Policy context

Transport Scotland’s purpose is to deliver the Scottish Government’s vision for transport, as set out in the 2020 National Transport Strategy 2. Public sector fleet decarbonisation sits within a broader landscape of Scottish Government policies, and this draft Action Plan identifies actions for Scottish Government and the public sector as a whole, but also for the private sector in supporting and enabling fleet decarbonisation.

This draft Action Plan reflects and contributes to the delivery of a number of existing core Scottish Government policies, including:

The CCP sets out the actions the Scottish Government will take to achieve Scotland’s carbon budget targets.. Carbon budgets cover five-year periods and allow for a reliable and consistent framework for assessing sustained progress in the actions and policies that contribute to achieving Net Zero-emissions by 2045. This Action Plan aligns with the CCP and identifies steps that public bodies should take to remove fleet emissions as part of a transition to a zero-emission public sector fleet between now and 2040.

This Action Plan directly supports policies targeted at the public sector; it proposes a more flexible approach to establishing targets for fleet decarbonisation and provides more localised decision-making around planning, budgeting for, and delivering fleet decarbonisation to meet those emission reduction targets, consistent with the Verity House Agreement and the European Charter of Local Self‑Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2026.

The Action Plan also complements the Public Sector Reform Strategy, addressing challenges and identifying systemic barriers which prevent the public sector from moving faster and further. It includes actions to overcome these barriers and recognises the importance of collaboration and joint working, economies of scale and collaborative procurement for fleet decarbonisation to reduce the costs of decarbonisation.

The Action Plan delivery will also be influenced by overarching policies such as the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes (VETS) and the future HGV CO2 emissions regulatory framework for the UK.

The transition of the public sector fleet also plays an important role in supporting Low Emission Zones, which are in operation across Scotland’s four largest cities. Public sector fleets are often among the most visible and heavily used vehicles within urban areas and therefore have a key role to play in demonstrating leadership in compliance with LEZ emission standards and in improving local air quality outcomes.