Buses lacking the cleanest
diesel engines would be the first vehicles to be banned from Glasgow city
centre under anti-pollution measures due to be introduced next year. Firms
could ultimately lose their operating licences if they ran other buses through
what’s expected to be Scotland’s first low emission zone (LEZ), the city
council said recently.
However, bus firms expressed anger at being singled out and
warned that fares could rise and services cut. Environmental campaigners also
urged that other vehicles should be included in the restrictions from the
start. The council is expected to impose quotas on operators that will
progressively increase the proportion of buses in the zone required to have compliant
engines. At present, just one in ten buses in main operator First Glasgow’s
fleet have such Euro VI engines. The council plans to target the 800 buses
which use the city centre first because they cause the greatest
health-threatening nitrogen dioxide pollution. Some 300 premature deaths a year
in Glasgow are
caused by poor air quality. The council hopes the move will reduced levels of
the pollutant in the worst thoroughfares, such as Hope Street, by about 25 per cent. In
such streets, buses cause 70 per cent of the pollution. The council has given
no indication of when cars, taxis and lorries would face restrictions. However,
three quarters of diesel cars and taxis do not have the required cleanest
engines. That also goes for half the total number of cars in the city. The LEZ
boundaries have not been set, but it could cover an area bordered by the M8,
River Clyde and High Street/Saltmarket, similar to the current air quality
management area.
The Scottish Government is expected to help fund the retrofitting
of bus engines so their exhausts can become complaint. The council said it
would cost about £15,000 per bus - a tenth of the £150,000 cost of a new
vehicle. LEZ restrictions would be enforced using number plate cameras, which
already operate on some streets to deter other vehicles from using bus lanes.
The council expects Traffic Commissioner for Scotland Joan Aitken to add
conditions to operators’ licences to enforce the restrictions. If firms broke
their quotas for the number of non-compliant buses entering the zone, they
could be reported to the commissioner. Sanctions include licences to operate
being revoked.
Although Glasgow has been in the lead, Edinburgh also wants to have Scotland’s LEZ. It is possible that the capital might be chosen first, as a higher proportion of its buses have the cleanest diesel engines. These include one in three of Lothian Buses’ fleet - the city’s main operator, and one in five of First Scotland East’s.
However, Glasgow’s need is arguably greater, with one third more deaths from pollution than the 200 a year in Edinburgh. Transport minister Humza Yousaf, who launched a Scotland-wide consultation on LEZs two weeks ago, has said only that the first will be established next year. The three other largest cities - which also include Aberdeen and Dundee - would follow by 2020.
Read more at: http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/dirty-engine-buses-face-glasgow-city-centre-ban-1-4566585
NOW SEE THE LATEST ON THE NEW FOCUS FLICKR SITE
The next three sets from this year's Showbus event have been added to the Flickr site and can now be viewed in albums by clicking here and here and here
Although Glasgow has been in the lead, Edinburgh also wants to have Scotland’s LEZ. It is possible that the capital might be chosen first, as a higher proportion of its buses have the cleanest diesel engines. These include one in three of Lothian Buses’ fleet - the city’s main operator, and one in five of First Scotland East’s.
However, Glasgow’s need is arguably greater, with one third more deaths from pollution than the 200 a year in Edinburgh. Transport minister Humza Yousaf, who launched a Scotland-wide consultation on LEZs two weeks ago, has said only that the first will be established next year. The three other largest cities - which also include Aberdeen and Dundee - would follow by 2020.
Read more at: http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/dirty-engine-buses-face-glasgow-city-centre-ban-1-4566585
NOW SEE THE LATEST ON THE NEW FOCUS FLICKR SITE
The next three sets from this year's Showbus event have been added to the Flickr site and can now be viewed in albums by clicking here and here and here