Nearly 30,000 fines have been handed out in Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) during its second year of enforcement, with more than £750,000 collected by the city council.
The latest annual report revealed that 29,838 penalty charge notices were issued- down from over 38,000 in the scheme’s first year- highlighting a gradual drop in non-compliant vehicles but also a continued challenge with around 2,500 detected each month.
The LEZ, which became fully applicable to all vehicles in May 2022, started active enforcement in June 2023 after a year-long grace period. Designed to cut harmful vehicle emissions, the scheme has seen tens of thousands of fines issued since its inception.
To date, 18,962 fines have been paid, generating £764,580 in revenue. After taking appeals and cancellations into account, £7,590 has been refunded to drivers.
Appeals remain a significant part of the enforcement process. In the second year, 4,468 appeals were lodged, with 53.3% -around 2,383- successfully overturned. Common reasons for cancellation included holding a blue badge, proof of vehicle compliance, or vehicles registered incorrectly. Some drivers had fines rescinded after diversions unintentionally routed them into the LEZ.
Since 2018, Glasgow’s LEZ has cost roughly £2.58 million to implement, supported by £1.58 million in grant funding. While the number of fines is gradually decreasing, city officials note that non-compliant vehicles remain a persistent issue, though entry numbers continue to fall.
The council emphasises that the LEZ remains an important step in improving city air quality and expects continued compliance improvements as awareness grows and the scheme matures.
