A lack of leadership has meant the Scottish Government has made minimal progress towards its challenging climate change goal of reducing car use, according to a new report by spending watchdog Audit Scotland.
In 2020, the Scottish Government said it wanted to reduce car kilometres driven by 20 per cent by 2030 as part of its efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions. However, the government has yet to produce a delivery plan for achieving the target, which it is unlikely to meet.
Since 2020, car traffic has increased to near pre-pandemic levels, public transport use has reduced, and there has been no significant change in how much people walk and cycle.
The Scottish Government aims to reduce car kilometres by 20% by 2030.
This is part of its efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
But car traffic has increased since 2020.
And @scotgov has no delivery plan and is now unlikely to hit its target.
Spending by councils and the Scottish Government on reducing car use is complex, fragmented and lacks transparency. Ministers have spent significant sums on concessionary bus travel and active travel but have not considered how best to target funding to reduce car use.
Councils have a key role in reducing car use, but some have prioritised the 20 per cent target more than others. Rural councils face bigger obstacles to delivering change due to geography and poorer public transport networks. Councils need clearer guidance and direction from the Scottish Government on their role in helping deliver the target.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government set an ambitious and very challenging target to reduce car use by 20 per cent by 2030. But there has been a lack of leadership around delivering this goal.
“It’s now unlikely the government will achieve its ambition, so it needs to be clear how this will affect its wider ambitions to achieve net zero emissions by 2045.”
Ruth MacLeod, a member of the Accounts Commission, said: “All parts of government need to act to deliver the 2030 car use reduction target. Councils need to set out to what extent they will contribute and how they will measure their progress.
“But they also need clearer guidance and direction from the Scottish Government to agree their role in reducing car use in their area.”
Join the five-year milestone celebrations for your chance to win the Hub’s Grand Hamper Raffle
Edinburgh’s Utilita Energy Hub is set to mark its fifth year anniversary this week and the team in Leith will be welcoming both regular and new hub visitors to join a free Coffee Morning and Energy Efficiency Workshop.
Natasha Baillie, Supervisor at the Leith Energy Hub,and her dedicated team are looking forward to welcoming the local community to help celebrate the milestone event on Friday, 31 January (08:30am-5pm) and everyone is invited along to enjoy a slice of birthday cake and a cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate.
Hub visitors will also have the chance to enter the Utilita Leith Energy Hub’s Grand Hamper Raffle, filled with lots of goodies such as chocolate and other sweet treats – with the prize winner being drawn and revealed at 3pm. The Energy Efficiency Workshop is set to take place between 10 and 11am, followed by a special prize draw Tombola.
Not a customer? Not a problem!
Back in 2018, Utilita opened its first hub in the UK with the aim of getting out into local communities and serving to help not only customers, but everyone that is part of that community too.
At the start of 2020, Utilita officially opened Scotland’s first high street Energy Hub in Newkirkgate Shopping Centre in Leith, with Hibs legend Pat Stanton cutting the ribbon, and it’s been providing vital community support and energy advice ever since.
The hub aims to serve the community, offering energy advice to absolutely anyone that requires it and also engages in community events as well as working with local charities such as the Edinburgh North East Foodbank.
No matter whether you are a Utilita customer or not, the hub team is always happy to give free energy saving advice, something manager Natashasays is very important given the current cost-of-living crisis – and they’re also able to offer energy saving products at competitive prices.
Five year reflection
Reflecting on the hub’s success over the past five years, Natasha said: “We have had such fantastic support since the first day we opened our doors and really have been made to feel so welcome in the local community. It is thanks to them that we have done so well and been able to provide so much support to local good causes.
“Hub highlights over the past five years include hosting a charity match with Hibernian Community Foundation and the Big Hearts Community Trust, which made over £5,000 and was donated evenly between the charities.
“Every year at Leith Gala Day we book a stall to deliver energy efficiency advice and we work very closely with many other charities, one of them being Held In Our Hearts. Our recent abseil for this charity raised over £500 which was then match funded by the company.
”We’re immensely grateful to the people of Leith, and beyond, for really embracing what we do here. With the local community’s support, we’re able to regularly donate Christmas Eve bags to Ronald McDonald House, as well as donating 25 TVs for all the rooms.
