Air Quality in Glasgow has improved in the last five years, according to official monitoring sites around the city.

In less than two weeks the Low Emission Zone will be enforced for all vehicles.

The council said the next phase of the LEZ will allow the city to make further improvements.

Air pollution reductions are put down to the first phase of the LEZ which targeted buses in the city centre.

READ HERE about the LEZ and what it means for Glasgow

Some people, including businesses in the city centre, have said that as improvements have been made the need to include all vehicles is less urgent.

The council, however, says the city has to go further and create cleaner air.

The monitoring shows levels of Nitrogen Dioxide have fallen across the city with most sites meeting the legal standard.

Hope Street, Gordon Street and Argyle Street are still showing higher levels of NO2.

Sepa has published a new interactive tool that enables users to chart the progress of monitoring levels which it says shows the success of the first phase of Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone.

It says the LEZ and the now fully compliant bus fleet have led to a drop in pollution in some of the main bus routes in the city.

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Dr Andrew Malby, of SEPA, said: “Phase one of Glasgow’s LEZ focused on the city’s buses and, using data collected by Glasgow City Council and bus operators, we’ve been able to show the improvements in air quality as the fleet underwent significant improvements. 

“While the focus has been along bus corridors, improvements are also now required in all other areas of the city centre. This will be achieved during the next phase of the LEZ when all vehicles are required to meet emission standards.”

Cars vans and lorries that do not meet the standards will not be allowed to enter the zone or will face a fixed penalty.

Petrol cars need to be Euro 4 which is most cars registered after 2006 and for diesel vehicles Euro 6 which is after 2015.

Councillor Angus Millar, Glasgow City Council Convener for Transport and Climate, said: “Poor air quality presents a serious risk to public health and so the LEZ is an essential measure if Glasgow is to tackle the harmful air pollution that has dogged parts of the city centre for decades.

“With the success of the bus phase, it’s clear that expansion to include all types of vehicles will allow us to maximise the LEZ’s air quality benefits.

 “While evidence suggests air quality improvements in city centre streets where buses were historically the main drivers of air pollution, we still have stubbornly high levels of harmful air pollution throughout the city centre – and while up to 90% of vehicles entering the zone will be unaffected by the LEZ, restricting access to the remaining minority of vehicles that pollute the most is vital to protect public health.”