Diesel ban moves closer 02 | 12 | 2014
THE THREAT OF Scotland's leading cities being forced to ban older diesel-engined cars from their city centres has moved closer. The threat is now a possibility after the UK Government came under renewed pressure to meet European air quality regulations.
The increased pressure follows a ruling by the European Court of Justice and specifically targets nitrogen oxides (NoX).
There are now growing concerns that the larger cities across the whole of the UK — including Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen — could be forced into introducing super-stringent low emissions zones.
The primary threat is the likelihood of older diesel-powered vehicles simply being banned from the town centres.
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Following a case brought against the Department for Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs by pressure group ClientEarth, the European Court ruled that Britain’s Supreme Court should now take over enforcement of the EU’s clean air regulations and force the UK government to rapidly accelerate the speed of its compliance.
According to ClientEarth, the ruling means UK courts “must order the government to produce a plan which achieves nitrogen dioxide limits as soon as possible. Under current plans the wider UK will not meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide until after 2030.”
The size of the challenge to reduce particulate and NoX emissions across the UK is massive. Why? Because particulate and NoX emissions come almost entirely from diesel engines, which dominate UK and European roads.
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Jim McGill