Our Priorities
To confront the climate emergency, Scotland needs a zero-carbon transport system. We need the right infrastructure and the correct incentives to make this a reality.
Safe places for active travel
Walking, wheeling and cycling must be safe, convenient choices for everyone, everywhere.
Zero-carbon connectivity
The railways must carry a far-larger share of Scotland’s long-distance passenger travel and freight movements.
Zero-carbon public transport
A decarbonised network of buses, trains and ferries must form the backbone of our transport system.
Zero-carbon investment
We must stop investing in destructive new road-building programmes and switch to zero-carbon alternatives.
Fair transport pricing
We must rebalance prices to incentivise public transport over private car use.
Safe places for active travel
Walking, wheeling and cycling must be safe, convenient choices for everyone, everywhere. Our unsustainable transport system inflicts major health problems on the rest of society: injuries and deaths in road crashes, and damage to health through air and noise pollution. But active travel has huge health benefits. And with a quarter of all car trips under two miles, and half under four miles, there is a massive opportunity to shift people from car travel to emission-free, healthy transport modes.
Protected cycle paths on all main roads by 2030
We must make cycling a safe and easy option for everyone, regardless of age or ability. To make this a reality, protected cycle paths are needed in towns and cities across Scotland. Only this will create conditions that encourage people who currently do not feel safe sharing road space with cars to make everyday journeys by bike. The first priority should be building protected paths along main roads connecting cities and their outskirts, and towns and nearby villages.
Pavements fully accessible and safe by 2030
Scottish streets are too often car-dominated spaces. They are particularly unsafe and unpleasant for children, older people, or people with certain disabilities. Pavements are often too narrow, damaged, and lack dropped kerbs, tactile paving and safe crossing points. To fix this, we need a comprehensive programme to upgrade pavements to high design standards, to create a pedestrian environment that is accessible for everyone.
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Continental Connections
4 December 2023
Research conducted with Edinburgh Napier University highlighting the case for on-street trials of new European-style zebra crossings in Scotland.
Overcoming Obstacles: A personal experience with Scotland’s walking infrastructure
25 October 2023
In this blog article, Transform policy advisor Susan Jeynes discusses her experience navigating Scotland’s streets with a wheelchair user. She highlights the need for a more inclusive and accessible environment…
Putting Down Routes: Building Scotland’s Active Freeway Network
7 October 2021
This report provides a blueprint for developing a successful strategic network of Active Freeways across Scotland, drawing on experience from the UK and Europe.
Open for Business: Gaining business support for transforming city centres
27 May 2021
We are launching a new report written by Jamie Wylie titled “Open for Business – Gaining business support for transforming cities”. Oslo introduced one of Europe’s largest car-free zones between…
Routes to Growth
22 June 2018
Transform Scotland report on developing Scotland’s cycle tourism sector.
Zero-Carbon connectivity
The railways must carry a far-larger share of Scotland’s long-distance passenger travel and freight movements. Air and road travel are currently the dominant modes but are also the most polluting. In order to meet our climate goals, we need to see a rapid shift from air to rail for Anglo-Scottish passenger trips. There is also great potential for goods to be moved by rail rather than by roads, with rail freight providing the most sustainable option for longer-distance freight movements.
Rail to carry 50% of Central Belt-London travel by 2025
We need investment in routes south, to allow rail to compete with the unsustainable levels of flying from Edinburgh/Glasgow to London. Rail is already competitive with air in terms of time and cost on these routes, so there is huge potential for shifting travel from air to rail. But this will require a change in attitudes as well as investment that makes rail more attractive and interventions that discourage unnecessary flying. This should include bringing the stalled plans for Anglo-Scottish high-speed rail back to life.
Rail to move 20% of Scotland’s freight by 2030
Shifting freight to rail would quickly cut carbon while reducing pressure on the road network. Large volumes of Scottish freight move over longer distances, where trains can provide a fast and viable alternative. Currently, rail only moves around 10% of all tonne-mileage. With the right support, we believe that this could be doubled by 2030. This will require investment in rail electrification, route capacity and some new terminals. It would cut emissions and congestion, reduce road danger, and limit heavy lorry damage to the trunk road network.
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Fight or Flight | Summary report
7 May 2024
Summary report of our research into the public sector’s travel behaviours.
Streamlined and Sustainable: LNER’s New Fare Structure Paves the Way for Hassle-Free Rail Travel
16 January 2024
Rail company LNER has today announced its pilot to simplify fares across all of its trains. Transform rail policy advisor Paul Tetlaw comments on the ticket structure overhaul: “The latest…
Achieving 20% of freight by rail by 2030
13 March 2023
Rail Freight Group’s Martin Bignell highlights the need to shift freight from road to rail and outlines how this can be achieved.
Zero-carbon public transport
A decarbonised network of buses, trains and ferries must form the backbone of our transport system. Buses should have priority over cars across the road network. Tram and metro systems should be reinstated in our major cities. Railways should be the fastest and easiest way to travel longer distances, especially on inter-city routes north of the Central Belt. And we must see progress in clearing the backlog in ferry and port infrastructure, which provide a vital lifeline for rural and island communities.