“Having a presence on the high street lets the public know that the Utilita team are here for everyone and all you need to do is pop down for anything you may need help with, customer or not.
“We aim to make it super simple to manage your energy – no phone lines or online dashboards, just a friendly face to speak to in a warm space with a free cuppa if you’d like one and colouring packs to keep the kids entertained!”
Open to all
Utilita Energy Hubs are high street locations where customers can top up their accounts, check their balances, and get energy-saving advice – based not just in Edinburgh but also Gosport, Southampton, Isle of Wight, Luton, Derby, West Bromwich, Sheffield, Leicester, Blackburn, Huddersfield and Hartlepool.
The Utilita Leith Energy Hub is open from 08:30 to 5pm Monday to Saturday at 41 Newkirkgate, Edinburgh, EH6 6AA. See more on Utilita Energy Hubs at https://utilita.co.uk/energy-hub.
The Westminster Government has today (Monday 27 January) pledged to end the throwaway society and clean up Britain, as it implements legislation for the deposit return scheme for drinks containers in England and Northern Ireland.
Once the scheme launches in October 2027, consumers will have a financial incentive to return empty containers to a collection point, such as at their local supermarket, so that the bottle or can will be recycled.
Used in more than 50 countries worldwide as a common-sense means of encouraging people to recycle more single-use bottles and cans, a DRS sees people being paid back for returning the container.
Countries such as Germany, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland have successfully implemented schemes, ensuring valuable materials are collected, recycled and made back into new drinks containers – a truly circular approach easily grasped by the public. The average return rate for European countries with a DRS is 90%, according to global eNGO Reloop, with Germany showing the best results at 98%.
Introducing such a scheme in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland is a simple yet hugely effective way of addressing problems with rubbish building up on our streets and in our rivers and oceans, while also ensuring the public gets money back on their bottle.
Across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, consumers buy an estimated 30 billion single-use drinks containers each year – including 12 billion plastic drinks bottles and 13 billion drinks cans. An estimated 6.5 billion single-use drinks bottles and cans per year go to waste rather than being recycled, with many ending up littered. Research from the Marine Conservation Society shows 97% of surveyed beaches were polluted with drinks-related items in 2023.
Encouraging everyone to get involved in recycling, the DRS will be introduced in October 2027, with 150ml to three-litre single-use drinks containers made from plastic and metal included in the scheme.
Delivering these reforms and driving investment in the recycling sector delivers on the Government’s Plan for Change through kickstarting growth, ensuring economic stability, greater efficiency, and jobs fit for the future.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said:This Government will clean up Britain and end the throwaway society.
“This is a vital step as we stop the avalanche of rubbish that is filling up our streets, rivers and oceans and protect our treasured wildlife. Turning trash into cash also delivers on our Plan for Change by kickstarting clean growth, ensuring economic stability, more resilient supply chains, and new green jobs.
Northern Ireland’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir said:“I have ambitious goals to protect our climate, drive green growth and reduce unnecessary waste. The creation of a Deposit Return Scheme plays a key part in delivering those goals.
“The introduction of the new parliamentary regulations is a significant step in that process and signals our commitment to move forward together to make those ambitions a reality.
“New legislation for England and Northern Ireland has now come into force, enabling the appointment of the scheme administrator – known as the Deposit Management Organisation – in April 2025. This will be a not-for-profit, industry-led body responsible for the administration and day-to-day running of the scheme.
With Scotland’s own regulations also progressing, this marks a major step forward for the introduction of the scheme across the three nations.
The three governments will ensure the scheme is implemented effectively, working closely with businesses to provide the infrastructure and investment to make it a success.
The Scottish Government first announced it’s intentions to introduce our own Deposit Return Scheme back in September 2017, but plans were scuppered. Holyrood has yet to comment on the UK Government’s announcement this morning.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive of environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, said:“A Deposit Return Scheme really is a silver bullet that will get plastic drinks bottles and aluminium cans out of our parks, off our streets and away from our rivers and seas.
“Depressingly we litter, burn or bury millions of drinks containers each and every day. This legislation will end all that, save the taxpayer millions in clean-up costs and give recycling a real shot in the arm.
