A new report from Audit Scotland has cast doubt on Scotland’s ability to achieve its ambitious goal of reducing car kilometres driven by 20% by 2030. The independent public body’s findings suggest that a lack of leadership, fragmented spending, and unclear guidance are key reasons why the target remains out of reach.
UK charity Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK) has expressed little surprise at the report’s conclusions, highlighting that Scotland has yet to develop a solid plan to back up its goal.
“The Scottish Government published a draft route map on reducing private car use back in 2022, but the final version has never appeared, despite being due last autumn,” said Richard Dilks, Chief Executive of CoMoUK, in an interview with Zag Daily.
Car Traffic Nears Pre-Pandemic Levels
Audit Scotland’s findings indicate that since 2020, car traffic has returned to near pre-pandemic levels, while public transport use has declined and walking and cycling habits have not significantly changed.
The report calls for clearer direction from the Scottish Government, particularly for rural councils, which face unique challenges such as limited public transport infrastructure and longer travel distances that make car alternatives less feasible.
Calls for Expansion of Shared Transport
CoMoUK has urged the government to invest more in shared transport as a key way to cut car usage.
“Shared transport can contribute to its key target of cutting car kilometres driven in a number of ways, so encouraging an expansion of the sector is an obvious place to start,” said Dilks.
- Car-sharing schemes: Research from CoMoUK shows that car clubs have helped remove thousands of private vehicles from Scottish roads. The average car club member reduces their driving distance by 156 miles per year.
- Bike-sharing initiatives: Between September 2022 and September 2023, bike-sharing schemes in Scotland replaced an estimated 5.2 million car miles.
Scotland has also lagged behind other UK regions by failing to introduce e-scooter trials, despite growing interest in the transport alternative.
“In the rest of the UK, e-scooter trials were developed quickly, but Scotland didn’t have the chance to develop its own guidance for local authorities,” explained Scotland’s Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop.
However, last summer, Hyslop indicated that e-scooters will “inevitably” be legalised in Scotland in the future.
Government Response: Pledging More Investment
A Transport Scotland spokesperson acknowledged the findings, stating that the government will review Audit Scotland’s recommendations in collaboration with local authorities and transport bodies.
In the 2025-26 budget, Scotland is allocating £263 million towards sustainable travel, low-carbon initiatives, and climate-positive projects to help reduce car dependency and encourage active travel.
“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,” the spokesperson said.
The Road Ahead: A National Effort Required
As Scotland faces growing pressure to cut emissions and meet its climate targets, the findings from Audit Scotland suggest that without stronger leadership and clearer policies, the 2030 car reduction goal will remain unattainable.
“We need a national effort behind shared transport if we are to transform how people travel in and around Scotland and rethink the role of the car,” said CoMoUK’s Richard Dilks.
With significant investment planned and a push towards shared mobility, Scotland still has time to shift its trajectory. However, delays in planning and implementation may make hitting the 2030 target increasingly difficult.
