Commitment to 20% car traffic reduction dropped: Our response

It is deeply disappointing to see the Government abandon its target to cut car traffic by 20% by 2030. This was a very ambitious goal which demanded transformational change. Yet since its announcement progress has been piecemeal at best, with the Government spending the past four years tinkering with public transport fares and delivery plans stuck in limbo as responsibility bounced between national and local government.

But we need traffic reduction more than ever — not only for climate, but for cleaner air and safer streets, a healthier and fairer society, and a stronger economy. One in five households in Scotland have no access to a car, yet our transport system still overwhelmingly prioritises private vehicle use. Congestion continues to drag on economic productivity and poor air quality harms public health, burdening an already stretched NHS.

The Climate Change Committee has warned for years that this target was slipping out of reach. The modest 3.6% drop in car use cannot be justification for throwing in the towel on the commitment altogether. By abandoning the target, the Scottish Government has undermined the credibility of traffic reduction as a serious, achievable objective — not just now, but in future policy as well.