“Backed and paid for by producers, this method of retrieval and recycling is tried and tested the world over so at Keep Britain Tidy we are putting out the bunting that this government is committed to make it happen, for us all.”
Stephen Moorhouse, Vice President and General Manager of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB Business Unit, said:“We’ve been supportive of launching a DRS across the UK for a number of years as they are a proven way of increasing recycling, reducing waste and tackling litter.
“Therefore, we welcome the clarity provided by the regulation for England and Northern Ireland and are encouraged by recent developments that will ensure an aligned scheme with Scotland, despite wider challenges around a UK-wide approach.
“Delivering to the timelines will be challenging but achievable, and now is the time for industry to roll up its sleeves to create a well-designed system that works for businesses, shoppers and the environment.”
Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman said: “We are pleased to have certainty on the DRS regulations so local shops can start to prepare for October 2027 and our communities can realise the benefits of reduced litter and higher quality recycled materials.
“Now the real work begins to make the deposit return scheme a success through cross-industry partnership and a planned network of return points that work for customers.”
Sandy Luk, Chief Executive at the Marine Conservation Society, said:“Today marks a fantastic win for our seas, as MPs voted in favour of a deposit return scheme in England and Northern Ireland.
“With plans already in motion in Scotland and the Welsh Government exploring an ambitious scheme to include reuse, this is a great step towards schemes starting across the UK in October 2027.
“Last year, 97% of surveyed UK beaches were polluted with bottles and cans, posing threat to marine life like seabirds and seals. Deposit return schemes will not only boost recycling and move us towards a circular economy where nothing is thrown away but also significantly reduce this kind of beach pollution.
“We’re excited to support governments and industry in launching these schemes as soon as possible.”
Hitting this milestone is another big step forward for the Government’s collection and packaging reforms, which together will support 21,000 new jobs and stimulate more than £10 billion of investment in recycling over the next decade.
The action to clean up Britain doesn’t end there – there is more to come as the Government moves to ensure the throwaway society is ended for good.
Legislation has been laid to ban the sale of single-use vapes from 1 June 2025 and prevent the waste of precious resources – eNGO Material Focus estimates almost five million single-use vapes were either littered or thrown away in general waste every week in 2023.
The Government has also announced that a £15 million government fund will help deliver thousands of tonnes of food from farms which would otherwise go to waste to those who need it most.
First Minister thanks people for patience as recovery operation continues
A further meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) was chaired by First Minister John Swinney last night to coordinate the recovery response to Storm Éowyn.
Due to the severity and impact of the storm, there is significant disruption to parts of the country. This includes around 35,000 properties without power and continued transport disruption with road closures and rail, bus, flight and ferry cancellations. It is expected to take some time to get all services fully restored.
Utility companies, national agencies and local authorities are working at pace to restore power and assess the impact, including responding to significant damage, removing fallen trees and debris, to ensure services can fully resume in the coming days.
The First Minister joined a Ministerial COBR meeting chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden earlier on Saturday evening. The First Minister also spoke with the Prime Minister to discuss the ongoing response to Storm Éowyn and the impact on Scotland.
First Minister John Swinney said: “I want to thank everyone who followed Police Scotland advice not to travel and express my sincere gratitude to the emergency services and to those working in the public, private and third sector who are continuing to support people and communities across the country.
“With yellow warnings in place for wind, snow and ice over the weekend, it is clear the severity of Storm Éowyn will continue into next week and this will have an impact on the speed at which utilities and local services can fully resume.
“Given the damage and disruption facing the network across the United Kingdom, utility companies are under significant pressure and are working in challenging conditions.
“I have stressed the importance of getting power restored as quickly as is practically possible and have been assured that assessments are being made at pace to ensure power is restored to affected properties in Scotland as soon as possible.
“Alongside our partners, Ministers are being updated regularly and ensuring all steps are being taken.
“I am pleased at the progress made to restore power to many communities over the course of today however a significant number of properties remain without power. Utility companies are continuing to provide support to customers, including ensuring provisions are in place for the most vulnerable.
“I want to thank people for their continued patience and encourage them to take extra care and look out for each other, particularly those who are supporting vulnerable neighbours and family members.
