Dundee Low Emission Zone Scheme

A Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is an area where only certain vehicles are allowed to enter based on their emissions standards. LEZs reduce pollution levels and improve air quality by stopping the most polluting vehicles entering a specific area.

Despite improvements in air quality since the introduction of the Dundee City Council Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) in 2011, there remain locations in the city where the Scottish Air Quality Objective (AQO) for annual mean nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels (40ug/m3) are not being met. While the number of exceedances of the NO2 annual mean objective has decreased significantly in the past 10 years, the LEZ is to be introduced in the city to further accelerate Dundee’s required compliance with the objective levels. The LEZ is also being introduced to contribute to the Council meeting greenhouse emissions reductions targets as outlined within the Dundee Climate Action Plan published in 2019, and to help promote the city as an inclusive and desirable place to live, invest, visit and learn.

The Dundee LEZ Scheme includes an area within the A991 Inner Ring Road, excluding the Bell Street, West Marketgait NCP and Wellgate car parks as outline on the map below.

Enhanced mapping of LEZs in Scotland can be found on the Traffic Scotland website at www.traffic.gov.scot . To view the Dundee LEZ (and also the Aberdeen, Edinburgh & Glasgow LEZ) areas on the Traffic Scotland mapping system you should select ‘map filters’ (if not automatically opened) and then ‘Road facilities’ which is in the ‘Live traffic info’ tab. Under Road facilities you will find ‘Low Emission Zones’, and you will need to tick that box. The four Scottish LEZs will then be available on the map and you can scroll in / out to view their locations within each of the cities.

This map can also be downloaded here (1.7MB PDF).

The roads (or parts of roads) which form part of the LEZ are as follows (unless otherwise stated, the full length of the road is within the proposed LEZ scheme area):
Allan Lane, Albert Square, Argyllgait, Bank Street, Barrack Street, Bell Street (between Victoria Road and Constitution Road), Cameron's Close, Candle Lane, Castle Street, Chapel Street, Commercial Court, Commercial Street, Constitution Road, Courthouse Square, Couttie's Wynd, Cowgate, Crichton Street, Dock Street (between Whitehall Crescent and Commercial Street/A991 junction), Euclid Crescent, Euclid Street, Exchange Court, Exchange Street, Forester Street, Gellatly Street, High Street, Irvine's Square, Johnston Street, King Street (between St. Andrew's Street and North Marketgait), Malthouse Close, Mary Ann Lane, Meadow Entry, Meadowside (between Meadow Lane and Constitution Road), Murraygate, Nethergate (between West Marketgait and Crichton Street), Nicholl Street, North Lindsay Street, Panmure Street, Peter Street, Pullar's Close, Queen Street, Rattray Street, Reform Street, Royal Exchange Lane, Seagate (between Commercial Street and East Marketgait), Shore Terrace, Soapwork Lane, South Ward Road, St Andrew's Lane, St Andrew's Street, Sugarhouse Wynd, Trades Lane, Union Street, Ward Road, West Bell Street, Whitehall Crescent, Whitehall Street, Willison Street, Yeaman Shore

The Dundee LEZ Scheme was introduced on 30th May 2022. There is a grace period of two years from that date when enforcement of the scheme will not take place. This applies to both residents and non-residents of the LEZ area and for all non-exempt vehicle types, and means enforcement will start on 30th May 2024.

The Dundee LEZ Scheme will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year.

The Dundee LEZ scheme may be suspended for the duration of events of local or national significance, and also in emergency situations, such as an accident on the wider road network that requires all vehicles to be temporarily diverted through the LEZ area (but only where vehicles follow prescribed diversionary routes).

The Dundee LEZ Scheme applies most vehicle types, however most vehicles will not be affected by the Dundee LEZ Scheme. Only vehicles that do not meet the following minimum criteria for vehicles to access a LEZ will be affected:

•    Euro 4 for petrol cars and vans (generally vehicles registered from 2006)
•    Euro 6 for diesel cars and vans (generally vehicles registered from September 2015)
•    Euro VI for buses, coaches and HGVs (generally vehicles registered from January 2013)

Motorcycles and mopeds and those subject to a national exemption outlined in the Low Emission Zones (Emission Standards, Exemptions and Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 will also not be affected by the LEZ Scheme.

Transport Scotland has developed a vehicle checker tool that is available on the Low Emission Zones Scotland website www.lowemissionzones.scot/vehicle-registration-checker . The vehicle checker will allow you, by providing your vehicle registration number, to check if your vehicle can or cannot drive within a LEZ based on whether it is considered compliant or non-compliant with the emission standards.

The national exemptions include:

• Emergency vehicles -The vehicle is being driven by any person who is: undertaking their duty as a constable; providing a response to an emergency at the request of the Scottish Ambulance Service Board; exercising the functions of the Scottish Ambulance Service Board, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Her Majesty's Coastguard or the National Crime Agency.
• Naval, military or air force vehicles - Vehicles being used for naval, military or air force purposes. 
• Historic vehicles - The vehicle was manufactured or registered under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 for the first time at least 30 years ago; the vehicle is no longer in production; and the vehicle has been historically preserved or maintained in its original state and has not undergone substantial changes in the technical characteristics of its main components. 
• Vehicles for disabled persons - The vehicle is being driven by any person who is in receipt of a badge (a blue badge) that has been issued under Section 21(2) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, a passenger in the vehicle has been issued with a badge under that Section of that Act; or a badge for the vehicle has been issued under Section 21(4) of that Act; or a reduction in annual rate of vehicle excise duty applies because the vehicle is being used by a disabled person in receipt of personal independence payment at the standard rate; or vehicles registered with a 'disabled' or 'disabled passenger vehicles' tax class e.g. the vehicle is exempt from payment of vehicle excise duty under paragraph 19(1) or 20(1) of schedule 2 of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 (exemptions from excise duty for vehicles used by disabled persons). Note: blue badges are assigned to a person, not a vehicle, so a blue badge holder could travel in any vehicle and the rules of the blue badge would be applied to that vehicle on that day of travel. 
• Showman vehicles - Vehicles described as either “showman’s goods vehicle” or “showman’s vehicle” according to Section 62(1) of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. Note: these are highly specialised vehicles used for the purposes of travelling showmen, where the vehicle is used during the performance, used for the purpose of providing the performance or used for carrying performance equipment.

