Scotland has been urged to introduce pay-per-mile taxes as its only solution to help meet its ambitious road targets which hopes to cut down on the number of vehicles clogging up streets.
The urgency comes after a report released today revealed that Scotland is unlikely to achieve its target of reducing car kilometres driven by 20 per cent by 2030.
The report by Audit Scotland found that the Scottish Government still has “no clear plan” to achieve this ambitious goal with pay-per-mile taxes seen as a key solution.
It warned how a lack of leadership has resulted in minimal progress against the demanding policy intention, with car use rebounding since the Covid pandemic.
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Transport is Scotland’s biggest emission producer with pay-per-mile taxes a key incentive to cut road usage
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The target would require car traffic levels to decrease by 7.3 billion kilometres (4.5 billion miles) to 29.3 billion compared to a 2019 baseline – a level not seen since 1994.
The report highlighted how the Scottish Government and councils will find it hard to “significantly reduce” transport emissions unless they make “difficult and potentially unpopular” decisions to discourage car use.
Car traffic levels in Scotland reached 35.4 billion kilometres (22.6 billion miles) in 2023, just 3.6 per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Public transport usage has failed to recover to pre-pandemic levels, with ScotRail passenger journeys still 34 per cent lower than in 2019/20. Bus passenger numbers have fallen over the last decade, with 301 million journeys in 2022/23 compared to 361 million before the pandemic.
The report called for the Scottish Government to clarify its commitment to reducing transport emissions and publish a realistic delivery plan by the end of the year.
It highlighted several key challenges, including the need to protect people who rely on cars and cannot afford additional charges. The analysis showed that without demand management measures, such as road charging or parking fees, the target cannot be achieved.
One of the main solutions suggested by the report is the introduction of national pay-as-you-drive charges. This could be priced at 10p per kilometre which in turn would help reduce car use by 26 per cent. However it did note how the Scottish Government currently lacks the powers to introduce such measures.
An HM Treasury spokesperson said: “We have no plans to introduce road pricing. We are committed to supporting our automotive sector as we transition to electric vehicles in order to meet our legally binding climate targets.”
However the percentage of people walking has increased slightly from 23 per cent in 2013 to 25 per cent in 2023, while cycling rates have remainedlargely unchanged over the same period.
The report warned how Transport is Scotland’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 28 per cent of all emissions.
It also found that in order to meet transport sector targets, the annual rate of emission reductions will need to be almost four times higher from 2021 to 2030 than it was from 2012 to 2021.
Richard Dilks, chief executive of Collaborative Mobility UK said the findings were “sadly not surprising, as the Scottish Government currently has no established plan to back up its admirable target on cutting car kilometres driven.”
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The report suggested drivers be charged 10p per kilometre travelled
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He added: “Given the urgency of the climate emergency, the time wasted so far is very disappointing, but ministers can still make a significant impact if they grasp the opportunity.
“Our research has repeatedly highlighted the benefits of schemes such as shared bikes and car clubs, which not only help to take cars off the roads, reduce emissions and cut congestion, but also improve people’s physical and mental health.”
He noted that Scotland could lead the UK by establishing a network of mobility hubs to connect such schemes with public transport.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “Reducing Scotland’s reliance on cars and encouraging a shift towards public transport and active travel is a crucial step in meeting our climate targets. We recognise that Scotland has still got some way to go to transition from private vehicles and towards more sustainable public transport – and cross-party support at all levels of government is key.”
