Why is this National Indicator important?
The indicator concerns those journeys to work that are by public transport or require some form of activity, such as walking or cycling. Essentially, we want to encourage a shift from the car, particularly for short journeys, across the whole population. Not only will this reduce congestion and improve health by reducing harmful emissions, it will enable people in Scotland to live longer and healthier lives by making it easier to incorporate physical activity into daily routines.
Between 1990 and 2006, emissions from the transport sector increased by 13.5%, from 11.2 to 12.7 Mega tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e). This contrasts with a decline in emissions from every other sector in Scotland, except energy sector. Road transport remains by far the biggest source of transport emissions, accounting for 83% in 2006. Further general information on emissions in Scotland and links to data sources can be found at the Sustainability Purpose Target http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/scotPerforms/purposes/sustainability
The Health Education Population Survey (HEPS) has found generally low levels of physical activity in Scotland, with most people failing to achieve recommended levels of activity (30 minutes, five times a week). Hand-in-hand with this is an increase in obesity - with the 2003 Scottish Health Survey estimating that 22% of men and 24% of women in Scotland are obese, an increase from 16% of men and 17% of women in 1995.
In 2005/06, the Scottish Household Survey Travel Diary reported that half of all journeys in Scotland were 4km or less, with 31% less than 3km. Around two thirds of all driven journeys were less than 10km.
What will influence this National Indicator?
First and foremost is the ability to get to work in a way that is convenient, affordable and reliable. Further influences include weather conditions, access to a car, availability of parking and distance to work. A number of trends affect individual decisions on housing and workplace location and increase the pressure to travel further to work.
These include:
- Increasing specialisation of employment, even in relatively unskilled occupations
- Ease of travel.
- Wide variations in the cost of housing - particularly in parts of central Scotland.
- Concentration of employment on larger sites, necessarily distant from some homes.
- Rise in the proportion of households with two or more workers, each with specialist skills.
- Concentration of other activities - of which travel to work is just a part.
What is the Government's role?
Investment in public transport (rail, tram and bus), travel information, cycling and walking infrastructure, and 'Smart Measures' are all part of current government action.
On railways, Transport Scotland, the Government's national transport agency, is working to improve services and service times between our major cities. This work includes: faster and additional services from Edinburgh to Glasgow Central; electrification and enhancement of capacity throughout the Edinburgh-Glasgow-Dunblane triangle to provide faster, greener and more frequent services; and the completion of the Airdrie-Bathgate rail link.
On the buses, an environmental focus will be added to the Bus Services Operators Grant so that payments will be targeted on reducing emissions as well as supporting improved accessibility and lower fares to encourage increased bus use and service provision. Elsewhere, funding is being provided for Transport Direct and Traveline Scotland to develop travel information systems.
We are also funding Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity, to provide cycling and walking infrastructure across Scotland. Other cycling initiatives include the Cycle Friendly Employer Scheme from Cycling Scotland and the Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets (CWSS) grant, provided to local authorities for infrastructure.
Significant effort is focused on travel planning in the public and private sector, delivered by Regional Transport Partnerships and the Energy Saving Trust. We expect the public sector to take a lead in the encouragement of more sustainable commuting.
How are we performing?
The percentage of adults travelling by car has been reasonably stable over a number of years at around 67% to 68%. The latest figures however show 69.0% of adults travelled to work by car or van in 2007, a rise on 2006 (67.1%).
Source: Scottish Household Survey
Methodology
This evaluation is based on: any difference within +/- 1.0 percentage points of last year's figure suggests that the position is more likely to be maintaining than showing any change. A reduction of 1.0 percentage points or more suggests the position is improving; whereas an increase of 1.0 percentage points or more suggests the position is worsening.
For information on general methodological approach, please click here.
Further Information
2007 Spending Review Technical Note
Statistics Topic Page
Who are our supporting delivery partners?
Transport Scotland
Local authorities
Regional Transport Partnership
Sustrans
Cycling Scotland
Transport Operators
Related Strategic Objective
Healthier
Safer and Stronger
Greener