The Scottish Spending Review has produced a real-terms cut in support for modal shift, according to the Freight Transport Association, which has accused the Scottish government of being disingenuous over its so-called support for freight modal shift.
Governmental ‘support for the freight industry’ had dropped from £10.3m in 2010 to £2.9m following the revised Scottish Budget earlier in the year. Today’s spending review has effectively introduced a real terms cut in ‘support for freight industry’ to an annual allocation of just £1.1m every year until 2015.
Chris MacRae, the FTA’s head of policy for Scotland, said: “As part of its so-called commitment to low carbon spend, £69 million has been promised to ‘reduce congestion and support better public transport, active travel, low carbon vehicles and freight modal shift’. However, the proportion of funding available for freight modal shift falls well below an acceptable level.”