Glasgow driver wrongly hit with low emission zone fine urges motorists to check small print

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Glasgow City Council could be raking in fortunes from motorists in wrongly-issued air pollution fines. The Council introduced new Low Emission Zones (LEZ) in June, with a view to cleaning up the city's air.The policy sees £60 Penalty Charge Notices issued when vehicles with certain emission levels are driven within a specified area of the city centre.

Motorists were hit with 2,922 fines in the first month of the scheme, with a further 5,933 imposed on drivers in July, totalling £600,000.But one driver told the Daily Record that he successfully overturned a fine wrongfully issued to his 2005 petrol car and raised questions about how many other motorists have been charged in error.

The driver, who asked not to be named, said: "I was sure my car, which is Euro 4 and meets the emissions standards, was compliant so I checked and it is."The council website says that cars are 'generally compliant' if they are 2006 or later.

But mine is 2005 and compliant. My V5 log book confirms the car is Euro 4, so I sent that to the council, who then confirmed they were overturning it."When the council notified the driver that his fine would be overturned, they suggested that he alert Low Emission Zones Scotland - the body in charge of the LEZ - of the error.A letter from the council to the driver read: "The matter has been investigated and further checks show that your vehicle is compliant and can be driven within the Low Emission Zone."I have therefore withdrawn the above Notice.