The Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Greens have called for a review of Aberdeen’s low emission zone plans, arguing “if it’s not covering the most-polluted streets, it doesn’t make sense to have it”.
The city’s upcoming low emission zone (LEZ) is intended improve air quality for residents of Aberdeen.
The zone will have strict emissions criteria about what kinds of vehicles can enter, and anyone driving a non-permitted vehicle through it could face a fine.
It is planned to cover all of Union Street, and extend from Union Grove in the west of the city centre, to Commerce Street in the east.
However, the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Greens have dubbed the current plans “unambitious”, and in their manifesto said they want to seek a review of the proposals.
As we detailed in January, the plans for Aberdeen’s LEZ would not include some of the city’s worst-polluted streets, such as Anderson Drive and Wellington Road.
Should the zone be ‘split up into pockets’?
Guy Ingerson, Scottish Greens candidate for the George Street and Harbour ward, has argued that the LEZ plans should address parts of the city that are the worst for air pollution.
He said: “We think it’s unambitious because it doesn’t cover the main streets in Aberdeen which are the most heavily-polluted, and we think it’s really important that a LEZ actually tackles emissions and reduces them.
“We’ve always said it doesn’t have to be one continuous zone, it could be split up into pockets to tackle the worst areas.”
When asked if Wellington Road could be one of these “pockets”, Mr Ingerson said: “That is something we should definitely look at.”
He said that when it comes to implementation of the LEZ, “we need to look at this as a whole”.
He continued: “The thing is as well with LEZs is it doesn’t necessarily have to be a blanket, you could have it only active at certain times of the day, and not other times.
“We have the technology and are more than capable of being able to implement this, we just need a bit of creativity and a bit of imagination.”
How have the LEZ plans changed over time?
The initial plans for the LEZ included the East North Street, Commerce Street and Wapping Street areas.
However, the Aberdeen low emission zone plans were reduced in scale following consultation.
On the new map, the LEZ boundaries in these areas have been scaled back.
Mr Ingerson continued: “At the moment, we’ve got a LEZ which seems to be essentially a tick-box exercise to satisfy the Scottish Government and get them off our back, when it should be a LEZ to actually lower emissions.
“And that’s where we have a bit of an issue, because we don’t think this current LEZ is actually going to achieve what it’s set out to do.”
He added: “It’s just a bit incoherent, because the whole purpose of a LEZ is to lower emissions, and if it’s not covering the most-polluted areas, it doesn’t make sense to have it.”
When is it starting, how much will fines be, and will my vehicle be banned?
- You can find out more about when the zone is due to start here,
- And read our in-depth question and answer article Aberdeen low emission zone: What you need to know by clicking here.
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
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