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The Scottish Government’s Aviation Statement, which will be published shortly, will set out actions that the Scottish Government will take to help achieve our aviation emissions reduction targets.

Additionally, we have already set out 45 recommendations for future investment in Scotland’s strategic transport network in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review, published on 8 December 2022. Within these recommendations we have considered airport access in our strategic transport planning considerations. These have been considered in the recommendations for mass or rapid transit systems for the Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen City Regions, in the form of Clyde Metro, Edinburgh and South East Scotland Mass Transit and Aberdeen Rapid Transit. These recommendations can provide a transformational change in the service provision, focusing on strategic routes and / or corridors where bus and rail provide the most effective service. This will improve access to an affordable and reliable public transport system within these City Regions.

National Planning Framework 4 is also now in effect. Policy 13, ‘Sustainable Transport’, has a clear intent ‘to encourage, promote and facilitate developments that prioritise walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport for everyday travel and reduce the need to travel unsustainably.’ It promotes the National Transport Strategy 2 and places the climate emergency at the forefront of decision making.

The Scottish Government is grateful for the latest advice from the Climate Change Committee and remains fully committed to delivering net zero by 2045. As published alongside the statement to the Chamber on the Climate Change Bill, we will develop measures to accelerate the switch from ICE to zero emission vans and other vehicles in order to help reduce ICE van kms, with the intention of achieving early progress with the largest companies while ensuring appropriate support mechanisms for smaller businesses and independent traders.

We will carefully consider the report’s recommendations in relation to van traffic and provide a response in due course.

The nature of Scottish Government funding for bus and rail sectors is fundamentally different. Funding provided to the bus sector is primarily through reimbursement for concessionary travel schemes which provides free bus travel for eligible passengers, and the Network Support Grant to support local bus services. This makes fares more affordable for the public, whilst supporting bus operators. Funding for rail provides subsidy to ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper which is necessary to provide services, with the majority of funding supporting Network Rail Scotland to operate, maintain, renew and enhance the rail network infrastructure.

Almost one half of all bus journeys in 2022-23 were made under the National Concessionary Travel scheme, 12 percentage points more than in 2021-22. In early 2022, the scheme was expanded to include those aged under 22.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-26543 on 17 April 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-26609 on 17 April 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Notwithstanding the fact that licensed motor vehicles, including cars, are at highest levels both in terms of number and age, we are committed to finding ways to make alternative travel modes more attractive, and supporting people to take fewer journeys by car. The Scottish Government’s plans to encourage the use of public transport and active travel alongside plans to reduce car use, are set out in the draft route map on 20% reduction in car kilometres by 2030, jointly developed with COSLA. Our 2023 Programme for Government included a commitment to publish a final version of the route map to achieving the 20% car kilometre reduction this year, and we look forward to publishing this in the coming months.

Following significant pandemic-related road traffic reductions in 2020, the latest figures show that estimated road traffic continued to rebound, increasing by 9% overall (to 47 billion vehicle kilometres) and by 10.7% for car km between 2021 and 2022. A 6.3% reduction against the 2019 baseline for car km travelled reflects ongoing changes to travel patterns, including increased use of digital connectivity. It is also worth noting that fewer people drove every day in 2022 (34%) compared to 2019 (43%).

There remains however uncertainty regarding travel patterns in the longer term, but it is expected car traffic will continue to rise in subsequent years before interventions to deliver reductions in car traffic start to make an impact. Evidence is clear that incentivising sustainable alternatives alone will not be sufficient to bring about the behaviour change to deliver the scale of 20% car KM reduction.

The most direct levers on the cost of buying or running a petrol or diesel car – fuel duty and vehicle excise duty – are currently reserved. We will continue to press the UK Government for a fair and progressive future transport tax system that better incentivises the transition to zero-emission vehicles, reduces unnecessary journeys and raises revenues to fund policies to support a shift to more sustainable travel.

The Fair Fares Review, published on 22 March 2024, considered the range of discounts and concessionary schemes which are available across all modes including bus, rail and ferry.

On bus travel, the Review maintains existing eligibility to the National Concessionary Travel Schemes for those groups who currently benefit, which comprise over 2.3 million people across Scotland – a higher percentage than anywhere else in the UK and commits to development of a proposal for a bus flat fares pilot for an area-based scheme to provide flat fares on bus travel, or reduced fares on zonal integrated travel for consideration in future budgets.

In addition, the Review has recommended that further policy development work be undertaken by the Scottish Government to consider better targeting of public funds towards supporting access to public transport for those who need it most, including consideration of concessionary travel support for those experiencing financial poverty.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-26609 on 17 April 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-26609 on 17 April 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-26336 on‎ 11 April 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers