Scottish councils, including Edinburgh and Glasgow, to be given full powers to introduce road charging

Ministers are to provide councils with the powers needed to charge drivers for using roads as part of a new strategy to cut car use.

The move on Thursday came after the City of Edinburgh Council’s transport leader said last month charging should be considered, but the relevant legislation remained incomplete.

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The pledge forms part of a new Scottish Government strategy after Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop admitted in April that its long-standing, but highly ambitious target of reducing traffic by 20 per cent by 2030 was “unachievable”.

Cars contribute nearly 13 per cent of Scotland’s total emissions with traffic levels rising sharply since the Covid pandemic.

Transport Scotland said it would make a “regulatory check” of the 2001 Transport (Scotland) Act “to allow local authorities and/or regional transport partnerships (RTPs) the option to implement” local road user charging schemes.

The organisation said: “While a number of the necessary technical regulations to give effect to this power were made, initial scoping identified that further regulations must be put in place to enable local authorities and RTPs to enforce schemes.

“Given the passage of time since the existing regulations were brought into statute, the Scottish Government will take the opportunity to check whether these remain fit for purpose. Once the necessary regulations and guidance are in place, it will be a decision for local authorities or RTPs whether and how to implement schemes.”

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Transport Scotland said it would also “revise” its car use reduction objective “to develop a new, longer-term target, which will support our 2045 net zero target”.

Ms Hyslop said: “The renewed policy statement reiterates our commitment to reducing car use in Scotland. It recognises the high level of car dependency in many parts of Scotland, particularly mainland rural and island areas, and that car use will remain a transport need for many people.”

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City of Edinburgh Council transport convener Stephen Jenkinson said in May that road charging “should be on the table for discussion” despite being overwhelmingly defeated in a local referendum 20 years ago.

He admitted it would be “challenging” and would be best introduced across a wider area than the capital.

‘Potentially divisive’

Deborah Paton, the city council official in charge of transport, said the Scottish Government should take the lead on such schemes and provide local authorities with the powers needed.

She said: "The legislation is not complete and Transport Scotland are charged with doing a regulatory review, so we really have to wait for that. It would be more equitable if Transport Scotland looked at this on a national basis.

"Leaving it to local authorities to do it on a local level is a real struggle and potentially a little bit divisive."

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Scottish Conservatives transport spokesperson Sue Webber said: “This looks like the SNP have upped the ante in their war on motorists.

‘Show some common sense’

“Reducing car usage depends on providing efficient and affordable public transport alternatives.

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“Yet under SNP control, ScotRail is deterring passengers by cutting services and packing commuters like sardines into carriages. The result is, despite being left with pothole-scarred roads and taxes to drive into the city, Scots still need to use their car.

“SNP ministers need to show some common sense and focus on incentives, rather than penalties, to encourage Scots to leave their cars at home.”

The Scottish Greens said the Government’s car reduction plan lacked vision, with transport spokesperson Mark Ruskell arguing the ambitions did not go far enough to revolutionise the country’s transport.

Mr Ruskell said: “We are in a congestion crisis in our major cities. Air quality is suffering and communities are being cut off by the lack of affordable and accessible public transport. It's dragging our economy down and damaging our health.

“The decision to walk away from the 20 per cent reduction target was a huge step backwards that undermined years of work to decarbonise transport. The plans laid out today give no indication of a new target and no plans on how to deliver better public transport.

“Both Glasgow and Edinburgh Councils are trying to do the right thing by reducing car dependency and reclaiming space for people ... giving councils the freedom to raise and invest revenue into world-leading public transport systems is crucial towards cutting pollution, reducing congestion, and building a healthier, more liveable Scotland for future generations.”