Tories call for carrots not sticks

Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Jackson Carlaw MSP, used this afternoon's Transport, Infrastructure & Climate Change Committee debate on Low Carbon Scotland: The Draft report on proposals and Policies to outline why the Scottish Conservatives favour a voluntary rather than a compulsory approach to meeting carbon targets.

Speaking in the debate, Jackson Carlaw said:

"The rush by the committee to embrace measures and criteria for the imposition of a regulatory framework is a depressing admission of a failure yet to materialise. By definition an admission that the voluntary approach will fail and will need to be supported by a regulatory framework implies a failure by the public to be sufficiently engaged and committed. But it will not be their failure but ours as politicians.

"Many of the proposed curbs voiced would be regressive. Additional costs will force many families and individuals on marginal incomes out of their vehicles. Are we seriously arguing that it should be the policy of any modern government to revert to a position where only the rich can afford to drive? That is what road user charging and parking levies - whether on street, on employers or on owner's own domestic properties - will do.

"We don't need to punish motorists but rather just as with renewable energy on which such store is being placed, work with manufacturers to herald a new, environmentally friendly age of the motor vehicle. There is no going back. Publicly dare I suggest, there is no alternative."

Jackson also announced the Scottish Conservative's opposition to using any forthcoming 'Calman' powers to reduce the speed limit:

"The Scotland Bill proposes the transfer of road speed limits to the Scottish Parliament. Already this has excited many of the email lobby fraternity to campaign for and expect the imposition of a new national speed limit in Scotland of 50mph.

"I can confirm today that Scottish Conservatives will not support this and that it will not feature in our manifesto. Indeed we may well seek were such powers delegated to this parliament, to increase the speed limit to 80mph on certain highways."

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