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SCOTLAND'S TRANSPORT FUTURE: GUIDANCE ON LOCAL TRANSPORT STRATEGIES

PART 3 MEETING THE OBJECTIVES

3.1 Once a local transport strategy has set out what it wants to do - it needs to detail how it plans to achieve those objectives. This section provides guidance on the different ways in which a strategy might meet its established objectives and develop an action plan, focusing on different modes of transport, freight transport, concessionary travel, travel information, travel behaviour and demand management in turn.

3.2 A local transport strategy needs to be comprehensive. It must consider the needs of passengers, drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, freight companies and customers and other transport users. It should also consider the impact of transport users on other people. This means that a wide range of measures will need to be considered.

3.3 Option appraisal is covered in more detail in Chapter 4 of STAG and we recommend that local authorities refer to STAG for guidance on sifting and appraisal of measures, and packages of measures, designed to meet the established objectives. Chapter 6 of the MACS publication Planning for Inclusion provides additional guidance on considering the implications on disabled people of transport improvements.

3.4 Our existing transport infrastructure is a major asset and local transport strategies should consider how to make best use of this infrastructure, the maintenance requirements of its own transport assets and what improvements may be required. The strategy may identify improvements that would require delivery at a regional or national level and the strategy should make clear where partnership working is required to develop and deliver projects.

MODES OF TRANSPORT

Bus

3.5 As the most frequently used and the most widely available mode of public transport, buses play a central role. Bus services are essential to the economy and provide the links that enable people to get to and from work and access shops and public services, particularly health services. In many areas, they are the only option for people without a car.

3.6 Most bus services are provided commercially and this market approach is intended to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation. Local authorities do however have a key role in supporting bus services which are socially necessary but which the market would not provide commercially. They should maintain and keep policies on supported services under review, looking to new and imaginative solutions where appropriate, including the development of demand-responsive transport services. In addition, the Executive's new Bus Route Development scheme is providing funding to a number of local authorities to enable them to support, for a three-year period, new or improved bus services which have the potential to grow.

3.7 Characteristics of successful local bus networks in Scotland, and the UK generally, include a close working partnership between the local authority and the bus operators. The partnership may feature the identification of barriers to, and opportunities for, better services - possibly including:

• traffic demand management;
• congestion reduction;
• bus priority measures;
• the provision of accessible buses;
• simplified fare structures; and
• route branding.

3.8 The availability and quality of bus lanes, waiting shelters, raised kerbs, bus stations, low-floor buses and park and ride sites can make a big difference to the attractiveness of bus services to passengers and their accessibility to older or disabled people. Providing a decent waiting shelter, a dedicated bus lane and a modern, comfortable vehicle are also important ingredients in achieving modal shift.

3.9 The development of guided or other busways, which involve sections of road where buses are segregated from other traffic, will also be appropriate where they are assessed as cost-effective against alternative options. Segregated busway schemes cost less to introduce than the equivalent tram infrastructure but can also provide fast, efficient mass transport. Part-route busways, which provide segregation at particularly congested areas, can also be beneficial, linked where appropriate to bus priority measures at either end of the busway.

3.10 Local transport strategies should address the options available to local authorities to improve bus services and achieve modal shift from the car. They should provide an assessment of the impact on the running times and costs to the local bus network of congestion and maintaining headways. They should set out the bus infrastructure and other improvements required to enhance the availability, quality and comfort of bus travel, taking into account the range of people who use buses, including commuters, tourists and older and disabled people

3.11 These improvements can be delivered in partnership with bus operators and can be introduced using authorities general powers. They can also be introduced in implementation of the strategic powers provided in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 to revitalise bus services. Local transport strategies should consider the use that could be made of the powers in the 2001 Act to make quality bus partnerships and quality bus contracts. They should also address the way in which authorities will implement duties under the Act to determine joint ticketing arrangements and what local bus information should be made available. Guidance on Part 2 (Bus Services) of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001¹⁸, issued by the Executive in 2001 provides further information.