“As we look ahead to Monday, partners are working at pace to ensure services can resume next week. Local authorities – who are responsible for school closures – will be working to ensure all buildings meet the required safety standards to reopen safely to pupils. We would expect decisions on schools to be clearly communicated by local authorities to parents, pupils and staff, with as much advance warning as possible, and would encourage all parents to follow that advice.
“People should prepare for continued disruption, especially in areas that have been impacted by a loss of power, and I encourage everyone to follow advice being issued by local authorities, as well as continuing to follow updates from national agencies.”
SGoRR was attended by the Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop, Justice and Home Affairs Secretary Angela Contance, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth, Rural Affairs and Islands Secretary Mairi Gougeon, Acting Net Zero and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin and Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Angus Robertson. They were joined by representatives from the Met Office, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland, SEPA, transport and utilities companies and resilience partners.
The latest Met Office weather warnings are available on the Met Office website.
Flood alerts are issued by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and can be viewed on their website.
Follow Traffic Scotland for the most up-to-date information on the trunk roads throughout the warning periods, via their website, social media channels and radio broadcasts. Updates on ScotRail services and road conditions are available online.
To report a power cut or damage to electricity power lines or substations call the SP Networks national Freephone number 105. More information on what to do during a storm can also be found on SP Energy Website.
During a power cut firefighters can be called to fires started by candles or portable heaters. For advice on how to stay safe during a power cut visit Scottish Fire and Rescue Website.
We are very sorry to inform you that due to the weather conditions today, we have no alternative but to cancel tonight’s performance of Mary Poppins – Friday 24 January, 7.30pm.
Exciting announcements for our new project Drylaw Good Apples; our first session will start on Saturday 25th January 11 – 1pm. This will be a general introduction and some maintenance.
All sessions are for adults and accompanied children and are free.
After that our sessions are:
Weds 29th 1-3pm. Pruning with RBGE- strictly bookable. FREE
Weds 5th Feb 11-1pm. Mulching and den building
Sat 15th Feb 1-3pm. Mulching and games
Weds 19th Feb 11-1pm. Bench making and woodcraft.
Meet us at the front door of Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre at the time stated above and we will walk over to the orchards with tools wheelbarrows etc. All welcome!
PLEASE WEAR WARM CLOTHING AND GOOD STRONG FOOTWEAR.
An Edinburgh man has been named as a finalist in Loganair’s A Season of Connections competition, which could see him win a year’s worth of free flights.
The image shows proud uncle Graham Stevenson, 56, surrounded by his nieces and nephews on the beach at Cornwall, preparing to enjoy a festive Santa duck race organised by his family.
Christmas holds special significance for Graham, whose birthday falls on Boxing Day. Each year, he travels to Cornwall to reunite with his siblings and their families, celebrating both occasions with festive cheer.
The youngest of four siblings, Graham has always been at the heart of his family’s Christmas celebrations, bringing his love of the festive season with him wherever he goes.
As a finalist for Loganair’s A Season of Connections competition, Graham and two other entrants have the chance to win a year’s worth of free flights for themselves and a companion on Loganair’s extensive network, while two runners-up will be treated to return flights for two on the airline’s iconic Glasgow to Barra route, which famously lands on the beach.
Inspired by the airline’s uplifting and heartwarming Christmas advert, Loganair, Actually, the competition asked entrants from across the UK to submit an image or video that captures a heartwarming moment of connection with their loved ones.
Jan Wigley, Graham’s sister, said:“Christmas is Graham’s favourite time of the year. He loves getting together with family, meeting the new babies, and playing games with his nieces and nephews, who are his pride and joy, especially with the help of Loganair’s special assistance service, which makes sure he’s able to travel down to Cornwall with the support he needs.
“Winning this competition would make the festive season even more special for Graham and give him the chance to share more time with his family.”
Graham, who lives with learning disabilities, has lived for almost 40 years at Garvald Home Farm Community near West Linton.
The social enterprise supports adults living with learning disabilities to live and work on a farm according to biodynamic principles.
Graham said: “I love going to Cornwall to see my family, especially at Christmas. It’s my favourite time of year, and being with my nieces and nephews makes it even better.
“I am so excited to see the new babies in the family and spend time with them.”
Lyn MacDonald, head of marketing and brand at Loganair, said: “Graham’s story truly embodies the spirit of our A Season of Connections competition, which is all about celebrating the connections that make life so special.
“His festive family traditions and the joy he brings to those around him are incredibly heartwarming.”
Public voting for the finalists is now open and will run until midnight on Wednesday, 23rd January 2025. The winner will be announced on Saturday, 25 January 2025.
Passengers flying from Edinburgh and Newquay can explore a diverse range of destinations. From Edinburgh, travellers can enjoy direct flights to cities like Cardiff, Exeter, and Southampton, or head further afield to Bergen, Newquay, and the Isle of Man.
Meanwhile, passengers departing from Newquay can seamlessly connect to Scottish destinations such as Edinburgh and Aberdeen, as well as routes to Manchester, Newcastle, and beyond. With its expanding network, Loganair provides convenient travel options for both leisure and business travellers across the UK and Europe.
To vote for Graham visit the Loganair Facebook page.
Commuters coming out of Edinburgh Waverley yesterday were surprised with free bacon rolls made with Specially Selected Pork to brighten up what some consider the most depressing day of the year, Blue Monday.
It’s a small gesture aimed at brightening the day for those who might need a little boost whilst encouraging commuters to ‘look for the logo’ when shopping for beef, lamb and pork.
When you see the Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork logo, you can be guaranteed that you are buying beef, lamb and pork that is only ever born and reared for its whole life on trusted quality assured Scottish farms.
POLICE are appealing for information following a serious injury collision on Bog Road, Penicuik yesterday (Sunday, January 19, 2025).
Around 3.20pm, police received a report of a collision involving three children, aged 11, 12 and 13, and a Volkswagen T-Cross on Bog Road, Penicuik.
Emergency services attended and an 11-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl were taken to the Royal Hospital for Children in Edinburgh where medical staff confirmed their injuries as serious. The 12-year-old girl was uninjured.
The road was closed to allow for collision investigators to examine the location.
Sergeant Fraser Mitchell said: “Our enquiries remain ongoing as we work to establish the full circumstances of this collision.
“Anyone with any information or dash cam footage should get in contact, no matter how insignificant it may seem.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 1844 of 19 January, 2025.
As festive bills start to arrive, Children First is urging families in Edinburgh not to suffer in silence and get in touch with their support line.
January is one of the busiest times of year for Scotland’s national children’s charity. The new year can be extremely tough for families who face worries about Christmas spending and increased living costs during the colder weather.
Getting advice early can make a huge difference to families and can help address any issues before they escalate and help them back to financial health.
To get on the front foot for 2025, Children First’s expert support line team have put together some handy hints for healthier finances.
Children First support line is here to help families with budgeting, benefits, debt and energy bills. They work with parents and carers by listening to any worries they may have about their finances and then put a plan in place to navigate their difficulties.
Sinead Haddow, service manager at Children First said, “Talking about your finances can be really daunting and we understand it can cause lots of anxiety for families.
“Our friendly support line team will listen to your worries, free of judgement, and start to help you put together a plan to get back to financial health.
“When families speak to us, it may be the first time they have had a good night’s sleep in months.
“Pick up the phone to our support line today, by calling 08000 28 22 33 from 9am – 9pm, Monday to Friday or 9am – 12 noon Saturday and Sunday.
“Whatever way families want to contact to us, we’re here to listen.”
Michelle Supple, Director of Fundraising, Children First said: “January can be a tough time for many children and families.
“Thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery the Children First support line can offer free, confidential, support to any family anywhere in Scotland, which many families tell us can feel like a lifeline.”
Last year, Children First helped almost 1,000 families to put £1.9 million back into their pockets through unclaimed benefits, grants and budgeting.
The charity can also provide expert support on debit and helped double the number of families in 2023-2024 to manage over £813,000 in debt.
Children First support line is here to help families across Scotland with whatever challenges they face. From mental health, money worries and online harm to struggles at school the charity’s support line can offer free help and advice thanks to funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and awarded by Postcode Children Trust.
Hello Hello orchard lovers!
PLEASE WEAR WARM CLOTHING AND GOOD STRONG FOOTWEAR.
