Transport: policy context

Transport Scotland is the national agency responsible for transport in Scotland. Scotland’s National Transport Strategy sets out a vision of "a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system, helping deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors", underpinned by four priorities:

  • Reduces Inequalities.
  • Takes Climate Action.
  • Helps Deliver Inclusive Economic Growth.
  • Improves our Health and Wellbeing.

The strategy states that decisions should be based on the Sustainable Travel Hierarchy, which prioritises walking and wheeling, cycling, public transport, then shared transport, with single occupancy private cars lowest priority. The strategy is being implemented through annual delivery plans. The Fourth Annual Delivery Plan was published in December 2024.

Transport investments are informed by Strategic Transport Projects Review 2, published in 2022, which provides evidence-based recommendations to inform investments aligned to the National Transport Strategy up to 2042.

Scotland’s Climate Change Plan update in 2020 included several commitments to transport decarbonisation in order to contribute to net zero emissions by 2045. It also included a commitment to reduce car kilometres by 20% by 2030. In 2022, consultation on a route map to achieve this target identified actions to achieve the following key behaviours:

  • Reduce the need to travel.
  • Live well locally.
  • Switching modes.
  • Combine or share car trips.

In February 2025, the Scottish Government published Just Transition: draft plan for transport in Scotland.

Active travel

The Long Term Vision for Active Travel in Scotland (6.5Mb), published in 2014, set a vision that by 2030 "Scotland's communities are shaped around people, with walking or cycling the most popular choice for shorter everyday journeys". The Active Travel Framework, published in 2020, outlines key policy approaches to improving the uptake of walking and cycling in Scotland. This sets the following outcomes, each of which has key indicators to monitor progress:

  • Increase the Number of People Choosing Walking, Cycling and Wheeling in Scotland.
  • High Quality Walking, Cycling and Wheeling Infrastructure is Available to All.
  • Walking, Cycling and Wheeling is Safer for All.
  • Walking, Cycling and Wheeling is Available to All.
  • Delivery of Walking, Cycling and Wheeling is Promoted and Supported by a Range of Partners.

The Cycling Framework for Active Travel, published in 2023, sets out priorities and actions to enhance the contribution of cycling to meeting the long-term vision. The top priority is "delivery of more dedicated, high quality, safe cycling infrastructure, effectively resourced, where fair access is ensured and uptake is supported with training and education". This is supported by Cycling by Design guidance on cycling infrastructure.

Let’s Get Scotland Walking: The National Walking Strategy (2.9Mb) was first published in 2014. An updated national walking strategy is in development.

Public transport

Transport Scotland sets the national policy context for public transport.

Key policies include:

Road safety

Scotland’s Road Safety Framework sets a vison for Scotland to have the best road safety performance in the world by 2030. This adopts the 'Safe System' approach to road safety delivery, which has five pillars:

  • Safe Speeds.
  • Safe Vehicles.
  • Safe Road Use.
  • Safe Roads and Roadsides.
  • Post-Crash Response.

Regional and local transport policy

There are seven Regional Transport Partnerships responsible for developing regional transport strategies. Local authorities may also develop Local Transport Strategies. Transport Scotland has published guidance to support these.

Related policies

Transport also affects, and is affected by, other policy areas such as: