Scotland’s first low emission zone began in Glasgow on Monday. Low emission (or clean air) zones set exhaust standards for vehicles in an area. In Glasgow 20% of city centre buses now have to meet the latest European standards.
More than 200 zones operate across Europe and they can be effective if they are sufficiently ambitious. Low emission bus zones have worked well in city centres where they dominate local traffic; an acute problem for the UK where our once extensive tram networks were dismantled in the 1950s.
In Brighton (pdf) old buses were banned from the main route through the shopping areas in 2015. Although legal limits have not yet been met, nitrogen dioxide at the worst location decreased by around a third.
The London mayor has designated low emission bus zones (pdf) where only the most modern buses can operate. In one location nitrogen dioxide decreased by nearly 50% but slower progress elsewhere highlights that buses are only part of the problem.
Diesel cars and vans pass official exhaust tests but produce greater pollution when used on-road. A modern diesel car can produce more nitrogen dioxide than a fully loaded bus (pdf) and, in many places, action on cars and vans will also have to be part of the solution.
