“Iniquitous, expensive and pointless!”
This is how Sovereignty NEC member, Andrew MacDonald has described the Low Emission Zones (LEZs) now operating in Scotland’s major cities.
Banning diesel cars and vans that do not have at least a Euro 6 engine, and petrol ones that do have a Euro 4 and up means that over 300,000 cars are affected in Glasgow alone. Yet, its effect is to move the pollution from the LEZ designated zones in a small area of the city centre to the outskirts and the M8. Similar fiascos have been imposed on Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen.
“In my own case I would have to invest up to £70,000 to buy a new equivalent vehicle. Even a low mileage compliant vehicle costs about £40,000. Many, many people – taxi drivers for instance – who cannot make this investment will have to seek other employment or retire early.
“This measure does not eliminate pollution; it simply moves it away from the city centres, Another cash cow for local councils in fines collected, but they contribute little else but added vexation to drivers, visitors and local business owners.”