Brian Whittle MSP has voiced his concerns after the SNP launched a consultation to reduce car travel which talks about making driving so expensive people can’t afford to use the car.
The Scottish Government consultation on plans to reduce car travel by 20% by 2030 makes a number of proposals including resurrecting plans for a workplace parking levy and examining other options to make driving more expensive.
Following the announcement of a consultation at Holyrood, South Scotland MSP Brian has accused the SNP of signing up to the anti-car agenda of their coalition partners in the Scottish Greens, arguing that adding more costs to driving would disproportionately hit people living in rural areas.
Scottish Conservative Environment spokesman Brian welcomed some announcements in the plan to improve active travel measures and give people more alternatives to the car for short journeys, but has urged the SNP to avoid demonising car drivers.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“Moving away from petrol & diesel cars is an important part of protecting our environment and tackling climate change, but I’m concerned that the SNP seem more interested in falling in behind the Scottish Greens and demonising drivers.
For many Scots, the public transport alternatives to a car just aren’t there. Particularly outside cities. While I welcome proposals to deliver more walking and cycling infrastructure to give people alternatives for short journeys, there is still no direct alternative to the car for many of the journeys people take.
Some car journeys are avoidable, but more often those that aren’t are ones taken by those living in rural Scotland. It would be completely unacceptable if the Scottish Government took forward plans that hit rural drivers hardest.
Long before they consider hitting people in the pocket for having a car, the SNP and Greens should get their act together and deliver the improved public transport, electric vehicle chargers and active travel infrastructure that they’ve continually promised to provide.”
