Stop punishing ordinary Scots with 'relentless' war on motorists, SNP ministers told

Daily Mail​

30-04-2025

Scotland's motorists face the prospect of even more punishing crackdowns after SNP ministers rejected demands to end the war on drivers.
The Scottish Tories lodged a motion to halt the 'anti-car' policies claiming it is punishing already hard-pressed Scots.
But the SNP rejected it and insisted they will continue to take action to reduce car use.
They faced heavy criticism for viewing motorists as the 'bogeyman' with punishing policies like low emission zones and lowering speed limits, while failing to take enough action to tackle potholes and upgrade major roads.
But connectivity minister Jim Fairlie said the claim that there was a war on the motorist was 'reckless' given the environmental crisis, and vowed to continue to take action to reduce transport emissions, 'especially cars'.
Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Sue Webber said: 'Motorists are not the enemy, they are parents doing school runs, workers getting to jobs, tradespeople running businesses, and carers reaching the most vulnerable - ordinary people going about their everyday lives.
'Motorists are essential to Scotland's economy and crucial for our connectivity but they are being punished by this SNP Government through punitive low emission zones, controlled parking zones, botched disincentives to use cars, endless roadworks, a constant battle against pothole-riddled roads, and then there is the SNP's ludicrous plans for a 50 mile per hour national speed limit.
'Despite what the SNP say, it is not an exaggeration to describe this as a war against motorists.
'Cars remain the most popular form of transport in Scotland and hard-working Scots feel they are increasingly treated as an afterthought.'
She condemned 'relentless' policies which make people's lives harder and more expensive 'without a feasible alternative being available'.
She added: 'This insidious drip-drip effect of anti-car policies is hampering our economy and connectivity and punishing already hard-pressed Scots.
'The SNP must stop viewing car drivers as bogeymen and end the war on Scotland's motorists, moving away from these damaging policies.'
In a vote on the demands to end the war on motorists, the Tory motion was rejected as an SNP amendment was passed by 64 votes to 52.
Mr Fairlie told MSPs: 'The war on motorists language, used out of context to maximise that political traction, failing to consider the sensitivities of such language, is frankly reckless given the wider global considerations.
'The First Minister has spoken about the dangers of the pushback against the climate crisis and the need for unity to make a renewed case for climate action.
'Talking about a war on motorists is unfortunately falling into that trap, but hopefully we can reset the level of our discussion in order to find a solution that I think we can all agree to work to.'
He blamed Tory deregulation of buses in the 1980s for 'decades of decline' in public transport, and said people want alternatives to car use.
Mr Fairlie added: 'We need to reduce carbon emissions from transport, especially from car use, and the Scottish Government remains committed to reducing Scotland's reliance on cars and encouraging a shift towards public transport and active travel, alongside a shift to electric vehicles.'
SNP ministers had to drop a key target to reduce climate emissions by 75 per cent by 2030, which they had previously described as 'world-leading'.
Earlier this year, a report by the Auditor General and Accounts Commission said the Scottish Government is 'unlikely' to achieve another target to cut the number of car kilometres travelled by a fifth before 2030 because of a 'lack of leadership'.
It also raised concerns about decision to reintroduce peak ScotRail fares and also questioned the impact of 'considerable sums' spent on free bus passes for young people.
A 'draft just transition plan for transport' launched by the SNP Government in February proposed further measures to cut car use.
It said there is some support in urban areas for reducing the size of parking spaces to disincentivise SUV use, and for considering vehicle size when setting out road charges and other taxation schemes.
Mr Fairlie yesterday defended current measures like low emissions zones as 'effective and necessary' in order to protect health.
Scottish Labour transport spokesman Claire Baker said: 'There are areas of the Conservative motion worth considering: there has been problematic implementation of LEZ in Glasgow and the state of Scotland's roads and the cost to motorists of potholes.
'But I think it is a stretch to describe this environment as a war on motorists and to seek to create a division on an issue which we as a parliament are all agreed on: the need to reduce emissions to improve air quality and meet our climate change targets.'