Bus fleets to be zero-emission by 2030
Buses provide the majority of Scotland’s public transport. They are of particular importance to people without access to cars, particularly older people and those on low incomes. As well as giving buses priority on all key commuter routes, we must continue to decarbonise the bus fleet. The transition to electric will require long-term, committed support for the purchase of zero-emission buses and the installation of charging infrastructure. This should include Community Transport fleets of buses and minibuses which deliver scheduled bus services and demand responsive transport.
Rail fleets to be zero-emission by 2035
By 2030, three-quarters of our diesel rail fleet will need to be replaced, with the rest coming up for renewal just five years later. We need to start now with a comprehensive programme to electrify Scotland’s rail network and deliver a new generation of electric inter-city trains. This has the potential to transform connectivity between Scotland’s cities, providing a step change in quality, speed, and on-board comfort on these routes.
Related articles/projects/publications
Fossil-Free Future
28 November 2023
A report which makes recommendations for the Government to enable a country-wide transition to zero-carbon buses, trains and ferries. Published on behalf of the Cross Party Group on Sustainable Transport
Transform Heads North: Zero-Carbon Public Transport Summit
3 July 2023
We report on our Zero-Carbon Public Transport Summit held in Inverness – which brought together our members, local politicians and transport operators to discuss cutting emissions from Scotland’s public transport network.
Off Track
31 August 2023
Report which scrutinises the Scottish Government’s performance on its commitments to sustainable transport.
Fossil-Free Future
We must decarbonise Scotland’s public transport system to cut emissions and address the climate emergency.
Zero-carbon investment
We must invest in sustainable connectivity within Scotland. In recent decades, capital expenditure priorities have been grotesquely skewed towards high-carbon road-building. Instead, we must prioritise investment in digital infrastructure which can reduce the need to travel and open up employment opportunities across Scotland. And to stop making things worse, we must scrap Scotland’s vastly-expensive road-building programme and replace it with investment in zero-carbon alternatives.
Full-fibre broadband nationwide by 2025
Distributed and remote working can reduce the need to travel. Covid-19 showed that many people could work remotely and want to do so post-pandemic. Support for online work and collaboration can not only reduce carbon emissions from commuting and business travel but also increase digital inclusion across rural Scotland. While the vast majority of investment will come from the private sector, public subsidy is urgently needed to ensure rural areas also benefit. Full-fibre broadband should be extended to all Scottish households, and reach 85% gigabit capable coverage by 2025.
Halt all new road construction now
Scotland’s road-building programme has cost at least £4 billion over the past decade and current projects in the pipeline are expected to cost at least a further £7 billion. Adding capacity to the road network encourages drivers to cover longer distances and drive more, generating more traffic and more emissions. With the Scottish Government’s commitment to reduce car mileage by 20% by 2030, road investment should instead concentrate on clearing Scotland’s £3bn road maintenance backlog.
Related articles/projects/publications
Roads to Ruin
Our Roads to Ruin project emphasises the hugely damaging impact that road-building has on our environment and society.
Dirty Deals
19 March 2024
A scrutiny of the climate impact of transport spending in Scotland’s City Region Deals.
New report finds Scotland’s ‘Dirty Deals’ fuelling climate and poverty failures
19 March 2024
Scotland’s City Region Deals are fuelling inequality, damaging the environment and further undermining the country’s climate commitments, according to our new report ‘Dirty Deals’, published today. New data uncovered by…
‘Roads to Ruin’ report
10 August 2021
The report finds that despite promises that it will tackle the Climate Emergency, Scottish Ministers intend to nearly double their spending on new roads over the next decade.
fair transport pricing
Using public transport should be cheaper than driving. But over recent decades, public transport fares, and in particular bus fares, have risen far ahead of the cost of living, while car use has become cheaper in real terms. With these perverse price signals, it’s not surprising that people choose to drive. This is not only bad for the climate, but disproportionately hurts people on the lowest incomes who are least likely to own a car. We must rebalance prices to incentivise public transport over private car use.
Flat-fare public transport tickets by 2025
Public transport should be easy, attractive and affordable. Scotland needs an integrated public transport ticket that allows people to use their entire local and regional public transport network for an affordable price. But ticketing practices can make it difficult to navigate the system, to connect trips between operators, and can make public transport use unaffordable for some. The Scottish Government should follow Austria’s lead, which successfully introduced a single, affordable, national ‘Klimaticket’ as well as flat-fare regional tickets.
National road pricing scheme by 2025
Investment in active travel and public transport will not on its own cut traffic to the levels that will enable us to meet our climate targets. Reducing the number of cars, vans and lorries on our roads will also require new traffic demand management measures. Scotland must therefore develop a national road pricing scheme that ensures road users pay for the full costs imposed on the economy, environment and society. This scheme must cover electric as well as fossil-fuel vehicles, and tackle the damaging switch to heavier, more polluting SUVs.
Related articles/projects/publications
Scrap peak fares for good: An open letter
18 March 2024
We’re calling for the Scottish Government to scrap peak rail fares permanently when the current pilot ends this spring. We’ve joined rail unions and environmental groups to urge the Scottish…
Off Track
31 August 2023
Report which scrutinises the Scottish Government’s performance on its commitments to sustainable transport.
Fair Fares
8 December 2022
This report reviews the current cost of public transport to users from different groups and how this impacts access, with recommendations for the government’s Fair Fares Review.