The Scottish Government

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Dear Sir or Madam,

DRAFT GUIDE TO TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT IN SCOTLAND

The Draft Guide to Transport Assessment (TA) in Scotland was issued for consultation on 30 January 2003 and responses were sought by 31 December 2003. The intention was to allow sufficient time for the guidance to be put into practice and lessons learned which would inform the responses. A number of responses have been received for which we are grateful, but it is clear that many practitioners would welcome a further period in which to test the guidance before submitting comments. So we are extending the period for comment until 30 June 2004.

For clarification, users should note the following main points:

• the Guide states that it can be used flexibly, to suit the scale and location of the proposed development. But it is not expected that users should opt out. SPP 17: Planning for Transport is out to consultation until 16 April 2004 and the Guide is expected to be used expressly within the context of the SPP. TAs deriving from the Guide's use are material planning considerations.
• the reference in paragraph 6.14 to residential developments of 50 units or more should read 100 units , tying in with Table 1.
• With regard to appropriate Design Dates, as referenced in paragraph 10.18 of the Guide, we will consider whether the previous guidance for 10 and 15 years after opening included in the IHT Guide to Transport Assessment published in 1994 should be retained.
• We intend to alter the guidance to explain that the Transport Assessment Form need not be completed for householder developments that generate no person trip, such as the installation of satellite dishes, minor alterations to existing houses, etc. In any event the form summarises but does not replace the assessment process.
• The high 'residual' car based trips element in certain developments is recognised and will continue to form a major part of TAs. But TA begins with minimising generated traffic. Trunk Roads Network Management Division will require to be satisfied that all possible appropriate measures have been taken to this end. The issue of trips, mitigation (if necessary through infrastructure improvements), and 'no detriment to flow or safety', are further issues on which user experience is sought.

Since last January and despite Departmental changes within the Executive, we continue to work together to deliver effective policies for transport and planning.

Responding to this consultation paper

We are inviting written responses to this consultation paper by 30 June 2004. Please send your response to:tag@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or by post to; Lynn Jameson, Scottish Executive Development Department, Planning Division, 2-H, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ

If you have any queries contact Graham Marchbank on (0131) 244 7525, graham.marchbank@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.

We would be grateful if you could clearly indicate in your response which questions or parts of the consultation paper you are responding to (using the consultation questionnaire if appropriate) as this will aid our analysis of the responses received.

SEConsult

A new email alert system for SE consultations ( SEconsult) was launched in December 2003. This system will allow stakeholder individuals and organisations to register and receive a weekly email containing details of all new SE consultations (including web links). SEconsult will complement, but in no way replace SE distribution lists, and is designed to allow stakeholders to 'keep an eye' on all SE consultation activity, and therefore be alerted at the earliest opportunity to those of most interest. We encourage you to register as soon as possible.

Access to consultation responses

We will make all responses available to the public in the Scottish Executive Library by 28 July 2004 unless confidentiality is requested. All responses not marked confidential will be checked for any potentially defamatory material before being logged in the library or placed on the website.

Yours faithfully,

B. RESPONDEE INFORMATION FORM

Please complete the details below and attach it with your response. This will help ensure we handle your response appropriately:

Name:

Postal Address:

Consultation title:

1.	Are you responding as: (please tick one box)
	(a) an individual		(go to 2a/b)
	(b) on behalf of a group or organisation		(go to 2c)
2a.	INDIVIDUALS: Do you agree to your response being made available to the public (in SE library and/or on SE website)?
	Yes (go to 2b below)
	No, not at all
2b.	Where confidentiality is not requested, we will make your response available to the public on the following basis ( please tick one of the following boxes)
	Yes, make my response, name and address all available
	Yes, make my response available, but not my name or address
	Yes, make my response and name available, but not my address
2c	ON BEHALF OF GROUPS OR ORGANISATIONS: Your name and address as respondees will be made available to the public (in the SE library and/or on SE website). Are you content for your response to be made available also?
	Yes
	No
3.	We will share your response internally with other SE policy teams who may be addressing the issues you discuss. They may wish to contact you again in the future, but we require your permission to do so. Are you content for the Scottish Executive to contact you again in the future for consultation or research purposes?
	Yes
	No

C. The Scottish Executive Consultation Process

Consultation is an essential and important aspect of Scottish Executive working methods. Given the wide-ranging areas of work of the Scottish Executive, there are many varied types of consultation. However, in general Scottish Executive consultation exercises aim to provide opportunities for all those who wish to express their opinions on a proposed area of work to do so in ways which will inform and enhance that work.

While details of particular circumstances described in a response to a consultation exercise may usefully inform the policy process, consultation exercises cannot address individual concerns and comments, which should be directed to the relevant public body. Consultation exercises may involve seeking views in a number of different ways, such as public meetings, focus groups or questionnaire exercises.

Typically, Scottish Executive consultations involve a written paper inviting answers to specific questions or more general views about the material presented. Written papers are distributed to organisations and individuals with an interest in the area of consultation, and they are also placed on the Scottish Executive web site enabling a wider audience to access the paper and submit their responses ¹. Copies of all the responses received to consultation exercises (except those where the individual or organisation requested confidentiality) are placed in the Scottish Executive library at Saughton House, Edinburgh (K Spur, Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3XD, telephone 0131 244 4552).

The views and suggestions detailed in consultation responses are analysed and used as part of the decision making process. Depending on the nature of the consultation exercise the responses received may:

indicate the need for policy development or review
inform the development of a particular policy
help decisions to be made between alternative policy proposals
be used to finalise legislation before it is implemented

If you have any comment about how this consultation exercise has been conducted, please send them to: [If a separate channel has been established to handle feedback and complaints on your consultation, insert the appropriate details below; otherwise, refer to your contact details above]

Name:

Address:

E-mail:

1 www.scotland.gov.uk