Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop emphasizes the need for realistic goals on car use reduction in Scotland
Edinburgh: The Transport Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, says we need to be realistic about cutting car use in Scotland. Auditors warn that the government’s target might be missed.
Hyslop didn’t confirm if the goal of reducing car kilometers by 20% by 2030 will be dropped. Audit Scotland pointed out a lack of leadership and a clear plan to meet this ambitious target.
Despite assurances from John Swinney last year, car use has increased since the pandemic. Public transport use has dropped, and spending on active travel hasn’t significantly affected car use.
Hyslop discussed the report with journalists, calling the 2030 target “challenging.” She stressed the need for collective leadership to tackle this issue.
She mentioned that the pandemic disrupted the transport sector, affecting how people travel. More people working from home means less need for public transport.
Hyslop said there’s no single solution to this problem. She emphasized working with local authorities to find achievable goals and following the Climate Change Committee’s advice.
In November, the Scottish Parliament removed a separate interim emissions reduction target for 2030, as experts deemed it no longer credible.
Hyslop acknowledged that shifting people away from cars is tough. Many prefer the comfort of their own vehicles.
She highlighted the Budget’s commitments to public transport and active travel, urging Labour to support the government’s spending plans.
Audit Scotland criticized the lack of leadership on the 20% target, noting there are no costed delivery plans in place.
Domestic transport is Scotland’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, making up 28% of total emissions. In 2022, the government claimed efforts to reduce car use were “stepping up a gear.”
Last year, the government scrapped a trial to eliminate peak rail fares, which aimed to encourage public transport use. They said the £40 million cost was unjustifiable.
After this decision, Swinney maintained that the 2030 target could still be met, emphasizing the need for public behavior changes.
He noted that achieving this goal requires more than just one policy change. Audit Scotland stated that to meet the car kilometer target, traffic levels must drop by 7.3 billion kilometers.
The last time car use was at this level was in 1994. Jamie Livingstone from Oxfam Scotland stressed the urgency of action to meet climate commitments.
He called for bold steps to make public transport the easy and affordable choice, which requires more investment.
