Sustainable transport targets in Single Outcome Agreements
We want local and national government to play its part in delivering sustainable transport.The move to sustainable transport requires enlightened government prepared to take on key challenges such as climate change and oil depletion. We need government to base its decision-making and scrutiny in long-term sustainability, and not to serve short-termist demands for ever-more, ever-cheaper transport.
The move to sustainable transport will require:
- All Local Authorities to set sustainable transport targets in their Single Outcome Agreements. Local authorities need to set targets for reducing traffic levels, delivering modal shift to sustainable modes, and reducing vehicle emissions.
Since 2007 the Scottish Government has worked with local authorities and other key partners to deliver its national objectives through Single Outcome Agreements (SOAs) drawn up by each Community Planning Partnership across Scotland. These are strategic documents and are the key mechanism for delivering local policies and services in the absence of ring-fencing or directives from national government. While SOAs cannot encompass everything that local authorities do, reference is made within them to a wide range of issues related to sustainability and the environment. SOAs are contextualised by an area profile and local priorities, with the high level objectives backed up by the local authority’s own activities and policies. Transform Scotland would like to see:
- Local priorities and area profiles within the SOA to recognise the need to reduce dependence on car travel in that area and a commitment to work towards reducing traffic levels, delivering modal shift to an increased use of public transport and active travel modes, and reducing vehicle emissions.
- A re-focussing of local transport budgets towards support for walking, cycling and public transport with relevant indicators in the SOA to measure levels of walking and cycling to school and work. We would like to see 10% of local transport budgets spent on walking and cycling.
- Focus on the maintenance and safety of existing roads, and enforcement of speed limits.
- Plan for the expansion of 20mph speed limits in urban areas.