The Scottish Government has launched a national low-emission strategy consultation, which could pave the way for London-style low emission zones within two years.

Guidelines for potential LEZs in Scottish cities propose new diesel vehicles must be  Euro-6 compliant, with older vehicles retrofitted to bring them “as near to Euro-6 as possible”.

FTA head of urban logistics policy Christopher Snelling said the timescales were “unusually short”, compared with the seven-year notice period the London LEZ will have provided by the time Euro-6 is mandatory.

He said nowhere else in Europe had implemented a Euro-6 LEZ. “If we are to avoid disruption to local economies in city centres, CV operators, and we’d assume private motorists, we need notice periods akin to those being given in London,” he said.

The consultation runs until 15 April.

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