241213PerfCPaper2Annex1TransportThemeBackgroud
Cairngorms National Park Authority Performance Committee Paper 2, Annex 1 13 December 2024 Ùghdarras Pàirc Nàiseanta a’ Mhonaidh Ruaidh Page 1 of 2
Annex 1 Transport Theme Background
- With transport accounting for over a third of Scotland’s carbon emissions, how residents and visitors travel to and within the National Park will need to change to achieve Scotland’s net zero targets and to tackle the challenges of the climate emergency. By changing the way people travel, our aim is to place active and sustainable travel at the heart of a greener future, leading to a fairer and regenerative local economy and to reduce transport-related carbon emissions. The Cairngorms National Park will become a rural exemplar for sustainable and active travel, embracing technology and design innovation, to reduce transport-related carbon emissions.
- Through delivery of the transforming transport theme there will be improved transport choices for all, with an increase in use of public transport in the National Park and walking, wheeling and cycling becoming the preferred choice for short journeys. This will result in reduced social inequalities, improved health and wellbeing for individuals and a greater connection and appreciation of local heritage. Fewer private vehicle journeys will lead to reduced carbon emissions and improved air quality. We will achieve this by: a) Developing high-quality walking, wheeling and cycling connections in our communities (Active communities) b) Developing a cohesive network that supports cycle use by residents and visitors across the park (Cycle friendly Cairngorms) c) Support delivery and use of sustainable transport options (Sustainable travel) d) Encourage modal shift in personal behaviours (Changing travel behaviours)
- The National Park has a strong travel heritage based upon historical movement of people within a local region. However, much of the social transport heritage has been lost due to the dominance of privately owned motorised vehicles. Improving active travel routes and supporting infrastructure provide an opportunity to reconnect people with the social and environmental heritage of the park, strengthening people’s sense of place and belonging. Raising awareness of the impact of personal travel choices and enabling a modal shift in behaviours so that people travel more sustainably, will reduce the impact of personal journeys on the environmental heritage of the National Park. The transforming transport theme will
Cairngorms National Park Authority Ùghdarras Pàirc Nàiseanta a’ Mhonaidh Ruaidh Performance Committee Paper 2, Annex 1 13 December 2024 Page 2 of 2 be truly collaborative as it works with partners across multiple departments in five Local Authorities, three Regional Transport Partnerships and with Sustrans and Transport Scotland. More locally it will continue to collaborate and engage with all communities in the National Park, visitors and stakeholders including access groups and service providers. The projects are innovative because together as a package they aim to be a national exemplar for active and sustainable transport solutions in rural Scotland and demonstrate how active travel improvements can be integrated with sustainable transport provision. The theme is transformational because, for a rural area, it will reduce car dependency and inequalities, lead to a modal shift to active travel for short journeys and make sustainable multi-modal journeys an easy and attractive option for longer journeys. This suite of projects will collectively contribute to mitigating the climate emergency, changing attitudes and behaviours to deliver net zero targets, whilst also improving individual’s health and wellbeing.