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

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”, says The Scotsman.

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.”

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.”