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Dundee shop owner says LEZ rules are ‘slap in face’ after being denied exemption

Dale Harper, who runs Head Happy in the city centre, has accused the local authority of "making way for the failure of independent stores".

Dale Harper outside his Head Happy shop in Dundee. Image: James Simpson/DC Thomson
Dale Harper outside his Head Happy shop in Dundee. Image: James Simpson/DC Thomson

A Dundee shop owner says new LEZ rules are a “slap in the face” after being denied an exemption for his car.

Dale Harper, who runs CBD and vape store Head Happy on Cowgate, owns a 2010 Audi A5 – which he used to transport goods to his shop.

But the car does not comply with the low emission zone, meaning he cannot drive it to or from his store without receiving a fine.

Dale applied to the council for a time-limited exemption, which he says would have allowed him to pay off his current car by February before getting a vehicle that meets the LEZ requirements.

However, the council turned him down – saying there were “no exceptional circumstances” provided for his case.

‘Until Dundee has a better economy, smaller retailers are sitting ducks’

Dale says he only used the car for 15 minutes a week to deliver soft drinks to his premises – and claims he will now be forced to pay for a more expensive delivery method.

Dale told The Courier: “I have to live within my means and see out the payments on the car I own until February.

“Until that point, I can’t buy another vehicle.

“Previously I would go to the cash and carry and order 10 cases of juice.

“I’d park up outside the shop and drop them off – you’re talking less than 15 minutes.

“This was explained in my request but it’s been denied.

Dale inside the Cowgate store. Image: James Simpson/DC Thomson

“They’ve refused me a short window to deliver heavy goods to the shop – it’s a total slap in the face.

“There’s no discussion, no answer from them.

“They’re just making way for the failure of independent stores and the rise of conglomerate agencies.

“The council surely must realise that large retailers easily push aside smaller stores, not just because they have money, but because they have better logistics and better transportation.

“When Dundee has a better economy, then we can shift to this system but until then, smaller retailers are sitting ducks.”

‘Cost implication’ for customers of Dundee shop after LEZ exemption refusal

Dale says he will now need to get a delivery of drinks from Edinburgh.

He added: “My delivery will likely now come on a pallet despite the fact it will only be 10 cases.

“This is likely going to have a cost implication for me and my customers.

“To deny this exemption without even looking at the circumstances just feels like a ‘screw you’ mindset from the council.

“We opened here just before Covid and survived and now we’re having to contend with this.”

The Dundee LEZ has been enforced since May. Image: Finn Nixon/DC Thomson

Dundee City Council insists businesses have had plenty of chance to get ready for the LEZ.

A spokesperson said: “Businesses and residents had more than two years to prepare for Dundee’s low emission zone enforcement stage which began on Thursday May 30.

“Throughout the grace period, various grants and other support have been made available to assist people with uncompliant vehicles requiring access to the LEZ.

“The Scottish Government continue to offer financial support which is administered on their behalf by the Energy Saving Trust.

Businesses must ‘demonstrate they are doing all they can to comply with LEZ’ for exemption

“Details of the funding available to businesses and residents can be accessed online at www.dundeecity.gov.uk/lez.

“Time-limited exemptions may be granted in circumstances where the operator of a certain vehicle or vehicle type can clearly demonstrate that they are doing all they can to comply with the LEZ but may require a longer time than the grace period.”

Earlier this month, the council was accused of being unprepared for the LEZ after having to replace six community justice vans left out of action when the rules came into force.

The local authority is introducing free parking at two car parks on weekends in July in an attempt to soften the impact of the LEZ on businesses.

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