Scotland's first Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is to be established in Glasgow by the end of 2018.

The news was announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during the SNP's conference in Glasgow on Tuesday, 10 October.

She said: "Environmental campaigners recently described our programme for government as the greenest in the entire lifetime of the Scottish Parliament.

"In that programme, we committed to setting up Low Emissions Zones in our four biggest cities by 2020, to improve the quality of the air that we breathe.

"The first of these will be in place by the end of next year and I am very pleased to announce today that it will be located here in the city of Glasgow.

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Glasgow City Council will now partner with the Scottish Government to prepare the LEZ design and proposals, which aims to improve air quality in Glasgow.

The final design of the Glasgow LEZ will be informed by the guiding principles that are currently being developed through the Transport Scotland ‘Building Scotland's Low Emission Zones' consultation. Preparation for the Glasgow LEZ is underway with a LEZ Leadership Group and associated Glasgow LEZ Delivery Group already set up.

Commenting on the announcement, Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said: "We can be proud of the progress we've made in tackling air pollution, but our biggest cities, like Glasgow, are determined to create the best possible environment for communities to flourish by improving air quality. I'm delighted that Glasgow is working to have their LEZ in place by the end of 2018.

"We have pledged to work with local authorities to introduce low emission zones in Scotland's four biggest cities by 2020 and this is a positive step towards that vision. This is a decision based on the scientific evidence which demonstrates the link between air pollution and ill health."

(LM/MH)