Glasgow launches plan to reduce motor vehicle km by at least 30 per cent by end of the decade

OVER 100 different policies – brought together in a single ‘transport framework’ – are aiming to reduce the number of motor vehicle kilometres in Glasgow by at least 30 per cent by the end of the decade.

Begins a media release issued by the city’s local authority – here: “Glasgow’s new transport strategy has mapped a course to a city network that tackles poverty, supports economic success, creates thriving, liveable neighbourhoods and plays a central role in the fight against climate change.”

The announcement goes on to say: “With vehicle emissions accounting for a third of the city’s carbon output, changes to the transport system are regarded as a vital component in Glasgow’s effort to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.”

The announcement adds that an estimated 27 per cent of motor vehicle journeys in the city are one km or less.

The announcement ends, by saying: “According to Department of Transport estimates, 1.70 billion vehicle miles were travelled in the Glasgow city area in 2020.

“This represented a sharp drop in vehicle miles travelled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to covid, figures for 2019 show a peak of almost 2.250 billion vehicle miles per annum following steady growth in figures over the early part of the 21st century. Around two-thirds of vehicle miles are travelled on trunk roads with a third over local roads.

“The Scottish Government recently set a target of reducing car kilometres by 20 per cent, and other major cities such as London and Edinburgh have also similar ambitions. The [Scottish Government’s] recently-published Route Map [here] to achieve the 20 per cent reduction nationally highlights the expectation that car use in rural and island communities will not necessarily reduce at the same rate as in towns and cities, and there is therefore the expectation that cities will contribute strongly to the national target.”