Step One – Develop a clear understanding of your objectives

Scotland’s Climate Change Plan update, published December 2020, included a target to reduce car distance travelled in Scotland. In 2022, we subsequently developed and consulted on a draft route map to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in car kilometres by 2030 and draft impact assessments. The route map was aimed predominantly at national, regional, and local stakeholders to facilitate a collaborative approach to meeting the target, and intended to raise awareness of the need for change and empower people to swich to more sustainable travel modes in Scotland.

This renewed policy statement, published jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA, restates our shared commitment to reduce car use in Scotland. It sets out four key next steps to continue to develop the policy:

• Revising the existing car use reduction target, informed by the advice of the Climate Change Committee and other relevant evidence, to develop a new, longer-term target which will support our 2045 net zero target.
• Undertaking a regulatory check of existing Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 powers for discretionary local road user charging schemes to allow local authorities and/or regional transport partnerships the option to implement these.
• Working with key stakeholders at national, regional, and local level to develop place-based and experience- specific delivery plans to support reduced car use and alternative transport options.
• Driving 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.

The renewed policy statement on car use reduction has been developed with Transport Scotland’s four priorities of taking climate action; reducing inequalities; helping deliver inclusive economic growth and improving health and wellbeing at its core. Impacts on those living in island communities have therefore been considered throughout the development of the document, and as part of our commitment to a just transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

A key commitment made in the policy statement is to undertake a regulatory check of existing road user charging powers for local authorities. The Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 grants councils a discretionary power to introduce local road user charging scheme within their boundaries. Given the passage of time since the legislation was brought into statute by a previous parliament, and the need for new regulations which were not progressed at the time, a full regulatory check is required. This process will consider the impacts which proposals may have on those from island communities, it is unlikely to directly affect them negatively, however, as these are more likely to be implemented in high density urban areas.

Our commitment to car use reduction is not specific to particular groups, businesses, or geographies but is designed to provide options to empower everyone to contribute to the national commitment. It does, however, recognise that there will be some groups of people, including some of those in some island communities, where car use reduction may be more challenging, particularly in the short-term. It is for this reason that any target will be a national one rather than a target for all regions of Scotland or indeed all individuals within Scotland to achieve the same percentage reduction in car use. This is also why we have committed to ensure that any delivery plan(s) are place-based and experience-specific.