The Scottish Government’s latest climate change strategy “largely ignores“ the need to promote walking, cycling or public transport, according to the national alliance for sustainable transport.
Transform Scotland has criticised the draft climate change plan in its evidence to the two parliamentary committees tasked with scrutinising it.
The draft plan, published last month, contains a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 66% by 2032.
The organisation said while this is “a reasonable level of ambition”, the strategy is “heavily dependent” on technological change, such as the uptake of electric cars.
In contrast, it “largely ignores” opportunities provided by walking, cycling, public transport and car sharing, and is “extremely weak” on road traffic demand management, it said.
Director Colin Howden said: “Very little progress has been made in transport over the past 25 years, and this new climate change plan is certainly better than the previous two plans. However, the plan is far from perfect.
“Once again, the proposals have largely ignored the need to get people out of cars and start walking, cycling or taking public transport.
“The focus on vehicle technology means that few if any benefits will be felt for equalities, public health, congestion or the economy.
“It’s well-known that lower income groups own fewer cars, so a focus on vehicle technology does little to help households with no car access. This is all the more so the case with electric vehicles given their current higher purchase prices.
“A switch from petrol cars to electric cars will certainly do nothing for congestion, and with none of these cars manufactured in Scotland, there will be no benefit for the Scottish economy.
“On the other hand, we do have bus manufacturing in Scotland, so it is disappointing that the climate plan is so weak on promoting bus use.
“This would also have a greater equalities impact given that lower income households are much more dependent on buses, and could reduce congestion by getting people to switch from car to bus.”
Mr Howden said the plan is also weak on promoting walking and cycling for short journeys.
“The Scottish Government has many other policies in place for promoting these healthiest modes of transport, so it is strange that they are largely ignored in the climate change plan,” he said.
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