The Scottish Government has made minimal progress and is unlikely to meet its climate change target of reducing all car use, a highly critical report from auditors has said.
The assessment comes despite John Swinney’s assurance last year that the 2030 target for reducing Scotland’s car kilometres by 20% can still be met, says IrishNews.com
Audit Scotland and the Accounts Commission said there has been a lack of leadership and no clear plan for meeting the “ambitious and challenging” target.
Car use has rebounded since the pandemic and use of public transport has decreased, the report said, while spending on active travel has not necessarily impacted car use.
The report said: “A lack of leadership has resulted in minimal progress against the demanding policy intention. It is not clear if the Scottish Government remains committed to the target as key documents remain in draft form, there is no costed delivery plan or measurable milestones, and arrangements for monitoring and scrutinising progress are insufficient.”
The government said it recognises there is still “some way to go” in the shift away from car use, and support from all levels of government is needed to achieve this.
Domestic transport is the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland, accounting for 28% of all emissions.
In 2022, the Government said its efforts to reduce car use by 20% against the 2019 baseline were “stepping up a gear”.
Only last year the Government axed its trial of scrapping peak rail fares, which was meant to encourage people to use public transport rather than cars, after saying the £40 million price tag could not be justified.