Low Emission Zone Update

Published

19th February 2020

Drivers, householders and businesses in Dundee have backed the city’s inner ring road as the boundary of a proposed Low Emission Zone.

The option of the streets within the inner ring road being available only to vehicles that meet stringent air quality criteria was the preferred choice in a survey which gathered the views of more than 1300 people.

Lynne Short, depute convener of Dundee City Council’s community safety and public protection committee said: “Prioritising air quality is crucial to us becoming the vibrant and attractive city we want to be, with an excellent quality of life where people choose to live, learn, work and visit.

“The high level of interest and engagement in the consultation exercise reflects the importance to people of our desire to create a city that is the best version of itself.”

Mark Flynn, depute convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee added: “The opinions and feedback that we collected in the consultation exercise have given us a good basis for taking a decision on what area the LEZ will cover and which types of vehicles will be excluded.

“The LEZ will benefit everyone through better air quality, but we also need ensure that is carefully balanced with the need to keep business flourishing and the city moving.”

A report to the council’s community safety and public protection committee next week reveals for the first time data captured by an extensive survey exercise carried out late last year.

Of the five options presented to participants in the survey, 35% (the greatest percentage of respondents) preferred a ban on all non-compliant vehicles from an area bounded by the Inner Ring Road. This would follow the line of the Inner Ring Road excluding Bell Street, West Marketgait and Wellgate car parks.

Respondents were also asked what their preference was for a grace period before the zone is enforced with the largest single preference for it to be “as long as possible”.

The consultation also allowed for comment on other possible LEZ design options and a wide range of views were expressed. Out of the 1336 respondents, 641 provided feedback.

These included 148 (11% of overall 1336 surveys) who said Lochee Road should be included in the LEZ. More than a dozen other streets were also suggested by one or more respondents.

In addition a range of more detailed stakeholder consultation events took place with representatives of the bus and freight industries, TACTRAN, businesses, community councils and environmental groups.

Information from the consultation process will helpthe council’s delivery group finalise recommendations on the scope and shape of the LEZ which will be brought back to committee in due course.

The community safety and public protection committee meets on Monday (February 24).

Dundee City Council

Dundee draws skilled workers from a 60-minute catchment population of 640,000 and has a local population of over 140,000. The availability of a large pool of highly skilled labour is a key feature in the Dundee economy. Flexibility in the labour force is currently more prevalent in Dundee than in Scotland as a whole. All forms of labour market flexibility - part-time, temporary employment, self-employment and shift work - are widely operational within the city. Labour force stability in the city is excellent, enabling companies to plan with confidence. Labour turnover levels are less than 5% and absenteeism averages 2%.

Back to news