Traffic pollution down in first year of Glasgow LEZ

The levels of aerial contamination from vehicles successful Glasgow's metropolis centre low-emission portion fell by much than areas extracurricular it past year, recently released information shows.

The council's aerial prime study for 2023 shows a 20% driblet successful nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels successful the metropolis centre and LEZ area.

This was much than the simplification successful areas extracurricular the metropolis centre, which saw a 15.3% driblet successful concentrations of the harmful aerial pollutant.

Some areas wrong the metropolis centre are inactive breaching the ineligible limits for NO2 contamination but the assembly said the results for the archetypal 7 months of the LEZ were "really encouraging".

Nitrogen dioxide is simply a state chiefly produced during the combustion of fossil fuels and is the main pollutant from centrifugal vehicles, particularly those with diesel engines.

The LEZ, which began successful June 2023, restricts entree to the metropolis centre portion for the astir polluting vehicles.

Levels of NO2 contamination person been connected a downward inclination successful caller years arsenic a effect of wide improvements successful conveyance emissions and the instauration of a LEZ for scheduled autobus services successful 2018.

They dropped importantly successful 2020 owed to Covid question restrictions and, contempt an summation successful 2021, person remained beneath pre-pandemic rates since.

Monitoring of NO2 is carried retired utilizing a operation of automatic stations and diffusion tubes.

Use of diffusion tubes allows monitoring astatine much locations but is little accurate.

The assembly said 2 locations wrong the LEZ continued to grounds levels of NO2 supra permitted levels.

Gordon Street, extracurricular Glasgow Central railway station, which is chiefly utilized arsenic a taxi rank, was 1 of the locations that exceeded the target.

Taxis person been fixed much clip to comply with the LEZ rules and 778 exemptions were issued for the archetypal year.

Another location, nether the railway span astatine Heilanman’s Umbrella, besides breached the targets.

The assembly said this was owed to "poor dispersion" of the pollution.

However, arsenic it is simply a engaged nationalist area, the assembly said it would proceed to show and study figures.

While each the automatic monitoring stations met ineligible requirements, Hope Street, which is wrong the LEZ, lone marginally met the NO2 target.

The information volition beryllium presented to Glasgow City Council's nett zero committee connected 24 September successful its yearly aerial prime advancement report.

By law, gross from fines for uncompliant vehicles entering the LEZ indispensable beryllium spent connected projects to conscionable net-zero and cleanable aerial targets.

In total, the LEZ brought successful astir £1m successful the twelvemonth to April but operating costs reduced the magnitude disposable to £747,511.

Glasgow City Council has present announced a £250,000 money to springiness grants to section organisations who person projects to "improve aerial prime and trim emissions".

A further £250,000 has been made disposable to "city-wide histrion planting and greening projects" arsenic good arsenic a histrion sponsorship scheme.

The assembly said projects would assistance amended aerial prime and section biodiversity and assistance Glasgow execute "Tree City of the World status" - a United Nations partnered programme that encourages cities to works trees.

The remaining £247,511 volition beryllium retained for aboriginal operational costs, with immoderate surplus allocated backmost to projects specified arsenic histrion planting.