20% car kilometre reduction route map

Overview

In response to the global climate emergency, Scotland’s Climate Change Plan update in 2020 set out a world-leading commitment to reduce car kilometres by 20% by 2030. Transport accounts for a quarter of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions, with cars making up almost 40% of transport emissions. Carbon-reduction modelling has concluded that it will not be possible to reach net-zero emissions through technological solutions alone. Reducing car use is essential in order for the transport system to be decarbonised at a pace that meets the statutory emissions targets set by the Scottish Parliament.

The route map, co-developed by Transport Scotland and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), sets out the suite of transport and non-transport policies that will be implemented to support car-use reduction in order to deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors.

While we recognise that using cars less may be more challenging for some people in certain geographical locations and those who have certain travel needs such as specific disabilities, we want to ensure that we enable an inclusive conversation on sustainable travel. We have therefore deliberately chosen a range of sustainable travel behaviours that people can choose to adopt. Our aim is to enable everyone in Scotland to feel empowered to re-think their car-use behaviour for as many journeys as possible, and we therefore need to ensure we communicate on this issue with as broad an audience as possible.

Through this consultation, we aim to understand further the public opinion on the approach taken in the route map; as well as opinion on the potential impacts, and mitigation of said impacts, of the interventions on groups with protected characteristics, island communities, and across socio-economic disparity.