Dundee Low Emission Zone Scheme (LEZ)

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 has been introduced in the city to further accelerate Dundee’s required compliance with the objective levels. The LEZ has been 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 (between North Marketgait and Ward Road/Meadowside junction), 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 has started on 30th May 2024.

The Dundee LEZ Scheme  operates 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).

Only vehicles that do not meet the minimum criteria set in the national Low Emission Zones (Emission Standards, Exemptions and Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 will be affected.

The minimum criteria are:

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

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. The vehicle checker will allow you, by providing your vehicle registration number, to check if your vehicle can or cannot drive within the Dundee and other Scottish LEZ's based on whether it is considered compliant or non-compliant with the emission standards. Note: the checker does not provide an exemption status and cannot check foreign vehicles. 

For UK registered vehicles you may check your vehicle's emissions with the Vehicle Certification Authority and with your manufacturer.

For non-UK registered vehicles your vehicle must be LEZ compliant to drive in the LEZ. Please contact your national vehicle authorities to confirm compliance status. 

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.

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 non-compliant vehicles within such a group to continue to drive within the LEZ area without penalty.  Should an applicant wish to renew their exemption for an additional year, the application process must be repeated. Please note that it is not possible within the legislation for time-limited exemptions to be granted for private cars.

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

Applications for 'time-limited exemptions' can be made by completing this online application form. This form is not to be used for national exemptions such as 'blue-badge exemptions' or historic vehicles.

Guidance on Time Limited Exemptions (1MB PDF)

Enforcement of the Dundee LEZ Scheme started on the 30th May 2024. Set at national level by the Scottish Government for consistency across cities, the initial penalty charge rate for all non-compliant vehicles entering a LEZ in Scotland is £60, reduced by 50% if it is paid within 14 days. 

The penalty charge rate doubles with each subsequent breach of the rules detected in the same LEZ. The rates are capped at £480 for cars and light goods vehicles, and £960 for minibuses, buses, coaches and HGVs. 

Any further breaches of LEZ rules by the same vehicle detected in the same LEZ once this cap is reached will result in future PCNs issued at the capped penalty charge rate. 

Where there are no further breaches of the rules detected within the 90 days following a previous violation, the penalty rate will be reset to the base tier charge of £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.

Table of charges 

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.

LEZ Penalty Charge Notice (PCNs) issued:

*Includes 30 & 31 May 2024

Please contact us by e-mail if you have a question about the Low Emission Zone that you haven't been able to find an answer to on these pages.

Dundee.lez@dundeecity.gov.uk 

If you are appealing a Penalty Charge Notice you should use the appeals portal-

Pay or Appeal LEZ PCN

LEZ Support Fund for businesses

The low emission zone support fund is funded by Transport Scotland and administered by Energy Saving Trust. It offers an incentive for eligible businesses to take their older, more polluting vehicles off the road. 

• Grants of £2,000 are available to sole traders and micro businesses with nine or fewer full-time employees. Successful applicants will be required to dispose of their vehicle at a  Scottish authorised treatment facility. A grant offer must be in place prior to vehicle disposal. 
• Following vehicle disposal and successful receipt of the fund, eligible businesses will be offered an additional £1,000 towards the purchase of a cargo or electric cargo bike. 

How to apply 

In order to check eligibility and request an application form for the Low Emission Zone Support Fund, please review the dedicated webpage Low emission zone support fund for businesses - Energy Saving Trust, which contains a link to our online application form. 

LEZ Retrofit Fund for businesses – 

The LEZ Retrofit Fund provides eligible microbusinesses and sole traders that operate within a Scottish LEZ with financial 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.

Funding for the LEZ Retrofit Fund is expected to be allocated very quickly due to very high demand and limited budget.

Grants are available to cover up to 70% of the cost of a retrofit solution, subject to the following terms and conditions:

• Up to £5,000 per light commercial vehicle and wheelchair accessible taxi installing retrofit exhaust after-treatment systems.
• Up to £10,000 per wheelchair accessible taxi installing re-powering technology.
• Up to £16,000 per heavy goods vehicle or refuse collection vehicle.

Key Eligibility Criteria:

• Applicant business must operate within a 20km radius of a Scottish LEZ.
• Applicant business must be an active micro business or a sole trader. To fit this definition, businesses must:
  • Employ nine or fewer full-time employees.
  • Have a turnover of £632,000 or less, or a balance sheet of up to £316,000 in the preceding and current financial year.
• Applicant business must not have previously received funding or currently have an offer in place to retrofit a vehicle.
• The chosen vehicle must have a CVRAS-approved retrofit solution.
• The chosen vehicle must fall under the following emission standards:
  • Euro 3 or older petrol vehicles - this generally applies to vehicles registered before 2006.
  • Euro 5 or older diesel vehicles – this generally applies to vehicles registered before September 2015

How to apply

In order to check your eligibility and request an application form for our Low Emission Zone Retrofit Fund, please review the Energy Saving Trust webpage https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/grants-and-loans/low-emission-zone-retrofit-fund/ which contains a link to the online application form.

Prior to applying, a valid quote for a CVRAS approved solution suitable for the vehicle must be obtained. A list of solutions and their installers at https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/service/clean-vehicle-retrofit-accreditation-scheme/

LEZ Support for local organisations

Free Independent advice and support is available for local organisations who would like to explore options for implementing Active and Lower carbon travel options.

Dundee Cycle Hub has a range of support options available including: Support for embedding cycling within your organisation, Funding Advice, Free E-Cargo Bike Loans and help to obtain nationally recognised awards such as The Cycle Friendly Employer Award from Cycling Scotland. 

For more information, please visit Dundee Cycle Hub's website, download their leaflet or contact the local support officer by email at lezdundee@cyclehub.org

Under the powers granted by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 , and in accordance with The Low Emission Zones (Emission Standards, Exemptions and Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 and The Low Emission Zones (Scotland) Regulations 2021, Dundee City Council (DCC) made a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) Scheme in Dundee on 24th May 2022, which was introduced on Monday 30th May 2022. Enforcement of the LEZ Scheme has commenced on 30th May 2024.

• A copy of the Scheme as approved by the Scottish Ministers is able to be downloaded here (390KB PDF) .
• A copy of the Scheme document making the Dundee Low Emission Zone scheme 2022 is able to be downloaded here (400KB PDF).
• A copy of the Notice of Making the Scheme can be downloaded here (800KB PDF)
• A statement of date of coming in to effect is able to be downloaded here (600KB PDF) .
• 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’ (800KB 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.

If you drive in Dundee or other Scottish cities, you’ll need to know about the new Low Emission Zones introduced in recent years.

LEZs set vehicle emission standards on certain road spaces with the aim of improving air quality.

You may be wondering what this means for you when travelling in LEZs. Here we address some common myths about Low Emission Zones to help you prepare and find out more about their many benefits.

Busting the biggest myths about Scotland's Low Emission Zones