Councillors are moving forward with plans to tackle pollution - however environmental groups want swift action

Glasgow could move forward with plans to introduce a congestion charge.

The city is finalising plans for the country’s first low emissions zone, with a report into plans to charge vehicles to enter the city centre set to be completed by next spring.

However environmental campaigners have said targets set out by Glasgow City Council lack ambition.

Nine health and environmental campaign groups and over 350 members have signed a letter calling for a road charging scheme to be introduced as part of the low emissions scheme.

A meeting of the council’s Environment Committee is due to take place today (Thursday 13 June) with councillors recommended to commission a report on creating a congestion charge.

The plans will also see cars which are more than 12 years old banned, with new restrictions being phased in over the next four years.

However air pollution campaigner for Friends of the Earth Scotland Emilia Hanna described the council’s plans as unambitious.

She said: “In March, hundreds of people protested Glasgow City Council’s draft proposals and in response the plans were slightly improved as councillors at the Environment Committee.

“But the current version seeks to undo the good work of that committee, with restrictions on dirty cars, vans, taxis and lorries only kicking in at the end of December 2022, 12 years after the legal deadline for clean air. The plans will condemn people in city to have illegal levels of air pollution for years to come.

“Glasgow councillors still have a chance to rescue this low emission zone at Committee. The councillors must show their intention to phase out dirty buses in the city centre more quickly than currently planned, and must stick with the proposal passed at the Environment Committee in March that the zone come into force for all vehicles by April 2021.”