Glasgow's low emission zone generated £1.7m since 2023

The Herald Scotland

25-05-2025

The sum decreased by 23% from the LEZ's first year of operation, when drivers breached the eco-friendly restrictions more than 38,000 times between June 2023 and March 2024, accumulating £982,415 in charges.
The number of fines issued by the local authority has also decreased by 22%, from 38,294 during the 2023/24 financial year to 29,834 in 2024/25.
As such, the two-year total currently stands at £1,739,405 — generated from 68,128 fines.
Revenue is used to support operating costs in the first instance, with excess money being allocated to various projects which 'tie in with LEZ objectives', such as lowering emissions or improving air quality across the city.
The LEZ was implemented in June 2023. (Image: Image taken by Newsquest staff) According to The Herald's FOI request, Glasgow City Council spent £36,340.42 on 'signage' during the 2024/25 financial year, with disbursements being recorded in July 2024 and February 2025.
The LEZ sparked controversy in the wake of its implementation two years ago.
Labour councillor George Redmond said at the time: 'The SNP administration has chosen to bulldoze ahead with the introduction of the LEZ into Glasgow's city centre, despite stark warnings from businesses, residents and charities.
A vehicle repair business even took the council to the Court of Session over the ban, which prohibits high-polluting cars and lorries from designated streets.
At the time, Advocate Lord Davidson KC noted that nitrogen dioxide levels had decreased in 25 out of 27 monitoring stations across the city centre.
He said: 'It is unreasonable of the council to have imposed an LEZ of the entire area because of the exceedances in these two areas. The council's decision was unlawful'.
But the motion was thrown out in October 2023.
Read more:
'Hypocrisy': One third of Glasgow City Council vehicles don't comply with LEZ rules
'Kick in the teeth': Lost Glasgow LEZ court case costs campaigners £130,000
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Businessman who took court action to stop Glasgow LEZ ends court bid
In its first year of operation, the council spent more than £1.3m on developing and maintaining the LEZ scheme.
While the majority of this sum was funded through Scottish Government grants and capital expenditure, £234,904 was taken from revenue generated by fines to make up the balance.
That left around £700,000 to be used for community projects relating to clean air and the climate.
Glasgow taxi drivers raised concerns over the ban (Image: Colin Mearns) Cllr Angus Millar, the City Convener for Climate noted: "So far, eighteen organisations including volunteer groups, community councils, housing associations, and those advocating for a cleaner, greener and healthier environment have secured vital funding totalling £620,409 from the LEZ Community Support Fund.
'We expect to re-open the scheme for a fresh round of applications later this year."
The 'Plugged In' initiative, which is run by the North West Glasgow Voluntary Sector Network, received a grant of £50,000 from the scheme.
The group organises the donation and reuse of phones, laptops, tablets, and other technological devices.
Working with other local charities, staff identify people who could benefit from the refurbished equipment. Over the last half-decade, 2,000 devices have been donated to those in need, and 22 tonnes of equipment has been saved from landfills.
Martina Johnston-Gray, Network Manager at North West Glasgow Voluntary Sector Network, said: "I'm delighted to receive the funding as it will allow us to employ someone full time and roll out the project to another area of Glasgow.
"Our aim is to equip Glasgow citizens with a device that will help them learn, find employment, contact family and friends, and take more control of their lives. It will also give us more time to develop our donations work where we ask citizens, fellow charities and businesses to give us their unwanted IT equipment. More donations will allow us to help get more people online.'
Martina Johnston-Gray helps to manage the Plugged In project. (Image: Supplied) In response to our findings, a Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: 'The income generated from Low Emission Zone penalties, after deducting scheme operating costs, is funding a variety of environment-enhancing initiatives across the city.
'This year, £732,000 was allocated to the council's LEZ Community Support Fund which is supporting a wide range of local climate action projects.
'Taking into account the £250,000 previously committed to tree planting and greening activities, nearly £1 million of LEZ income will be reinvested back into Glasgow.'
Other projects which received funding include the Cassiltoun Housing Association's Get Active in Castlemilk Park, Govan Community Project's Bike Library, and the Wheatley Foundation's Urban rewilding project.