Funding Available for Eligible Households and Businesses to Prepare for Glasgow's Low Emission Zone

Funding is currently available to help eligible households and businesses prepare for the second phase of Glasgow's Low Emission Zone (LEZ) which will apply to all vehicles entering the city centre zone from 2023.

Transport Scotland's Low Emission Zone Support Fund, administered by the Energy Saving Trust is offering incentives for qualifying households, micro businesses (with nine or fewer full-time employees) and sole traders to take older, more polluting vehicles off the road that do not comply with LEZ emission standards. 

Grants of £2,500 are available to eligible businesses for taking a non-compliant vehicle to be scrapped at a Scottish authorised treatment facility. Qualifying households can do likewise with a grant of up to £2,000 available for non-compliant vehicle disposal. A further £1,000 to use toward more sustainable travel options such as a cycling or using public transport is also available for eligible households through the Travel Better Fund.

In addition, Transport Scotland has also made available £1.09m to support the conversion (or retrofitting) of engines/exhausts of light goods vehicles, heavy goods vehicles and taxis through their LEZ Retrofit Fund for micro-businesses.

Cllr Anna Richardson, Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction said: "Clearly the pandemic has affected every aspect of our lives, including travel choices. We remain resolute however in our commitment to expanding the scope of Glasgow's LEZ to include all vehicles and attaining air quality benefits which impact so positively on our health and wellbeing.

"We understand that the requirement to meet LEZ emission standards will have an impact however there is practical assistance available and I'd appeal to those eligible to secure that support to help them prepare."

See full LEZ Support Fund details and qualifying criteria in these publications by the Energy Saving Trust:

Low Emission Zone Support Fund leaflet for households

Low Emission Zone Support Fund leaflet for businesses

Travel Better leaflet

For more general information on the grant funding available to support LEZ compliance, visit the Energy Saving Trust website.

Glasgow's LEZ - Updated Timetable

Glasgow's LEZ was introduced at the end of 2018 and sets minimum emission standards in the city centre zone, allowing penalty-free access to only the cleanest vehicles to improve air quality and protect public health.

The first phase of Glasgow's LEZ applies to buses only, however in 2023 the second phase will see all vehicles entering the city centre zone having to meet the required emission standards. This second phase was originally expected to be enforced from the end of 2022 however the impacts of COVID-19 has extended this out to 2023, with a more detailed, revised timetable for full enforcement to be published as soon as possible.

Will Your Vehicle Comply?

Glasgow's LEZ is expected to adopt the following emission standards:

• Euro 4 for petrol cars, vans, minibuses and other specialist vehicles
• Euro 6 for diesel cars, vans and minibuses and other specialist vehicles
• Euro VI for lorries, buses and coaches and other specialist heavy diesel engine vehicles

Motorcycles, mopeds, motorised tricycles and quadricycles are likely to be scoped out of LEZ schemes across Scotland.

You may be able to find Euro standard information on the inside of the (passenger or driver) door frame. For newer vehicles, the Euro standard may be listed on the registration document - in the UK this is in the V5C (V5C registration certificate, or log book in section D.2). If you are in any doubt, you can contact the vehicle manufacturer to check.

Transport Scotland are working on an online tool that will enable motorists to check if their vehicle meets LEZ emission standards by entering their registration number. Until this is ready, they have prepared a basic online vehicle checker.  Whilst the results are not a guarantee or proof that a vehicle can enter a LEZ, they can give an indication meantime. 

As soon as the registration checking tool is available, a weblink will be added to this page.