Council agree boundary for low emission zone in Aberdeen
The vehicles which produce the most carbon emissions will be banned from the area - what do you make of the plan?
Aberdeen City Council have agreed there on an area for a low emission zone in the city centre.
The area will see the most polluting vehicles banned from the zone, and will operate 24/7. But there will be a grace period of two years.
Aberdeen is one of four Scottish cities planning to introduce the initiative by 2024.
It's estimated that by then 86% of cars, 70% of light good vehicles and 93% of heavy goods vehicles and all taxis in the city will be compliant.
The Council will conduct a consultation lasting eight weeks, following which the proposal will be formally enter an objection period and then be submitted to the Scottish Government later this year.
Eight options for a LEZ were put considered and based on the feedback received from consultation and traffic modelling results, some additional options were tested.
The eight options were - 1A – Union Street area, 1B – Union Street area excluding Denburn Road and Guild Street, 2A – Union Street and George Street area, 2B – Union Street and George Street area excluding Denburn Road and Guild Street, 3A – City Centre Masterplan (CCMP) east area, 3B – CCMP east area excluding Denburn Road and Guild Street, 4A – CCMP Area, and 4B – CCMP area excluding Denburn Road and Guild Street.
The preferred option, which was agreed by committee today and is to be consulted on, combines elements of Options 1A and 4A, and should maximise the air quality and public health benefits, while minimising negative impacts on local residents and businesses’.
Aberdeen City Council city growth and resources committee convener Councillor Ryan Houghton said: “This is a significant step forward for an LEZ in Aberdeen. The creation of an LEZ will help improve air quality for the city centre and I welcome the committee’s decision today.”
The report to committee said traffic modelling also indicated that non-compliant traffic displaced by the LEZ could migrate to streets around the periphery of the zone which may be inappropriate for accommodating this additional traffic, specifically Ferryhill Road and Fonthill Road to the south of the LEZ. The committee agreed a recommendation consideration of an access restriction to Millburn Street from South College Street and Palmerston Place should be made as part of Phase 2 of the South College Street Junction Improvement project.
The minimum emission standards (Euro category) for Scottish Low Emission Zones (LEZs) is Euro 6 for diesel cars and vans (generally vehicles registered from September 2015) and Euro 4 for petrol cars and vans (generally vehicles registered from 2006).