New Consumer Scotland research has highlighted a range of barriers preventing consumers from switching to greener forms of transport such as buses, trains and bicycles.
As part of a wider net zero strategy the Scottish Government has a commitment to reduce car use and is currently reviewing its targets.
Statistics also show use of public transport services has still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, while car use continues to increase.
The survey by Consumer Scotland found the majority of consumers (65%) want to reduce their carbon emissions by using more environmentally sustainable transport.
However, many people face significant barriers in doing so including:
- Cost (71%) and lack of availability (73%) were the most significant barriers to people in Scotland choosing transport options with a lower environmental impact
- More than half (54%) of participants highlighted the time taken to complete journeys using alternatives to a car as a barrier
- Worries about safety were cited by 11% of survey respondents with women (13%) more likely than men (9%) to be concerned about safety
- 38% of those with a disability or long-term health condition ranked issues related to their health and accessibility as a reason to not use public transport
Consumer Scotland has made a number of recommendations to the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland on what needs to be done to improve the situation for consumers.
These includes recommendations that the Scottish Government should take further action to promote the benefits of sustainable travel and do more work to ensure these options are safer and more accessible.
We have written to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop with our recommendations.
Consumer Scotland Policy and Advocacy Officer David Jackson said:
“Reducing emissions from transport will be crucial to meeting overall net zero goals, but for too many consumers public transport is hard to access, is seen as costly or does not feel safe.
“Many consumers want to make more sustainable transport choices, but this is not translating into behaviour change.
“The issues highlighted in our survey clearly show further action is required to make it easier and more attractive for consumers to make more sustainable transport choices.
“This will require significant policy interventions to simplify fares, enhance services, and improve cost-competitiveness when measured against car travel in order to enable consumers to make the required shift.”
Background
Consumers and the transition to sustainable transport
Letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport
The research, conducted last year, was based on a survey sample of 2,062 adults in Scotland, which was representative of all Scottish adults aged 16 and over. Further findings came from 6 focus groups consisting of 57 participants.
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop recently told the Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit Committee that the Scottish Government supported car use reduction, but that a previous target to cut car use in Scotland by 20% by the end of the decade was being reviewed.
Consumer Scotland is the statutory body for consumers in Scotland which was established in 2022 following the Consumer Scotland Act.