The Scottish National Party has been accused of hatching a “secret plot” designed to force Scots out of their cars by bringing in further “targeted disincentives for petrol and diesel vehicle use”.
Transport Scotland wants to reduce emissions from cars, vans and lorries in its first ‘carbon budget’ (2026-2030) by at least 16% from 2023 levels. In order to do this, annual car usage will need to be cut by at least 4% a year over the four-year period, says the Scottish Daily Express.
Meanwhile, the UK Government has said that 80% of all new car sales will need to be electric by 2030. But the independent Climate Change Committee has set a more ambitious target of 90%, accelerating into a long-term goal where three-fifths of ALL vehicles on Scottish roads are fully electric by 2035.
Scottish Conservative transport spokesperson Tim Eagle MSP said:
“This is a shameful example of an SNP quango looking to punish motorists once again to help meet their arbitrary net zero targets. For many people in Scotland’s cities having a car is very much a necessity to get to work or attend medical appointments, rather than a luxury.
“If SNP ministers genuinely want to encourage people out of their cars, then they should stop seeing motorists as an easy target and prioritise delivering reliable public transport. However, this will never replace car use in swathes of rural Scotland and Nationalist politicians shouldn’t pretend it will.”
In a meeting minute from November last year, Transport Scotland said:
“It is also important to note that the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) projections for EV uptake are more ambitious than the current targets set by the Vehicle Emissions Trading Scheme (VETS). Meeting these projections will likely require a comprehensive package of supporting measures, including faster infrastructure rollout, stronger consumer incentives, and targeted disincentives for petrol and diesel vehicle use.
“If EV uptake falls short of these projections, it could jeopardise the achievement of a car emissions reduction target. In that case, additional demand management interventions, such as further incentives to shift modes or disincentives to reduce car use further, may be necessary. However, these measures would need to be put in place in the next few years in order to have an impact on 2030 car use levels.”
Transport Scotland dropped its flagship aim to reduce car usage by 20% by 2030 after admitting it was impossible to hit. After the number of vehicles on the road dropped massively during the Covid pandemic, they have risen again over the last few years as motorists got back behind the wheel.
Another note from November 12, 2025 shows Transport Scotland officials are “concerned” that the new target “wouldn’t encourage local authorities to look at disincentives which are still required.” It adds: “that it is TS (Transport Scotland)’s view that disincentives will still be required to reach the new draft target”.
(Picture: Transport Scotland)
