Scottish councils to be given full powers to introduce road charging
Ministers are to provide councils with the powers needed to charge drivers for using roads as part of a new strategy to cut car use. The move came after the City of Edinburgh Council’s transport leader said last month charging should be considered, but the relevant legislation remained incomplete. The pledge forms part of a new Scottish Government strategy […]
Stagecoach cancels Ayrshire services as drivers strike
Stagecoach services in the west of Scotland will be hit by cancellations and disruption as drivers start six weeks of industrial action from today. More than 400 drivers at depots in Ayr, Arran, Ardrossan and Kilmarnock are taking industrial action. They will not work again until July 21, forcing Stagecoach to run a limited service in the affected […]
Number of people killed on Scotland’s roads increases
Provisional road casualty figures released today by Transport Scotland show an increase in road fatalities between 2023 and 2024, but a reduction in overall casualties over the same period. In 2024 there were 160 road fatalities, an increase of 13 from a revised figure of 147 in 2023. There were 1,931 serious casualties in 2024, which […]
Scotland’s motorways ranked from worst to best (including ‘clear winner’ and ‘most bonkers’)
Despite Scotland’s transport network having the reputation of “lagging behind” other countries (whether that’s deserved or not is open to interpretation), the country’s 10 motorways are designed to help drivers get from A to B in a reasonably quick time. But not all motorways are created equal and Scotland’s 10 each have their own characters, […]
Closures planned for Rest and Be Thankful route over summer
The Rest and Be Thankful stretch of the A83 has “a number of road closures” planned for the next two months, a report has revealed. A Transport Scotland official has also advised that roadworks with temporary lights are set for Arrochar over a six-week period. Further details have also been published of works at other […]
Sustrans: Children in Scotland want safer places for walking, wheeling and cycling
Children in Scotland want to see improved streets for walking, wheeling and cycling, according to our first ever Children’s Walking and Cycling Index Scotland report. The national report reveals that 84% of children in Scotland would like more traffic-free paths and quiet routes for walking and cycling. Meanwhile 77% of children support the creation of more segregated cycle […]
Scottish government drops target to cut car use by 20%
The Scottish government is dropping a key climate change target to cut car use in Scotland by 20% by the end of the decade. The aim – which was a previous SNP manifesto commitment – was to reduce the amount of kilometres travelled by car across the country in order to cut harmful emissions and […]
Funding issues the key to Scotland’s active travel plans
Investing in and encouraging active travel is a key part of the Scottish Government’s plan to decarbonise transport, but while last year 203 miles of walking, wheeling, and cycling routes were added, funding has been a massive issue. The Scottish Government’s draft budget for 2025/26 allocated £188.7m for active travel, bus infrastructure, sustainable travel […]
Road safety charity against ‘blanket speed limit reduction’
IAM RoadSmart Road Safety Manager Scotland Stewart Mackie has issued a response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the National Speed Management Review. Mackie said: “As a road safety charity, we support measures that will reduce casualties on the network. However, we believe a blanket national speed limit reduction will be counterproductive and may even […]
Southern Scotland set for 50mph speed limit pilot
A 50mph speed limit pilot is to be introduced across four roads in southern Scotland. The routes for the 50mph (80km/h) trial are the A7 north of Galashiels, the B6357 from Carter Bar, the A708 Moffat to Selkirk and the A6088 from Kielder to Bonchester Bridge. The aim is to reduce the amount of motorbike […]