Readers react to Dundee air pollution figures after year of LEZ

The Courier

4 days ago

Dundee's low emission zone (LEZ) continues to divide opinion among our readers.
Last week, we looked at how air quality had changed in the city in the first year of LEZ enforcement.
The provisional data showed that nitrogen dioxide concentrations dropped both within and outside of the zone boundaries.
The Seagate station saw an average concentration of 25.24µg/m3 in the past 12 months.
That was a drop from 28.87 µg/m3 in the year running up to the enforcement.
Whitehall, also within the LEZ, saw only a very slight decline.
Professor Jill Belch, who studies the impact of air pollution on health, said that a decrease is 'extremely encouraging'.
Chris Gibson was one of several subscribers who had their say in our comments section.
He said: 'Historically the Seagate and Whitehall St were bad, largely due to the high volume of diesel buses.
'The shift to electric buses made a big difference, probably making the need for the LEZ redundant.'
Dundee Born and Bred added: 'Our wee LEZ makes no difference and should be removed.'
Some still view the zone as a 'cash grab' or 'money-making exercise'.
Charles Allison said: 'This initiative is fully achieving its primary aim, as has been demonstrated big-time in London.
'It makes a lot of money for the council. Which they need. Whether it has a negative impact on city centre footfall is something worth considering too.'
In the first six months of the LEZ enforcement, more than £880,000 worth of fines were issued in Dundee.
However, the council is limited by law in terms of what they can do with the collected fines.
The funds can only be used by local authorities to support the scheme's objectives or, if there is any money left, to repay LEZ-related grants.
Meanwhile, others believe measures to bring down air pollution should be extended.
Gregor McIntosh said: 'So it seems the LEZ is working, but the council needs to go further.
'More buses, more regularly, in more places. Properly tackle car dependency.'
The question of air quality targets also prompted a lot of debate, with Ms Belch's claim that 'current levels are still unsafe' provoking a reaction.
One subscriber said: 'No two people will suffer the same effects of inhaling external toxins, but it's undeniable that for the vast majority, those effects will be highly negative.
'Happening to know one person in the very small number who managed to live longer with few health effects doesn't change that.
'There's absolutely nothing wrong with the comment from Prof Belch.
'Legal limits for anything are set based on statistical models that take a whole range of factors into account. That doesn't mean those limits shouldn't be lower, and that's exactly what experts will argue for.'
Last week's article explains that Dundee's air quality has been within Scotland's Air Quality Objective.
That target is only to remain below an average of 40µg/m3 of nitrogen dioxide.
However the WHO reviewed its guidelines in 2021 and instead now suggest annual average at 10 µg/m3.
One Courier website user said: 'For a start…the WHO is an unelected organisation. And look how quickly they changed the goalposts..
'[T]hey set a target, but now we need to all of a sudden have to reduce it by a quarter of that target? Convenient.
'Also the fact that we were already in safe levels yet the poorest people in Dundee get hit with fines for trying to make a go of themselves or by trying to get to work in the only RELIABLE source of transport – their car!'
However, the target has changed after more than two decades of further research.
Scotland's objectives are based on guidelines first introduced in 2005.
Fifer Chris responded to the previous comment: 'You are right in saying that the WHO is an unelected organisation, which is why they ADVISE governments worldwide. They do not and cannot mandate or set laws in the UK – that's for the governments we elect to do. So your point there is misleading.'