Transport Scotland has developed an online scheme for Blue Badge holders to register vehicles they are travelling in. Blue Badge holders who require exemptions can now register their details with the new LEZ exemption system so that the vehicle they are travelling in can access LEZs. If the journey is a one-off or irregular visit to a LEZ, Blue Badge holders will be able to register for a short-term exemption to cover their travel. The exemption applies to any vehicle whether the Blue Badge holder is the driver or the passenger.

More information about the Blue Badge exemption scheme and how to register for an exemption is available on the Low Emission Zones Scotland website www.lowemissionzones.scot/blue-badge-exemption .

Dundee City Council is able to grant a ‘time-limited exemption’ of no more than 1 year to certain vehicles or vehicle types which would allow any non-compliant vehicles within such a group to continue to drive within the LEZ area without penalty on a temporary basis. Should an applicant wish to renew their exemption for an additional year, the application process must be repeated. 

DCC may grant a ‘time-limited exemption’  in circumstances where it can be clearly demonstrated by the applicant that the vehicle operator or groups are doing all they can to comply with the LEZ but may require longer time than the agreed grace period.

If you wish to apply for an exemption for a particular vehicle, please fill out this application form (0.14MB PDF) and return to dundee.lez@dundeecity.gov.uk

Please note that it is not possible within the legislation for exemptions to be granted for residents' private cars.

Enforcement of the Dundee LEZ Scheme will not commence until 30th May 2024. The initial penalty charge for driving a non-compliant vehicle on a road within the LEZ area for all non-compliant vehicles is set at £60, reduced by 50% if it is paid within 14 days. 

The penalty amount doubles with each subsequent breach of the rules detected in the same LEZ. The penalty charges are capped at £480 for cars and light goods vehicles and £960 for buses and HGVs. Where there are no further breaches of the rules detected within the 90 days following a previous violation, the penalty is reset to the base tier of charge i.e. £60.

The default penalty charges for LEZs have been set in Schedule 4 of the Low Emission Zones (Emission Standards, Exemptions and Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 and therefore are consistent across all of Scotland. 

Enforcement will be undertaken through the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. Please note that enforcement will not commence until the grace periods end in 2024.

Support funding is currently being made available by the Scottish Government through the Energy Saving Trust for certain households and businesses. Details can be found on the Low Emission Zones Scotland website and via the links to the Energy Saving Trust website provided below.

LEZ Support Fund for Households
Up to £3,000 is available to eligible households. £2,000 towards the safe disposal of an uncompliant vehicle, and up to £1,000 Travel Better for two adults (£500 each) towards active and shared transport options. 

LEZ Support Fund for businesses
•    £2,000 is available to eligible businesses for the safe disposal of an uncompliant vehicle. 
•    NEW to this year: eligible businesses can apply for up to £1,000 towards a cargo or ecargo bike for business use. 

LEZ Retrofit Fund for businesses – ***Following full allocation of budget for the current financial year, the Low Emission Zone Retrofit Fund has now closed. Energy Saving Trust continue to process existing applications and those eligible will be placed on a waiting list and contacted if further funds become available. ****

This fund provides eligible micro businesses, who operate within one of Scotland’s four proposed low emission zones, with support to retrofit their existing non-compliant vehicles with Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) approved solutions that meet the minimum proposed standards of the low emission zones.

Energy Saving Trust also offers a range of loans to support the purchase of Electric vehicles, ebikes and cargo bikes for business use. Further information on grants available and how to apply for these is contained on the Energy Saving Trust website.

• SYSTRA ‘National Low Emission Framework - Interim Stage 2 report’ (8.6MB PDF) - this report describes the process followed to identify the proposed LEZ scheme including options appraisals and details of traffic modelling undertaken. A shorter ‘summary note’ version is also available SYSTRA ‘National Low Emission Framework – Stage 2 Assessment – Summary Note (2.2MB PDF)
• SEPA Low Emissions Zone Dundee Evidence Report September 2021 (4.2MB PDF) – this Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) report identifies the anticipated air quality impacts of the proposed LEZ scheme 
• SYSTRA ‘Outcomes From Statutory Consultation On The Proposed LEZ Scheme For Dundee Report’ (0.6MB PDF) - this report summarises the outcomes of the statutory consultation on the proposed LEZ scheme and earlier consultation / stakeholder engagement carried out
• SYSTRA / Jacobs ‘LEZ Uncertainty Summary Note’ (0.8MB PDF) – a report into COVID uncertainties and LEZ development across the four LEZ cities in Scotland.
• SYSTRA ‘Dundee Low Emission Zone Integrated Impact Assessment’ (2.1MB PDF)
• SYSTRA Strategic Environmental Assessment – Environmental Report (1.8MB PDF)
• LEZ Objections Report (0.06MB PDF) -  A report outlining the number of objections received, a summary of the general nature of the objections received, and the local authority's response to the objections received during the objection period which ran for 35-days from Monday 13th December 2021 to 16th January 2022.