Rail

3.12 We are building new railways in Scotland on a scale unprecedented in modern times. Local authorities and SPT are key partners in this process, with for example, Clackmannanshire Council leading the promotion of the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine railway and SPT leading on the reopening of Larkhall-Milngavie and the Glasgow Airport Rail Link. All new railway projects require strong partnership working and local transport strategies should not only identify what rail projects are necessary, but also how they can be achieved and the key partners that need to be involved.

3.13 Partnership with key stakeholders in the rail industry and regional transport partnerships will be vital to ensure a comprehensive approach in developing or enhancing rail services. Local authorities should work closely with First ScotRail from the outset when developing proposals for local rail services. Equally, authorities should work, where appropriate, with the cross-border franchise holders to ensure synergy between local, regional and cross-border services to allow for reliable, timely connections.

3.14 Local transport strategies should also consider how improvements or modifications to the existing rail infrastructure may help achieve its objectives. For instance, improving the interchange between rail and bus through providing information, new signage, shelters or walkways may increase patronage on both modes and make the journeys easier for existing travellers.

3.15 As well as passenger rail infrastructure, a local transport strategy should also consider the role of rail freight and how facilities could be improved or better utilised. Issues it may wish to consider include: the location of rail freight terminals, the interchange with road or water transport and the potential for improvements, such as gauge enhancement, to facilitate the transfer of more freight from road to rail.

3.16 There has been a major review of the organisation and structure of the railway industry ¹⁹. As part of the review, it has been agreed that the Scottish Executive will have a greater responsibility for rail within Scotland, including an extended role with regard to infrastructure. When fully implemented, the changes will enable the Scottish Executive to take long-term, strategic decisions about future investment for Scottish services and to set the priorities for infrastructure investment in Scotland. This will ensure that the Scottish decisions on the railway are taken as part of a wider Scottish transport approach.

Trams

3.17 Trams provide fast, efficient mass transport and offer an alternative to travel by private car. We are supporting the City of Edinburgh Council's proposals to introduce a tram network in Edinburgh, to tackle congestion and link communities with areas of economic growth. Other local authorities considering the role that trams might play in delivering their objectives will need to take account of the infrastructure involved and assess the cost-effectiveness of trams against alternative modes of public transport.

Park and ride

3.18 Park and ride facilities can increase bus and train use and reduce traffic in towns and cities. A number of local authorities have put in place such facilities over the past few years, with assistance from the Scottish Executive's Public Transport Fund and funding through the regional transport partnerships. Park and rides may vary in scale - from the large inter-urban sites such as Ferrytoll in Fife, to parking bays at rural railway stations. Local transport strategies should consider the role that park and ride facilities might play in improving integration and reducing traffic congestion.

Community transport

3.19 The Executive's Rural Community Transport Initiative (RCTI) provides funding support for almost 100 community transport (CT) projects, such as Dial-a-Ride, voluntary car schemes and community ferries across rural Scotland. These, and other, CT projects - in both rural and urban areas - are particularly helpful to older and disabled people. They enable people to get out and about, be included in community life, and reduce rural and social isolation. Independent research has shown that there is a strong level of dependence on the services provided with few alternatives, and that a substantial number of people would be housebound without these services. Local authorities should take account of the contribution that CT projects can make when planning local public transport provision.

Cycling

3.20 Ministers expect local authorities to work to increase levels of cycling, drawing on guidance in the National Cycling Strategy ²⁰ and elsewhere. Local authorities should consider: changes/improvements to infrastructure, traffic management measures such as reallocation of road space, integration with public transport modes and provision and maintenance of appropriate facilities such as cycle parking and carriage of cycles.

3.21 Local authorities should work towards completing the National Cycle Network (NCN) as well as the upgrading of existing NCN Millennium Routes built to interim standards. There are still a number of NCN routes to be developed and some of the Millennium Routes built prior to June 2000 require upgrading as these were built speedily to interim standards e.g. with unbound surfaces.

3.22 The NCN in Scotland encourages tourism and we are dependent on its availability to maintain and increase Scotland's share of domestic, national and international tourist cycling markets, with the economic benefits that follow. The Executive will continue to develop the necessary NCN infrastructure through the ongoing Trunk Road Cycling Initiative.

