Aberdeen has set a new record for the highest number of LEZ penalties issued in a single month.
Data obtained by The Sunday Post shows that drivers who entered the Granite City’s low emission zone in August this year were hit with an unprecedented 6,472 fines.
Although the council has not revealed the value of these fines, it is estimated to be in the region of £612,000 – which would also set a new LEZ record.
Aberdeen’s LEZ
Clustered around Union Street and the surrounding roads, Aberdeen’s zone covers an area of just half a mile squared.
Last night the Tories said the record number of penalties suggested Aberdeen’s drivers were struggling to go about their business without breaching the LEZs.
MSP Liam Kerr said: “We repeatedly warned that many people in Aberdeen would be caught out by these stringent restrictions because they drive older vehicles that they can’t afford to replace.
“With Aberdeen setting a record for the most fines issued in a month, it is clear that many have no choice but to drive their vehicles in the low emission zone.
“The implementation of this scheme has been botched from the start and should be a lesson to any other council considering doing the same.”
Yesterday Aberdeen City Council insisted it had gone to great lengths to ensure local drivers and visitors were given fair warning of the LEZ before the scheme’s introduction and at points of entry.
It said: “We publicised the introduction of the LEZ from the year-to-go countdown to when enforcement started via media releases, social media, paid adverts and on web pages.
“This publicity was in addition to paid advertisements and media releases for all LEZs from the Scottish Government. We have comprehensive signage in place advising drivers of the LEZ.”
In Glasgow, where the LEZ covers a square mile between the River Clyde and the M8 motorway – the highest number of monthly fines issued since June 2023 when the LEZ was introduced was 6,139 while the highest value of monthly fines was £504,840.
In Edinburgh, where the zone is significantly larger than Aberdeen, the highest number of fines in a single month is 6,039, while the highest value of fines was £541,740. In Dundee the record is 2,297 fines in a month, while the highest total value is £196,620.
LEZ penalties across Scotland smash £10m barrier
Drivers falling foul of Scotland’s controversial Low Emission Zones have been hit with fines worth an astonishing £10 million.
New analysis by The Sunday Post shows the heavy price paid by drivers of older petrol and diesel cars under the LEZ schemes that have been running in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee since June, as well as in Glasgow, where the system has been in force since summer 2023.
Aiming to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions in city centres, the LEZs are enforced by fining motorists who enter the designated areas in vehicles that remain legal and roadworthy but are deemed too polluting.
According to official data from the city councils, a grand total of 113,862 penalties have been issued so far.
Detailed figures for Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee show motorists have been slapped with fines worth a whopping £8,461,200.
And, although only partial data is available for the scheme in Aberdeen, figures suggest the value of fines issued in the Granite City is about £2.2m – taking the overall total for Scotland’s LEZ penalties above £10.6m.
Last night politicians warned that the huge value of fines was proof cash-strapped councils were using LEZs as money- raising schemes.
Scottish Conservative shadow transport secretary Sue Webber MSP said: “With fines having topped an eye-watering £10m, it’s clear many have no option but to enter low emission zones to get to work or visit friends and family.
“Low emission zones are nothing more than a cash cow for councils desperately seeking funds to make up for the SNP’s savage cuts to their budgets.”
Interestingly, analysis of the data figures also suggests the country’s LEZs are succeeding in banishing older vehicles from city centres – as the number of fines is dropping month on month.
In June the country’s four LEZs issued a total of 17,391 fines. But by September the number had fallen 21% to 13,795.
The Tories warned the drop in fines could also mean a drop in visitors to the city centres.
Webber added: “Not only are the low emission zones punishing motorists, they are also harming struggling city-centre businesses.”
But Transport Scotland said: “We would expect to see the number of Penalty Charge Notices being issued decline over time as drivers of non-compliant vehicles realise they will be caught if driving in Low Emission Zones (LEZs).
“We are pleased to hear that early indications from Glasgow show that the LEZ is contributing to air-quality improvements in the zone. We are not aware of evidence that the LEZ has had a negative impact on footfall within the zones.
Footfall metrics from the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce reported earlier this year that weekends were at 100% of pre-Covid figures and that night-time footfall was above pre-Covid levels. Data from Aberdeen actually showed an increase in footfall the week following enforcement of the city’s LEZ.”
But, while the government was last night quick to hail the scheme a success, critics warned that city-centre businesses were suffering as motorists used out-of-town shopping centres and retail parks.
Monthly data on fines is published by councils in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee.
The country’s first LEZ was set up in Glasgow – and between June 2023 and October 2024 the city issued 56,970 fines worth £5,348,700.
Edinburgh’s LEZ was introduced in June this year and, in the five months to October 24,791 fines worth £2,230,980 were issued.
Over the same period, Dundee issued 8,101 fines worth £881,520.
Aberdeen does not routinely publish its statistics but, in response to a Freedom of Information request by this newspaper, the council revealed 24,000 fines were issued between June and September this year, the first four months the LEZ was operational. Over the same period the average value of fine issued in the new-established Edinburgh and Dundee LEZs was £94.63 – suggesting the total value of the 24,000 Aberdeen fines is likely to be around £2.26m.
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