Make cleaner, greener travel choices easier and safer for everyone
The transport sector is Scotland’s largest source of carbon emissions and car traffic makes up more than 60% of the total emissions from road transport.
Our current transport system imposes many costs on society and these negative impacts are not felt equally; they are felt most acutely by the poorest communities experiencing them the most:
• Environmental – climate change, air and noise pollution, and harm to wildlife
• Social – divided communities, poor health from inactivity, injuries, and fatalities from road traffic accidents
• Economic – congestion, road repair expenses, and healthcare costs.
Enabling easier and safer access to greener, healthier transport would not only reduce carbon emissions, it would also improve our health, make towns and cities more pleasant, enhance access to leisure and employment, reduce inequality and living costs, and improve local air quality.
Transport policy decisions should follow the sustainable transport hierarchy, prioritising walking, wheeling and cycling, followed by public transport, electric vehicles and car sharing, and finally private cars and flying.