Walking

3.23 Increased levels of walking are desirable for health and environmental reasons, as well as being an essential element of a sustainable and integrated transport system. In order to promote walking, local authorities are expected to take into account the needs of all pedestrians, whether transport, fitness or leisure is the primary reason for the walking journey, or it is a component part of a multi-modal trip. Some of the suggested measures which cater for cyclists can also be useful for pedestrians, however the groups are distinct and care must be taken to consider the needs of both modes of transport. A walking strategy for Scotland, due to be published in 2005, will include further discussion of the relevant issues.

3.24 Local authorities should consider the importance of pedestrian routes to facilitate interchange between different modes of transport, for instance between rail and bus stations, and assess whether improvements are required. Consideration should also be given to pedestrian routes between residential areas and employment and retail centres. Local authorities should also consider how the safety and security of pedestrians could be increased and remember the needs of disabled people when designing pedestrian infrastructure.

Aviation

3.25 Airports are important gateways not just to the local area, but to regions and to Scotland as a whole. In urban areas, they are drivers of city competitiveness and enable businesses of all sizes to maintain the global connections that are needed to develop and grow. In remote and island areas, they support lifeline services that are vital to the economic and social well-being of the area. A strategy should consider the role that an airport can play in achieving those objectives and what role the local authority can play in its development. The Department for Transport's Future of Air Transport white paper ²¹, published in December 2003, set out a framework for the development of air transport in Scotland up to 2030, against which airport operators, airlines and central and local government can plan ahead.

3.26 However, airports also generate traffic, in terms of airport users, airport employees and people working in or visiting companies located close to them. Local authorities should set out in their strategies how they propose to work with others to encourage sustainable access to major airports, thereby reducing reliance on private, road-based transport, and congestion and pollution on nearby roads. This will require effective partnership between airport operators, local authorities, transport operators, local people and businesses to improve public transport access to airports. Similarly, local authorities should take measures to encourage sustainable access to airports under their own control.

3.27 Air services play an important role in connecting Scotland to the world and in promoting accessibility in rural and island communities. Local authorities in the Highlands and Islands subsidise inter-island air services through their block allocation in recognition of the important role of these services in promoting economic development and social inclusion. On a wider scale, the Executive's Air Route Development Fund has made significant progress in attracting new air routes connecting Scotland with the rest of the UK, Europe and the world.

Ferries, ports and harbours

3.28 Ferries are a key element of the transport network in the Highlands and Islands and the Clyde Estuary, with a number of operators and funding from a range of sources. These ferries provide vital lifeline links between the islands and the mainland, as well as providing a faster link between remote peninsulas and larger mainland population centres (such as the Dunoon-Gourock service). A number of local authorities operate mainly inter-island services within their areas, providing a similarly essential service. Local authorities should consider how ferry services integrate with other operators and modes of transport as well as future service needs and how they might affect infrastructure requirements.

3.29 Most services to the Northern Isles are operated by NorthLink, under a public service contract that is being re-tendered in 2005. Commercial services also exist between Caithness and Orkney and on the west coast. Most Clyde and Hebrides services are currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne, a company wholly owned by the Scottish Ministers.

3.30 External ferry links are provided by Superfast, who operate a daily service between Rosyth - Zeebrugge, while Smyril Line connects Lerwick with Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway and Denmark. P&O and Stena operate between south-west Scotland and Northern Ireland.

3.31 The ports and shipping industries are of vital importance to the Scottish economy. Our national competitiveness relies upon the quick, efficient and safe movement of people and goods. We are seeking to establish the devolved ports policy framework set out in Modern Ports: A UK Policy²² and administer the devolved regulation of commercial and transport ports and related marine works around the Scottish coastline.

3.32 Local authorities, especially where they are the statutory harbour authority, should work closely with the Executive on ports policy development and administration of marine works consents. Local authorities should set out in their transport strategies how they propose to work with interested parties to promote sustainable port development.

