Call to halt new roads being built under city deals

Transform has instead called for investment to focus on more priority measures to make buses in Scotland’s cities faster and networks more extensive, more spending on safer routes to schools, and funding to boost walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure.

High-carbon projects highlighted in the report included the £151m Cross Tay Link Road near Perth, a new £107m roundabout at Sheriffhall, Edinburgh, the A96 dualling in the north of Scotland, a £25m new road access to Aberdeen South Harbour, and a £10m Dundee Airport investment.

It pointed out the City Region Deals were “only a fraction of spending” on high carbon transport in Scotland and noted that £3bn has bee committed to dualling the A9 in the Highlands.

It criticised claims this work was for “security and safety”, saying there were “far less expensive and much quicker ways” to improve this through small-scale changes rather than “building miles and miles of new roads”.

It said the biggest low carbon investment was Glasgow City Council’s £139m “Avenues” project to transform the city centre streetscape and public realm to make it centred on people.

Transport is the biggest source of carbon emissions in Scotland at about 36%.

Campaigners said this had not changed in three decades, so government-funded projects were important if the Scottish government commitment to a 20% reduction in car use by 2030 is to be achieved.

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “The £3.4bn Scottish Regional Growth Deal programme aims to deliver economic prosperity across the country and delivers a range of capital investments which support net zero targets, including sustainable transport measures such as active travel and rail investment.”

They added that environmental and social impact assessments are undertaken into every project.