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New research exploring the effects of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Glasgow has found that while traffic flow has remained largely unchanged since the Zone was enforced, air quality has improved.

Co-authored by researchers from the Universities of Auckland, University College Dublin, and Glasgow, the study, published in Findings, gathered hourly data from traffic sensors and air quality monitors in the city's busy Hope Street and High Street within the LEZ to produce figures for the daily average NO 2 . Meteorological data, provided by the UK Met Office, factored in the wind effect on NO 2 dispersal.

The study found a statistically significant reduction in traffic flow on High Street during weekdays resulting in notable decreases in normalized NO 2 levels of between 25% and 27% on weekdays. A 35% drop of NO 2 on weekends was also observed.

In contrast, traffic patterns on Hope Street remained stable, yet statistically significant decreases in NO 2 levels of between 9% and 13% on weekdays were still observed, suggesting the establishment of the LEZ discourages high emission vehicles in the city center and helps improve air quality.

Co-author of the paper, Qunshan Zhao, Professor in Urban Analytics at the University of Glasgow's Urban Big Data Center, said, "These early results indicate that while traffic reductions and the decrease in high emission vehicles in some parts of the city may be contributing to improved air quality, other factors may also play a role.

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