Foreword

I’m delighted to introduce the Scottish Government’s third National Transport Strategy Delivery Plan. 

Since my appointment as Minister for Transport earlier this year, I’ve seen the breadth of ambitious and innovative work ongoing across the country to create a more affordable, available and accessible transport system. I have been hugely impressed with the professionalism and commitment of all of our partners who are working together to make our transport system greener, fairer, healthier and the bedrock of inclusive economic growth. 

We deliver transport policy within a much wider context. The First Minister’s Policy Prospectus, ‘New Leadership: A Fresh Start for Scotland’, centres on the themes of equality, opportunity and community, setting out how we will deliver for the people of Scotland over the next three years. The Mandate Letters from the First Minister, detail the transport outcomes that will be delivered for 2023-24, from building further resilience to climate change to making our public transport system more accessible, available, and affordable to investing in active and sustainable travel.

Furthermore, our Programme for Government specifies our commitments in key areas such as a 20% car kilometre reduction route map and publishing the Fair Fares Review report; and, our actions align with the Bute House agreement with our partners in the Scottish Green Party and the Verity House agreement with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). I am grateful to all of our partners across Scotland who continue to support the delivery of our Strategy and we remain firmly committed to strengthening these partnerships in order to drive progress on our vision.

So how does our National Transport Strategy fit into that wider picture? Published in February 2020, it sets out a vision for a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system helping deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors. Its vision is underpinned by four interconnected priorities: Reduces Inequalities; Takes Climate Action; Helps Deliver Inclusive Economic Growth; and Improves our Health and Wellbeing.

For this vision to be fully realised, we need a tangible means of delivery. This is where our third Delivery Plan comes in – outlining the actions being taken by the Scottish Government to help deliver the priorities and outcomes of the Strategy.

In addition to the publication of this Delivery Plan, I have laid a report to the Scottish Parliament setting out the progress of the Strategy since it was published in 2020.

The actions set out in this Delivery Plan continue to pave the way towards our vision for Scotland’s transport system and I look forward to continuing this journey with you all.