3.33 The Scottish Executive operates a Piers and Harbours Grant scheme that provides financial support towards the development of piers and harbours that support lifeline ferry services in the Highlands and Islands. Local authorities in the Highlands and Islands are eligible in principle to apply for support under that scheme towards projects that will maintain or improve lifeline ferry services in their area. The Executive also administers freight grant schemes to encourage the transport of goods by water.

Local roads

3.34 Local authorities' existing road networks are their single largest transport asset. Around 94% of Scotland's roads (more than 50,000 km) are the responsibility of local authorities to manage and maintain, and there are over 11,000 bridges owned by local authorities in Scotland. It is important that this asset is looked after properly and that appropriate provision is set aside for maintenance before consideration is given to adding to the existing network.

3.35 The Scottish Executive has acknowledged that there is a considerable backlog of maintenance and improvement work to be done on the local network, and has allocated additional funding to councils to help address that backlog. Councils themselves are gathering information on the state of the network, through the rolling Scottish Road Maintenance Condition Survey, being undertaken by the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS), and the Audit Scotland report Maintaining Scotland's Roads, published in November 2004, highlighted councils' own estimate that there is a maintenance backlog amounting to some £1.5 billion, however this figure has not been accepted by the Executive.

3.36 Local transport strategies should cover the local authority's responsibilities for maintenance of the carriageways of local roads and bridges with associated responsibilities for footways, winter maintenance, street lighting and routine road maintenance, including drainage and sweeping. Authorities should also seek to secure better use of the existing network. Any new schemes to be included in the strategy should be able to demonstrate that alternative or complementary solutions have been examined, and that the scheme is consistent with an integrated transport strategy.

3.37 In preparing the local transport strategy, authorities should ensure that they have put in place the basic inventory and information systems that are necessary to support proper management of the roads and bridges asset. Annex B provides more detailed guidance to local authorities on managing and maintaining the local road network.

Trunk roads

3.38 While local authorities do not have responsibility for trunk roads (which are the responsibility of the Scottish Ministers), in many parts of Scotland trunk roads form an important part of the local transport network. They may be the principal route through a town and will therefore carry both local and strategic passenger and goods traffic, as well as being an important bus route.

3.39 Local authorities should therefore maintain a close relationship with the Scottish Executive's Trunk Roads Network Management Division and the trunk road operating companies. These companies are responsible for day-to-day management and maintenance of the trunk roads in Scotland, under contract to the Scottish Executive. In consultation with the Executive, local authorities should consider the role of the trunk roads in their area in the development of a local transport strategy and, where appropriate, make the case for any identified improvements.

Road safety measures

3.40 Home Zones are designated residential areas which meet all road users' needs equally, rather than the streets being dominated by the needs of passing local traffic. Streets in a Home Zone are designed for social use and a variety of purposes, only one of which is for the movement and parking of motor vehicles. Vehicle speeds are consequently well below 30mph leading to enhanced pedestrian and cyclist safety. Home Zones aim to achieve an improved quality of life by building the environment around the needs of people rather than traffic. Information about 4 pilot Home Zones in Scotland and other schemes is available at: http://www.homezonenews.org.uk/ . Guidance from the Executive on implementing Home Zones is available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/housing/hzgc-00.asp .

3.41 Safer Routes to School (SRTS) schemes aim to set up safe and environmentally friendly routes to school, that will encourage children to walk, cycle or use public transport for school travel purposes. Cycling or walking to school also has health benefits for children. Guidance from the Executive on running SRTS schemes is available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library2/doc08/srs-00.htm . Authorities developing Home Zones and Safer Routes to School should refer to their proposals in their local transport strategy.

3.42 20mph speed limits can make a significant contribution to improving safety for vulnerable road users in appropriate areas, such as residential areas, shopping streets and outside schools. A range of options is available to local authorities in implementing 20mph speed limits. Guidance on mandatory and advisory 20mph speed limits is provided in SEDD Circular 6/2001. Supplementary guidance on the introduction of 20mph speed limits around schools on roads with speed limits higher than 30mph is provided in ETLLD Circular 1/2004.

