its final proposals to the government.
The council’s final submitted plans for Aberdeen’s LEZ ended up smaller in scale than they were initially, following public feedback.
You can see the before-and-after of the final plans here:
The council will only be able to put in place signs warning motorists of exactly where the zone is once it has approval of these plans from the government.
It is understood the signs will not be put in place in the immediate future, but they will need to be in place before fines start being issued once the zone is officially being enforced.
What about cameras? How exactly will it be enforced?
In the council’s plans, enforcement will be carried out using automatic number plate (ANPR) cameras.
These are the same kind of cameras that can be used for bus lanes and bus gates.
If your vehicle is caught by these cameras within the LEZ once enforcement is active, you could end up being issued a fine.
But, like with the signage, the cameras won’t be installed before the zone is enforceable, and they are not expected to be installed in the near future.
How much will the fines be, will my vehicle be banned, is there funding available if my vehicle will be banned?
- You can read the answers to all these questions and more in our question-and-answer article, Aberdeen low emission zone: what you need to know.
You may also like to read:
- Will Aberdeen’s low emission zone be good for our health?
- Aberdeen LEZ plans dubbed ‘lukewarm half-measures that please nobody’
- Derek Tucker: Low emission zones are another bright Central Belt idea that punishes the north
- Aberdeen’s worst-polluted street not inside low emission zone plans
