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MINISTERIAL FOREWORD
The landslide events of August 2004 had a substantial
impact on Scotland's road network and resulted in
significant disruption and inconvenience to local, tourist,
and commercial road users. In response to these events the
Scottish Executive commissioned two studies encompassing
transport and the environment.
One of these studies focuses on our procedures for
assessing, ranking and managing the hazards associated with
landslides and is published separately.
This report presents the findings of the second study,
which considers the predicted trends in climate change and
the implications of these for the Scottish road
network.
Improving our knowledge of climate change and its
impacts is essential to allow Scotland to cope with the
consequences of a changing climate. These changes have the
potential to affect us all. In common with other countries,
Scotland is taking measures to protect the environment,
tackling global warming and climate change by reducing
emissions of the gases. However, a certain amount of
climate variation is now inevitable and all countries,
Scotland included, need to take action to adapt to
this.
This study adds to our knowledge of the likely impacts
of climate change in Scotland and, specifically, enables us
to evaluate the implications of this changing environment
on the Scottish road network. It provides an understanding
of how these processes and developments may affect all road
users. It also enables public concerns about safety and
reliability of our essential transport infrastructure to be
addressed.
The Scottish Executive is committed to tackling climate
change and its impacts. We therefore welcome the
recommendations of this study, which will enable a
proportionate and pragmatic approach to be taken in the
future design and operation of the Scottish road network -
to the benefit of all road users.
 | 
Nicol Stephen
MSP
Minister for Transport |  | 
Ross Finnie
MSP
Minister for Environment and Rural
Development |
REPORT AUTHORS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This summary report has been prepared based on
the full technical report on the climate change study.
The individuals who have contributed to this report
are:
JACOBS BABTIE
Robert M Galbraith: Divisional Director,
Highways Team, Infrastructure.
David J Price: Principal Hydrologist,
Hydrology Team, Environment.
Richard Easteal: Senior Engineer, Highways
Team, Infrastructure
SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Lawrence Shackman: Area Manager, Network
Management Division.
MET OFFICE
Alan Motion: Business Manager (Scotland).
Claire Barnett: Climate Research
Scientist, Climate Change Team.
The study team wish to acknowledge the assistance
provided by a number of organisations in undertaking and
reporting this study. These are:
Amey Infrastructure Services Ltd
BEAR Scotland Ltd
NADIC
S
Scottish Executive
Network Management Division
Design and Construction Division
Air Climate Division
Flood Prevention Group
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