Taxis

3.43 Taxis and Private Hire Cars (PHCs) are an important link in the public transport chain, filling gaps in overall transport provision not least for those who do not have access to a car. Local authorities should consider the role taxis and PHCs play in public transport and ensure that the licensing system in place for such vehicles is appropriate to local needs and circumstances, including those of disabled people. Local authorities should also consider schemes for taxi sharing, especially for rural areas, and the priority taxis and PHCs are to be given when road space is reallocated (e.g. siting and operation of taxi ranks).

3.44 Local authorities have discretion to determine the type, size and design of vehicle which can be used as a taxi in their area. Any move by authorities to improve the accessibility of taxis to disabled people, prior to the introduction of proposed Taxi Accessibility Regulations, would be welcomed by the Scottish Executive.

3.45 In addressing the provision of taxis in their areas, local authorities and in particular those who currently set a ceiling on the number of taxi licences issued, are encouraged to undertake periodic review of taxi provision to enable them to address the issue of any unmet demand in their areas.

3.46 Local authorities should consider whether taxi rank facilities at transport interchanges are adequate to promote a seamless journey for passengers. Consideration should also be given to the security and quality of taxi waiting facilities.

Powered two-wheelers

3.47 Mopeds, scooters and motorcycles (powered two-wheelers) can provide a low-cost means of transport where public transport is limited and walking and cycling are impractical. Local authorities should take into account the contribution powered two-wheelers can make in delivering integrated transport policies. Their use can reduce journey time as well as freeing up valuable road space and parking capacity. It is recognised that riders are vulnerable road users and consideration towards the safety of this group should also be a feature of strategies. Local transport strategies should consider the role that powered
two-wheelers can play, taking into account the efficient use of road space, the safety of motorcyclists, pedestrians and other road users and the security of machines when parked.

Canals

3.48 The Executive expects all relevant local authorities to take positive account of canals when formulating plans for their areas (see also the Executive's policy document Scotland's Canals: An asset for the future²³). Scotland's lowland canals - the Forth and Clyde and Union - have recently been regenerated and together with the Caledonian and Crinan in the Highlands are important assets, which have considerable potential for increased usage and the development of canalside business activities. In particular, plans can include the use of the towpath as a safe route for cycling and walking and there is an untapped potential for the use of waterways for the carriage of freight - particularly for bulk cargoes such as waste or timber. Canalside venues can also provide opportunities for mixed use developments involving retail, business and leisure.

FREIGHT TRANSPORT

3.49 An efficient and sustainable freight industry is vital to the economy of Scotland and also of prime importance for local economies. There is an increasing recognition that delivering goods effectively needs to be given higher priority in transport planning. Local transport strategies, therefore, need to address issues connected with freight transport such as:

• how and when goods can be delivered;
• loading and unloading requirements;
• relaxing and harmonising delivery restrictions; and
• consideration of establishing no-car lanes where modelling has suggested these could improve traffic flow.

3.50 Nationally the Executive is committed to encouraging the transfer of freight from road to rail and water where appropriate. Local authorities for their part should give consideration to what measures could be put in place to encourage the carriage of freight by transport modes other than road. However, the Executive also recognises that the bulk of freight will continue to move by road and in this regard is examining sustainable ways for improving the efficiency of road freight. Recent research ²⁴ identified a number of measures that could be taken by the Executive or local authorities to increase efficiency.

3.51 In particular, consideration should be given to partnership working between the local authority and the freight sector to improve delivery systems. Such partnership working can be taken forward effectively through the formation of Freight Quality Partnerships (FQPs) and the Executive encourages and supports the development of FQPs in Scotland. The partnerships bring together local authorities, business and environmental groups as well as operators of all modes of transport to improve the sustainable distribution of freight. The aim of the partnerships, such as the one now established in north-east Scotland, is to increase efficiency in delivery whilst at the same time protecting communities from environmentally unfriendly practice. The Freight Transport Association ( www.fta.co.uk ) and the Road Haulage Association ( www.rha.net ) will be glad to assist local authorities with the development of plans for FQPs.

