Low Emission Zones (LEZ) Funding - costs to date and estimated annual running costs: FOI release

Information requested

Information on the costs for Low Emission Zones including any costs to date and estimated running costs per year.ie. to request any update on the information contained in the document below at Section 5: LEZ Funding Update. https://www.lowemissionzones.scot/uploads/docs/Air-LEZ-Leadership-Group-Minutes-13-15-December-2021.pdf

Response

The answer to your question is:

Capital grants totalling £21,830,074 have been awarded to bus and coach operators to upgrade their vehicles to Euro VI (6) standards through the Bus Emission Abatement Retrofit fund which supports investment in technology to reduce particulates and NOx emissions. The LEZ Support Fund, administered since 2020 by the Energy Saving Trust has spent £14,249,240 to help lower income households and smaller businesses adapt to LEZs by disposing or retrofitting vehicles. A national marketing campaign, delivered through BIG partnership, has spent £1,496,014, largely on paid for media marketing, to raise awareness of LEZ standards and timescales for enforcement.

LEZ grant funding assistance totalling £11,989,678 has been provided to local authorities in Scotland between 2019/20 and 2022/23. This funding was for planning, modelling and design of the scheme as well as promoting awareness in the general public and businesses communities. In addition, capital funding has been provided for enforcement systems, road works and markings, signage, and associated sustainable/public transport infrastructure and messaging improvements.

While the four LEZ local authorities have reported outline estimates for their ongoing LEZ running costs these are at different stages of procurement for each city. Currently city estimates range from £180,000 (not including staffing) to £400,000 (including staffing). It is not known at this time how much of the running costs may be offset by penalty charge notices issued by the local authorities. This should become clearer following a longer period of enforcement in Glasgow (noting that it started on 01/06/23). Further analysis will be undertaken in due course to determine the level of ongoing funding needed for the LEZs.

*All totals exclude VAT

Since receipt of this request for information, you have requested the most recent copy of the LEZ Leadership group minutes, which relate to the meeting held on 21 September 2022. Whilst the minutes for this meeting are in draft form as these will not be approved until the next LEZ Leadership group meeting, a copy of the draft minutes was sent to you on 14 September 2023.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.