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Road transport has changed the way people live. Cars have meant greater flexibility for those of who have access to them, with many people now relying on them to travel to work and school, go shopping, to visit family and friends and to travel to leisure facilities. Businesses also need reliable ways to deliver their products and services. However, greenhouse gas emissions from transport are growing at a faster rate than in any other sector in the UK - this is very worrying for the environment.
Traffic congestion occurs at busy times of the day such as in the morning or late afternoon when people have to travel to and from school and work. At 8.50am, nearly 1 in 5 cars on the road are taking children to school. Traffic delays lead to even more fossil fuels being used as vehicles sit in long queues. Wasted fuel doesn't just mean wasted money, it also results in increased emissions of greenhouse gases which the world's leading scientists believe are causing global climate change.
The graphs below show the numbers of vehicles in use and the numbers of people using different types of public transport in Scotland.
Table 1: Vehicles Licensed.
Table 2: Passenger numbers local: bus and rail.
Table 3: Passenger numbers: rail, air and ferry.
Source: Scottish Transport Statistics No 20 2001 Edition