CONCESSIONARY TRAVEL

3.52 All local authorities make use of their powers under the Transport Act 1985 to operate concessionary travel schemes on public transport. Schemes are run by individual local authorities or groups of local authorities. Each scheme is different in terms of the categories of people who qualify for concessionary travel, the transport modes on which travel is available and the nature of the concession available. By agreement with the Scottish Executive and other stakeholders, all schemes also deliver the national minimum standard of free local off-peak bus travel for older and disabled people.

3.53 It was announced on 22 December 2004 that from 1 April 2006, a new Scotland-wide free bus scheme for older and disabled people will be introduced. This scheme will be operated by the Scottish Ministers, through the national transport agency, and will subsume the current entitlements to free local bus travel which older and disabled people have under existing local schemes. The national scheme will enable older and disabled people in all parts of Scotland to travel the length and breadth of Scotland by bus for free. The current peak-time restriction will also be removed. Alongside the new national scheme, the Executive is also introducing a minimum of 2 free return ferry trips to the mainland per year for older and disabled islanders.

3.54 Current entitlements to concessionary travel, other than those to be subsumed in the national scheme for older and disabled people, will not be affected by the introduction of the national scheme. These will remain the responsibility of local scheme managers.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

3.55 Good quality information is essential to everyone undertaking a journey by any mode of transport. Traveline ²⁵ is now a well-recognised brand and enables people to access public transport information by phone, internet or mobile phone SMS text messaging. Transport Direct ²⁶ is a recently launched internet portal, which provides integrated journey planning, ticket sales and real-time information. NADICS ²⁷ is a service established by the Scottish Executive which provides up-to-the-minute information on traffic conditions on trunk roads through its website, carriageway variable message signs and monitoring cameras.

3.56 A number of local authorities are introducing real-time information systems on bus routes, which is particularly useful where buses can be subject to delay. The value of conventional timetable information at bus stops should not be under-estimated though, and local transport strategies should consider what improvements could be made to the information supplied at bus stops, stations and other locations. Good information is also relevant to freight transport and might involve local authorities providing information to freight operators about preferred routes.

3.57 Local transport strategies should consider how travel information can be used, promoted or improved to help meet its objectives. In so doing, strategies should consider how accessible this information is and whether more could be done to meet the needs of particular groups, including disabled people. Local authorities may wish to refer to the MACS publication Valuable for anyone, valuable for everyone - providing accessible information about travel²⁸.

TRAVEL BEHAVIOUR

3.58 Our objectives of protecting the environment and health, growing the economy and closing the opportunity gap are central to the Executive's commitment to modal shift. We need to encourage people, wherever and whenever practical, to shift away from the car to other, more sustainable and 'healthy' modes of transport and to seek to restrain growth in traffic volumes where it makes sense to do so. Unrestricted growth in car use is unsustainable, leading to the problem of congestion and potential damage to the health of the individual.

3.59 Travel Awareness campaigns can play an important part in the encouragement of modal shift and the achievement of the Executive's transport objectives. The Executive's Travel Awareness campaign Choose Another Way consists mainly of local radio activity on stations covering Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Fife and a website www.chooseanotherway.com The website provides information about public transport, walking, cycling and travel plans. Action needs to be taken forward at the local level as well, however, and we are therefore looking to local authorities to provide information on travel initiatives which are taking place in their areas and which can be highlighted on the website. We are also working with public transport operators and will continue to undertake some locally targeted public relations activity in partnership with them. Strategies should contain details of any travel awareness campaigns which authorities plan to run locally.

Green Transport Plans (Travel Plans)

3.60 Local transport strategies should set out the local authority's plans in relation to Green Transport Plans or travel plans, both for existing and new developments, including both plans dealing with employee commuting and those dealing with wider transport aspects of an employment location, including freight logistics and business travel.

