Edinburgh's LEZ one year on: More walking and cycling, less pollution and fewer fines

And a year on, air quality monitoring shows reduced pollution levels and the city council says the number of fines handed out to vehicles which fail to meet the zone’s emission standards has fallen.

Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee began enforcing the LEZ standards 12 months ago, a year after Glasgow.

Edinburgh's LEZ is one year old | supplied

Research by the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) looked at whether people in the Capital had changed their commuting behaviour in the first six months of enforcement.

The study report said: “Results suggested a small, but statistically significant, shift towards active travel and public transport within the LEZ, with a decrease in private vehicle use.

“We found evidence that active travel and public transport use increased following enforcement of the Edinburgh LEZ.”

And the council said the total number of fines issued for breaches of the LEZ - which covers a 1.2 square mile area of the city centre - decreased by 56 per cent between June 2024 and January 2025 alone.

It said the vast majority of vehicles entering the LEZ - over 95 per cent - were compliant, with around another 3 per cent in exempted classes.

Transport and environment convener Stephen Jenkinson said: "I’m proud that alongside Aberdeen, Dundee, and Glasgow we took the bold step of implementing and enforcing a LEZ. We’re sending a clear message that our major cities are united in pursuing a better future for all. Fundamentally, the LEZs are about making our cities healthier for everyone.

"As Scotland’s capital city, we have a duty to lead on the response to the climate and nature emergencies which will define our country for generations to come. Multiple studies show that even low levels of pollution can have an impact on our health. Road traffic is one of the main sources of harmful emissions that are damaging people’s health and contributing to climate change, so we have a real responsibility to tackle this.

“The average decrease in penalty charge notices (PCNs) here in Edinburgh show that people are getting used to the LEZ and modifying their habits accordingly. It’s also encouraging to see studies showing a positive shift towards greater use of active travel and public transport.

“The LEZ is one important tool to help us achieve our ambitious climate goals, including net zero emissions by 2030.”

Joseph Carter, head of Asthma + Lung UK Scotland, said: “We are pleased that Edinburgh along with Dundee and Aberdeen made the bold move a year ago to ban the most polluting cars from their city and it is a step in the right direction to help improve the air that we all breathe.

“With air pollution cutting short thousands of lives a year, we want to see our cities become far healthier places, where people can walk and cycle and not be forced to breathe in dirty air.

“With 1 in 5 people in Scotland developing a lung condition like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in their lifetime, for them, air pollution can trigger life-threatening asthma attacks and flare-ups.

“Children are more susceptible to air pollution as their lungs are still growing, and they also breathe faster than adults. As they grow, toxic air can stunt the growth of their lungs, making them less resilient into adulthood and placing them at greater risk of lung disease in the future.”

And Flora Ogilvie, consultant in public health at NHS Lothian, said: “It’s great to know that the LEZ enforcement has been in place for a year, helping to improve air quality in the city and protect the health of our most vulnerable residents. Improving air quality and reducing traffic levels are also an important way of encouraging more people to travel by walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport.

“Travelling sustainably can help improve individual physical activity levels and mental wellbeing, as well as supporting better environmental health for the whole population and planet.”