Sustrans Scotland research shows people are willing to change their travel habits.
More than two thirds of drivers in Scotland’s cities think people should be able to make everyday journeys without a car, according to a new poll.
The survey, for sustainable transport charity Sustrans Scotland, revealed 70% of motorists thought that it should be possible for everyone to undertake their most frequent journeys by walking, cycling or taking public transport.
Eight in ten drivers said it was important that people should be able to have a good standard of living without a car, while 71% believed people should be able to meet their everyday needs within a 20 minute walk, cycle or public transport trip from their home.
The survey also revealed strong support for making cities healthier and more attractive by reclaiming roads.
Almost two-thirds of drivers (66%) said it was important to create public living space by transforming streets into pedestrianised spaces or parks.
And 92% said it was important that all residents can breathe clean air.
There was also support for closing streets outside schools to traffic during drop off and pick up times, with 61% of those polled saying this was a good idea against 21% who were opposed.
More than half (53%) of drivers surveyed, meanwhile, supported restricting traffic on residential streets.
Sustrans said the survey shows people are willing to change their travel habits, but the system is stacked against them.
The charity’s Scotland director Grace Martin said: “Too many neighbourhoods in Scotland have been planned around car travel at the expense of providing the local jobs and services that a community needs to thrive.
“We need to make sure that planning towns and cities focuses on creating healthy, low carbon neighbourhoods, where people live within a 20-minute walk of everyday services and needs.
“This includes putting a stop building new roads when other options exist to improve public transport, along with walking and cycling. We should be taking bigger steps to ensure that walking, cycling and public transport are the most attractive, convenient and cheapest ways to get around our towns and cities. In fact, it should be a no-brainer.”
Polling company YouGov spoke to 1,048 drivers living in Scotland’s urban areas for the survey.