3.61 The strategy should consider the range of sites where a large number of people commute daily (particularly businesses, hospitals and educational establishments) and could usefully distinguish between cases where Green Transport Plans are linked to the granting of planning permissions and those where they are not. Authorities should explicitly state if they have or when they intend to introduce their own Green Transport Plan, together with details of the scope that this would have and any associated modal shift targets. Details regarding authorities' intentions to encourage employers in their area to introduce Green Transport Plans, either individually or jointly through a local transport management association, should also be included in the strategy.

3.62 Local authorities should also explore opportunities for partnerships with the tourist industry and tourist boards to encourage use of public transport by visitors in cities, towns and rural areas by means of specific ticketing and publicity schemes.

School travel co-ordinators

3.63 The Executive funds school travel co-ordinator posts in every local authority. The role of school travel co-ordinators is to encourage pupils and parents/carers, who would otherwise travel by car, to walk, cycle or use public transport to and from school, where possible. Benefits from having fewer cars involved in the school run include less congestion and pollution, as well as helping to make the roads around schools safer. Involving children in active travel modes like cycling and walking also has significant health benefits and more independent travel can also have a positive effect on children's social development.

Scottish Road Safety Campaign

3.64 The remit of the Scottish Road Safety Campaign (SRSC) is to develop and co-ordinate national road safety education and publicity initiatives in Scotland. The SRSC, funded by the Scottish Executive, has produced a range of educational resources and publicity materials which are available on its website at www.srsc.org.uk . The SRSC, which also oversees the Children's Traffic Club in Scotland and the Scottish Cycle Training Scheme, maintains close links with local authority and police Road Safety Units.

Making travel easier for disabled people

3.65 It is important that people working in the transport industry are well trained in responding to the needs of disabled people. The MACS publication Recommended minimum training standard for staff assisting disabled people²⁹ provides guidance on this. There are also benefits in providing mobility training for disabled and older people, which could ensure that more were able to travel and make use of public transport.

DEMAND MANAGEMENT

3.66 Many of Scotland's towns and cities face significant and increasing levels of congestion and pollution, which place a burden on businesses and result in a poor quality of everyday life and long-term health problems for some people who live and work there. Some rural areas suffer from significant traffic congestion in peak holiday periods.

Traffic management in urban areas

3.67 Strategies should use the tools of traffic management to improve the environment in towns and cities, by re-allocating road space and giving greater priority to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport, thus creating better conditions for people to move around. However strategies also need to take account of the need for the efficient delivery of goods.

3.68 Strategies should specifically address:

• re-allocating road space to provide more extensive pedestrian areas, cycle lanes, or bus priority measures;
• whether a road user charge is required as part of a broad package of measures to tackle congestion problems and encourage modal shift;
• introducing traffic regulation orders to restrict the use of vehicles - local pedestrian schemes or speed reduction initiatives such as 20mph zones; and
• re-assignment of time at signal-controlled junctions and crossings in favour of pedestrians and cyclists.

3.69 Traffic management appraisal needs to look at the whole picture with the aim of striking a balance between winners and losers. Motorists respond in many ways when road capacity is reduced, for instance by suppressing trips, re-routing and re-timing their trips. Impacts on congestion, environment, costs of trip suppression or journey speeds, should be recognised in any appraisal of traffic schemes involving capacity reductions. Proposals for the re-allocation of space at a junction, giving positive modal shifts and the reflected benefits, will also need to address a possible switch to unsuitable residential routes.

3.70 It is important that traffic management is seen in the wider frameworks of integrated transport and land-use strategies. Consultation with elected members, local residents and road users is essential and effective public relations have an important part to play. There may also be a role for developing other partnerships with key players with an interest in a scheme. Trial schemes might be tried particularly if they can be phased, planned to be reversible or allow for modification. Objective monitoring would be essential to find out whether the scheme objectives have been met.

Traffic management in rural areas

3.71 There is continuing concern about the increasing volumes of traffic in rural areas. A major issue is the speed at which drivers choose to travel through sensitive locations and residential areas and the impact that this has on residents, the environment and on those cycling and walking. Factors such as excessive speed and use of unsuitable routes by through traffic, increase accident risk and the severity of accidents, create severance and intimidate local communities, and can result in excessive noise and fumes.

