Supporting Clean Air

Travelling on foot or by bike for short trips is a great way to reduce these car journeys, as well as benefitting your physical and mental health.

Ever wondered about how your own activities contribute to air pollution? Try Global Action Plan's Air Pollution Calculator to see your impact and what you can do to make a difference.

Read more about the ongoing air quality work by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils.

Find out what we are doing to support clean air in the North East:

Dandelion clock

Low Emission Zone (LEZ)

A new Low Emission Zone in Aberdeen was introduced on 30 May 2022. Following a two year 'grace period', enforcement of the LEZ started on 1 June 2024.

Low Emission Zones are also enforced in Glasgow, Dundee and Edinburgh.

Low Emission Zones (LEZs) are intended to improve health by reducing pollution from road traffic. Within a LEZ, tVehicle Checker (lowemissionzones.scot)ons.

Read more about the Aberdeen LEZ

Many vehicles will already meet the emissions standards for Scotland's LEZs, and you can check your vehicle online, to see if it meets the standards by entering the number plate.

Park & Ride Bus at bus stop

Travel choices

Travel Planning and choosing the best way for you to travel for different purposes is a good way of helping to reduce emissions and improve air quality.

  • Do you need to travel?
  • Could you walk or cycle?
  • Take public transport?
  • If you have to drive, could you park and ride or park and stride?
A laptop on a desk

Home working

The Covid pandemic transformed how many of us worked, with remote and home working becoming the norm for many. These days, many of us now have hybrid working patterns.

Not travelling to work helps to reduce emissions and improve air quality.

Many workers still need to travel to and for work. But could you work more flexibly? Particularly avoiding travelling at peak times?

This could help to reduce not only emissions and improve air quality but reduce congestion too.

Hands on a car steering wheel

Engine idling

On those occasions where you need to use the car, make sure not to let your engine idle.

Engine idling is when you vehicle's engine is running when you are parked or stationary.

Idling increases the amount of exhaust fumes which contain carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. These emissions are bad for the environment and can cause lung disease. 

Unnecessary idling is against the law, and it can damage your car, waste fuel and pollute the environment - in fact every 10 minutes of idling contributes one pound of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere!

The RAC recommends that motorists turn off their engines if they think they are not going to move for around two minutes. You can also read more from the RAC about stop-starting.