Meeting of the Parliament 05 June 2024
As a nation, we face an urgent climate crisis that demands bold action. The transport sector is Scotland’s most significant contributor to climate change and is responsible for more than a quarter of our greenhouse gas emissions. Despite that, we have made little progress in reducing those emissions over the past 30 years. Our current approach to transportation is not sustainable and requires a fundamental shift.
It is absolutely clear to me, as an MSP for the Highlands and Islands, that a well-maintained road network is vital for our economy and our communities. The roads in some parts of my region are lifeline roads; for example, the Rest and Be Thankful road provides the only practical way in and out of Argyll. However, our infrastructure investment needs to be bolder and more ambitious than road upgrades and expansions. Too often, our transport plans seem to start and end with road upgrades and expansions, instead of our looking at all the transport options that we need to invest in, from buses to bikes, rail and ferries.
The Scottish Government has committed to reducing car kilometres by 20 per cent by 2030—a target that aligns with our legally binding climate commitments. However, the proposed road upgrades and expansions, such as the full dualling of the A9 and A96, directly contradict that. Building more and bigger roads will only encourage increased car usage, create more greenhouse gas emissions and undermine our efforts to combat climate change.
Over the past decade, the Scottish Government has spent £4 billion on road-building projects, with on-going or planned projects estimated to cost at least £7 billion. Shockingly, the average completion cost of those projects has escalated by 86 per cent. That is a poor use of taxpayer money and a misguided approach to addressing our transportation needs.
Instead of investing billions in high-carbon new road infrastructure, we should be redirecting those funds towards sustainable alternatives that benefit all Scotland’s residents. That includes expanding our public transport and active travel networks, which will reduce emissions, improve public health and reduce inequalities. It is worth noting that around 28 per cent of Scottish households do not have car access and would not benefit from the proposed road expansions.