3.72 Traffic management in rural areas should aim to produce better and safer local road conditions for those who live and work in these areas and for visitors, and help protect the character of rural areas and communities. A strategic approach for rural traffic management should be adopted so that areas are considered as a whole and not in a piecemeal fashion.

3.73 Strategies should address:

• the scope for greater priority and protection for cyclists, walkers and horse riders from motor traffic; and
• comprehensive traffic management measures that can be appropriate in rural areas, including National Parks.

3.74 Where village bypasses can be justified and resources are available, consideration also needs to be given to roads within the village after the bypass has been constructed. For these road traffic calming and other traffic management measures are likely to be appropriate.

3.75 Care needs to be taken that measures applied are sympathetic to the character of the area, acceptable to the local community, and still achieve the required results of reduced speed and accidents, and improvements in the environment while maintaining accessibility. Businesses in rural areas will require access for a range of vehicles of different weights and sizes, depending on the local circumstances. It is important that traffic management proposals take full account of public transport requirements, and the effects that any scheme may have, particularly on reliability.

Road user charging

3.76 The Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 gives local authorities, either on their own or acting jointly, the powers to introduce a road user charging scheme. Charging is, first and foremost, a measure to tackle traffic congestion and pollution, and the Scottish Ministers will wish to see evidence of that before confirming any scheme. Congestion is a brake on the national economy - most delays are on key strategic and urban routes in and around our major cities, where economic activities are concentrated. Guidance on Delivering Integrated Transport Initiatives through Road User Charging - Consultation and Approval Process³⁰ was issued by the Scottish Executive in 2001.

3.77 The Scottish Executive currently supports local road user charging implemented by local authorities where there is local demand and clear public support for a scheme. Any scheme must be consistent with the objectives of the local transport strategy (any local authority wishing to introduce a road user charging scheme must have a local transport strategy in place). Similarly, the local transport strategy should explain how a charging scheme would fit in with the overall aims of the strategy. The strategy should in particular cover:

• the role that the new charges might play in managing traffic demand within some or all of the relevant local authority area and how any resulting revenues might contribute to the integrated transport strategy;
• any related policy initiatives required to ensure the successful implementation of charging, such as traffic management measures and/or extension of controlled parking zones; and
• how such measures would fit alongside planning policies. Local authorities should be aware of the potential for these measures to increase pressure for the dispersal of development away from the charged areas and that schemes must therefore be designed and implemented in ways which support the vitality of town and city centres. Land use planning policies would have a key role to play in resisting pressure for dispersal.

Parking

3.78 Parking can be a key element in managing demand for car use. Local authorities should therefore develop an integrated strategy on parking which covers both planning policies and the use of their transport powers. We would expect all strategies to consider:

• how parking policies are to be used to encourage motorists to use alternative means of travel. This will be essential where strategies propose significant investment in public transport;
• the appropriate number of total spaces, the balance between short and long-stay spaces and the level of charges;
• the application of parking standards for new development, set out as maximum standards in development plans and sensitive to sustainable transport issues and to different standards of accessibility by other modes of transport. Scottish Planning Policy guidance on maximum parking standards was published in March 2003 ³¹; and
• whether it would be appropriate to take decriminalised parking powers. This would enable the local authority to take direct control over parking policy and enforcement, with potential benefits for the effective and efficient implementation of parking policies.

DEVELOPING AN ACTION PLAN

3.79 Following sifting and appraisal of options, local authorities are likely to have identified a broad package of measures necessary to achieve their established objectives. These measures are likely to encompass capital projects, revenue spending and initiatives to be delivered in partnership with other bodies. An action plan should then be drawn up detailing how these are to be achieved.

3.80 The action plan will need to set out clearly who will be responsible for delivering each element of the strategy and identify sources of funding, other delivery partners and any further appraisal work that will need to be commissioned. The action plan should be clearly related to the objectives underpinning the strategy and should also show linkages to transport strategies at a regional, and in due course, national level. We anticipate that local authorities would review, and update as necessary, their action plans on an annual basis.

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