ENVIRONMENTAL groups are urging councillors not to delay putting in place a Low Emission Zone in Glasgow City Centre.

Nine leading campaign organisations including Friends of the Earth and British Lung Foundation have called on the council to commit to full implementation of the LEZ for all vehicles by April 2021.

The SNP led council administration wants to wait until 31 December 2022 before the zone, the first in Scotland, applies to all buses vans and cars.

Read more:Glasgow wins race to set up first Low Emission Zone in Scotland

The Evening Times reported yesterday how the council convenor for carbon reduction, Anna Richardson is recommending the City Administration Committee rejects the decision of the council’s environment committee to recommend earlier implementation of the LEZ.

Now the environmental groups have sent a letter to the City Administration committee who will decide on the measures tomorrow.

They have said the earlier date was a “progressive step” and should be retained.

Read more:SNP rejects call to speed up Glasgow's Low Emission Zone

In the letter they state: “Given that Glasgow’s LEZ was officially announced in September 2017, there can be no justification for a December 2022 date for all vehicles to be compliant.

“This would be five years after the announcement, which itself came after seven years of deliberation and seven years after the lapse of the EU legal deadline for clean air.”

The letter is signed by British Lung Foundation, Cycling UK, Friends of the Earth, Get Glasgow Moving, Global Justice Now, GoBike, Scottish Environment Link, Stop Climate Chaos and WWF.

They said that even with 100% bus compliance there will still be illegal levels of pollution in parts of the city centre.

The groups are asking the council to “accelerate the timetable for the phase out of dirty buses” and to “move as quickly as the funding now allows”.

The campaigners stated that with the government subsidies on offer worth almost £11m for the first year 75% of the city’s buses could be retrofitted to meet the standards but next spring.

Read more:Nicola Sturgeon rejects criticism of city's LEZ

They added: “It is therefore incredibly disappointing that all buses will only be Euro six compliant by 2022.”

Councillor Anna Richardson, the council’s carbon reduction convenor has told the City Administration Committee that it will “present difficulties for businesses and residents” to comply by April 21.

Business support the 2022 date she said.

She said residents would need to “accommodate the requirements of the LEZ through their own plans to purchase or lease appropriate vehicles.” And 2021 would be “unduly challenging”

She said it will also take time for the council to put in place monitoring and enforcement measures to police the LEZ.