THE FAILURE of several local authorities in Scotland to include the needs of logistics in their active travel plans will be detrimental to the country’s ability to recover economically from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to FTA.
Mags Simpson, head of policy for Scotland at FTA, commented: ‘FTA is urging the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Michael Matheson MSP, to remind local authorities and council leaders across Scotland that the logistics industry is going to play a vital role in the economic recovery of the nation.
‘Earlier this month, when Mr Matheson first announced that active travel funding would be made available to local authorities in Scotland, I wrote to the 32 council leaders, outlining key industry concerns. This included the need to maintain kerbside deliveries and service provision, in addition to ensuring journey times were not adversely affected.
‘While the four local authorities from the TACTRAN (Regional Transport Partnership) group have been supportive and understand fully the economic impacts of hindering freight traffic from traveling into towns and cities, this covers the regions of Angus, Stirling, Perth and Dundee, several other bodies have failed to engage with us. We have also had meaningful conversations with Glasgow City Council.’
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