A Scottish council has been criticised for handing out an “astronomical” total of almost 2,000 penalties in the first 11 days after its low emission zone (LEZ) was introduced.
Scottish Conservative MSP Liam Kerr hit out at Aberdeen City Council after figures obtained under Freedom of Information showed there were 1,956 penalty charges issued to motorists between June 1 and June 11.
Drivers are given the £60 charges – which are reduced by 50% if paid within 14 days – if vehicles entering the LEZ area fail to meet emissions standards.
Aberdeen was one of three Scottish cities to introduce the scheme, which is designed to cut pollution, this summer, with Edinburgh and Dundee also implementing their own LEZ areas.
Glasgow City Council meanwhile introduced the first LEZ in Scotland in June 2023.
Mr Kerr, a Conservative MSP for the North East Scotland region, said the “astronomical number of fines” issued in Aberdeen was “further indictment of the SNP-Lib Dem council demonising people from coming into our city centre”.
Adding that motorists believe the LEZ had been introduced to “generate quick income for the cash-strapped council”, Mr Kerr added: “Several businesses have already closed since the LEZ zones went live, while others are on the brink of having their livelihoods decimated by this draconian scheme, including our taxi trade.
“We know that even some of the council’s own vehicles are still not compliant, yet motorists have been hit with almost 2,000 fines in just 11 days of the scheme going live.”
However, Ian Yuill and Christian Allard, the Liberal Democrat and SNP co-leaders of Aberdeen City Council, insisted: “Mr Kerr is wrong. It was his Conservative colleagues and their Labour partners who signed off the boundaries of the LEZ when they controlled the council.”
In a joint statement issued to the Press and Journal newspaper, they added: “Aberdeen city centre is very much open for business, but Mr Kerr seems determined to run it down.
“We suggest that, rather than firing off wrong and unhelpful accusations and trying to score silly political points, Mr Kerr get behind the campaign to promote our city centre as a great place to shop, live, work, do business and invest.”
Meanwhile, a Transport Scotland spokesperson said work to prepare for the introduction of LEZs had “been underway for a long time”.
The spokesperson said: “Extensive marketing and awareness-raising campaigns undertaken since 2019 have helped drivers and businesses around the country prepare.
“In addition, drivers can check if their vehicle can be driven in a LEZ on the LEZ Scotland website.
“The LEZs will help to protect public health by stopping the most polluting vehicles from being driven within our city centres.”
