The LES document is intended to seek views on the draft national Low Emission Strategy for Scotland, which has been produced by the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), with input from a wide range of other organisations in the public and private sectors.
The document sets out that Low Emission Zones (LEZs) are a potentially effective measure that could help to improve local air quality. Although adopted widely in other parts of Europe and in a handful of locations in England (notably London), no Scottish local authority has to date introduced an LEZ.
Following on from plans announced in July 2013 to develop a national LEZ framework, the document sets out initial proposals for a national framework of LEZs, which would involve the setting of emissions standards and procedures applicable across Scotland within an overall framework.
The LEZs could cover cars, buses, taxis, HGVs, LGVs, or a combination of these, and, under the proposals, would be implemented between one and two years after the initial announcement.
In response, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has expressed strong concern about the unusually short timescales proposed for implementing LEZs.
Head of urban logistics policy Christopher Snelling said: ‘Air pollution in British cities has improved significantly in the last decades, partly thanks to the improvements in van and HGV technology that mean they now have a fraction of the emissions of the past. We are tightly regulated through the EU’s “Euro” engine standards and these will continue to deliver the air quality improvements that are required of us, even if now further action is taken. ‘
The FTA also stated that LEZs have an appeal to campaigners and politicians as they sound dramatic but often the best practical solutions are less exciting measures, such as traffic re-sequencing in key streets.
Snelling continued: ‘The biggest concern in these proposals is the potential timescale for implementation. The document correctly notes that “it is vital to the potential success of an LEZ that affected vehicle owners and operators are given sufficient notice to ensure compliance before the LEZ is established”. However, the document then states that the notice period should be a maximum of two years – compared to the total seven years’ notice that will have passed by the time London’s Euro VI LEZ comes into force. So far, nowhere else in Europe has implemented a Euro VI LEZ, let alone at such short timescales.’
The association outlined that if a Scottish council were to take-up this document’s suggestion this year and announces a Euro 6 LEZ (as recommended in the strategy) it would start in 2017. That would mean any lorry older than three years would be excluded, whilst for some van classes those more than one year old would be banned. FTA also noted that this measure would see two year-old diesel cars being excluded.
Snelling concluded: ‘Two years’ notice might work if what is planned is a lower standard bus-only LEZ – as implemented successfully in Brighton recently. However if we are to avoid significant disruption to local economies in town and city centres, commercial vehicles operators, and we’d assume private motorists, need notice periods akin to those being given in London.’
The FTA added that it will pursue this point in dialogue with the Scottish Government and in response to the consultation.
Written responses from other parties are being invited by the Scottish Government is by 10 April 2015.