MORE than one million vehicles will be banned from entering cities in Scotland within weeks due to Low Emission Zones (LEZ).

Business leaders reacted angrily over the controversial schemes being introduced in Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh despite scientific evidence that emissions were well within legal limits in each city last year.

Critics say the zones cause huge inconvenience at massive cost to taxpayers.

It’s understood the Zone in Glasgow that was introduced last year had no positive impact on air pollution, and levels of the most serious pollutant, nitrogen dioxide, actually increasing.

That LEZ also saw more than £700,000 shelled out by the local authority on hiring vehicles to replace its own non-compliant ones – despite the council ¬telling locals and businesses they have ‘had years’ to get ready.

Figures show 1,078,580 vehicles – about a third of the total registered in Scotland – will be banned from its four biggest cities.
These cars, generally diesel-engine ones from before 2015 and petrol ones from before 2006, attract £60 fines each time they enter an LEZ.

Fines totalling around £3.5million have been issued in Glasgow since last June.

Dundee’s zone will be enforced from May 30 with Aberdeen and Edinburgh’s following on June 1.

A spokesman for Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce said: “People in Aberdeen are already taking time to adjust to the new bus gates around Union Street.

“It would make sense to review the impact of these measures first, before further crackdowns on motorists are enforced.”

Alison Henderson, chief executive of Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are concerned at the experiences of businesses in Glasgow and would not be in favour of additional costs to a business or their staff and customers, particularly in the current circumstances where hospitality and high street businesses are finding times tough.”

A spokesman for Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce said: “The hospitality industry has been through an extraordinarily ¬difficult time and is still suffering and fragile in its recovery, and the LEZ must not create additional difficulties.”

Scottish Government quango Transport Scotland said: “LEZs protect public health by improving local air quality.”

Last month we told how some residents in Glasgow were left fuming after hundreds of motorists started using their street as a car park to dodge the LEZ zone.

We also revealed how hundreds of taxi drivers are being “forced off the road” due to the new city driving rules.