Our approach to enabling car use reduction

Changing behaviours

We are utilising behaviour change tools to inform our approach. We know that it is not enough to simply ask car users to change their behaviour. Individual behaviour change happens in the context of the social and material environments in which people live (Influencing behaviours - Moving beyond the individual: A Guide to the ISM Tool). We need to provide people with the capability, opportunity, and motivation (The behaviour change wheel: A new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions) to choose between positive behaviours, to change the way they access goods, services, amenities, and social connections. This will support people to adopt better ways of living by creating a social and material context where reduced car use is a normal, easy, attractive, and routine behaviour to adopt. Our approach recognises that behaviours are interlinked (Applying interlinked practices to enhance the effectiveness of net zero policymaking in Scotland, Climate Change Behaviours – Segmentation Study, Net zero behaviours in the recovery from COVID-19), that the required behaviour change will need to be part of wider co-ordinated action from both national and local government, and that a wide range of interventions are necessary to support a national behavioural shift (Public Health: ethical issues, Developing an evidence based toolkit for car use reduction).

The wider societal dis-benefits of using private vehicles mean that our policy of reducing car use includes all types of private car, including electric vehicles. Switching from petrol or diesel to private ownership of zero-emission cars is likely to be the optimal solution only where more sustainable travel options are unavailable. It will be important to incentivise sustainable modes such as bus, rail, and active travel, with bus representing a particularly large share of public transport journeys. At the same time, we recognise that there is a high level of car dependency in rural areas (Car dependence in rural Scotland: transport policy, devolution and the impact of the fuel duty escalator, Wheels of Change: Promoting fair and green transport in rural Scotland), and car use will remain a facet of rural life. Local authorities can further incentivise the switch to EVs where sustainable travel behaviours and alternatives to car use are not possible, while ensuring people who rely on a car as a mobility aid are not impacted.

It is the role of government, in collaboration with other key stakeholders, to create a policy landscape of both transport and non-transport policies that enable the four sustainable travel behaviours, set out in Figure 2 below, to be adopted by people each time they plan a trip.

Figure 2: The four sustainable travel behaviours

Reducing the need to travel

Using online options may be particularly important in rural or island communities, where distances may be greater to local services, as well as for purchasing goods that are more difficult to transport by active travel or public transport. Reducing travel can also save time and money.

Living well locally

Particularly important in urban and suburban areas as well as towns and villages. Accessing goods, services, amenities and social connections locally benefits local economies and helps revitalise communities.

Switching modes

Switching to walking, wheeling, cycling or public transport may be more feasible if a local destination has already been chosen. Active modes and public transport provide opportunities for physical activity which benefits physical health and mental wellbeing.

Combining or sharing car trips

Particularly important in some geographic areas, for people with specific disabilities and for certain trip purposes, where an alternative mode is not feasible. Sharing with others can provide opportunities for social connection which can boost wellbeing.

Creating an enabling environment

Our aim is to empower people to choose a transport option that contributes to reducing emissions while also fitting their circumstances and travel needs. We recognise an enabling environment is created through cross-sectoral working and decision making, to enable people to reduce their car use via a combination of policy measures.

It will be important to ensure people are incentivised to use sustainable transport to enable a modal shift away from private cars, alongside the recognition that measures to discourage car use are also required. We know that there are many reasons that people currently choose to drive private cars, including convenience, comfort, reliability, a feeling of freedom, the car as a status symbol, and low cost. This means that on their own, policies which incentivise people to use other options are unlikely to be sufficient to meet the scale of reduction required.

We remain committed to working with key partners including regional transport partnerships (RTPs) to support measures which encourage active travel and accompany greater investment in public transport for a fairer and greener transport network. As part of our commitment, the Scottish Government will take forward a Regulatory Check of existing discretionary powers for local road user charging schemes under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001, which was brought into statute by a previous Parliament. While a number of the necessary technical regulations to give effect to this power were made, initial scoping identified that further regulations must be put in place to enable local authorities and RTPs to enforce schemes.

Given the passage of time since the existing regulations were brought into statute, the Scottish Government will take the opportunity to check whether these remain fit for purpose. Once the necessary regulations and guidance are in place, it will be a decision for local authorities or RTPs whether and how to implement schemes.

Collaborative approach

A collaborative approach will be required to achieve a modal shift. This means the Scottish Government needs to work in partnership with local authorities, RTPs, and operators to support fair measures which encourage active travel and public transport use. Considering the unique challenges and circumstances for each area and how those can be overcome is key to building a fairer and greener transport system. Local authorities and RTPs are best placed to make decisions that take account of their local needs and circumstances, and we support them in doing so. This will also require working with businesses to recognise opportunities where they can promote mode shift within their workforce.

We have formed a working group through the National Transport Strategy Delivery Board, to take forward the consideration of the approach to a delivery plan (or delivery plans), and what these should involve. Membership includes representatives from Transport Scotland, COSLA, SCOTS, RTPs, and Scottish Government climate change leads. We expect this group to report by the end of 2025. Any delivery plan(s) will be place-based and experience-specific, taking into account the varied circumstances facing people in Scotland’s different regions and localities. We will ensure that delivery plans consider the importance of bus as an alternative for car use and how we can continue to prioritise bus measures.

To support our behaviour change approach, we are committed to further public engagement to increase awareness and recognition of the need for change. This will include a new place-based and experience-specific communication and engagement campaign on car use reduction at a national and local level.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government continues to call for a collaborative four-nation approach with the UK Government who have key levers of power and responsibility for Fuel Duty and Vehicle Excise Duty reform to support the just transition to net zero.

Along with a broad coalition of partners, we will drive a national communication and engagement campaign and set out a positive vision around how reducing car use can deliver outcomes for public health, air quality, and the environment.