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Chapter 3: The action we will take

1 This chapter sets out our current plans and policies, and considers plans and policies that we might introduce in the future. The National Transport Strategy itself will, once developed following consultation and analysis, set out our committed plans.

2 This chapter is structured around the transport goals set out in Chapter 1, and under each of those headings sets out the issues and comments that we have heard about from consultees so far in our pre-consultation events; an indication of what we are doing now; ideas for the future; and key questions for consultation.

Best practice

3 In consultation events, we have heard that there is a desire for examples of local best practice to be explored and promoted by the Executive - such as where there is good practice in terms of provision of transport to health facilities, where land use planning and transport planning is particularly well-integrated, or where real-time public transport information is making a real difference to local people. In some cases we could look to reinforce these examples of good practice by producing best practice guidance and/or, if appropriate, enforcement of the proposed approaches.

4 Transport Scotland, the new national transport agency, will become a hub of best practice in Scottish transport. The local government Improvement Service is already working with local authorities, providing them with positive assistance to support continuous improvement in service delivery in a manner that responds to the needs of customers, the delivery of excellent services and the promotion of Best Value.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 3.

Are there areas of work in relation to local/regional transport that would merit the national dissemination of best practice examples? If so, what are they and who would be best placed to lead on this?

MEASURES TO FACILITATE ECONOMIC GROWTH

Introduction

5 Transport has a key role to play in facilitating economic growth - both by ensuring business and industry remain competitive by having access to fast, efficient and reliable transport services and by ensuring individuals have the transport service they need to access opportunities (such as employment and education). Transport can also help unlock the economic and regeneration potential of particular places. There are opportunities to improve overall quality of life by reducing the external costs associated with transport.

6 This transport goal contributes to the following of our high level transport objectives:

• Promote economic growth - by managing and maintaining networks which enable this growth;
• Promote social inclusion - by linking people to jobs and thereby promoting employment as a key element of social inclusion;
• Protect our environment and improve health - a healthy, active workforce is a more productive workforce; and
• Improve safety - because there are significant economic benefits to be had from reducing accidents, both in terms of the productivity of individuals and the reduction in delays on the networks.

Investment

7 We are investing very substantially in a range of major road and rail enhancements, to make our networks better than ever. Our plans to approximately 2012 are set out in our infrastructure investment plan ⁸.

8 We will determine the makeup of future spend via the Strategic Projects Review ( SPR). This process will take account of the economic and regeneration benefits of investment including the needs and priorities of business and the opportunities to align transport investment with other investment streams to achieve maximum impact. The National Transport Strategy will set the context for the SPR in terms of setting priorities, key transport goals and policies that the SPR will support. It may, perhaps, be able to consider what the key issues are that the SPR needs to consider and may perhaps also be able to identify some corridors or key regeneration areas where infrastructure investment would be likely to be particularly helpful. However, the NTS will not itself determine infrastructure spending.

9 The SPR will use the exisiting Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance ( STAG) process to determine, on a case by case basis, the most effective infrastructure intervention to address key national and/or strategic issues. As an objective-led process, STAG does not take as its starting point any one preferred infrastructure solution.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 4.

What issues must the NTS address to ensure that the Strategic Projects Review ( SPR) which will follow it is as effective as possible? For example, should the NTS identify key transport corridors, or key types of investment which are most effective at growing the economy, to inform the SPR? If so, which ones?

10 Our overarching Investment Programme for transport, which will follow the publication of the NTS in 2006, and will be tied in with Spending Reviews and the SPR, will need to consider both infrastructure and revenue support needs for transport. At present, a great deal of our investment is concerned with the maintenance and expansion of our road and rail networks. This is a factor which limits our spending on support for other areas that we consider important - such as expanding bus use, as a socially inclusive mode, or taking direct action to promote behaviour change.

11 Over time, it might be possible to redirect the balance of our spending to some extent, to direct more towards revenue support or other non-infrastructure activities. However, there would be constraints on our ability to make very major changes, because we are rightly obliged under our fiscal regime to make proper levels of investment in maintaining valuable assets such as our road and rail network.

12 There is also a question about the balance of investment between modes. At present, some modes of transport receive substantially more support than others. We need to consider whether this is the correct balance.

13 For example, buses are the dominant form of public transport with 465 million local bus passenger journeys in 2004-05 and there is scope to expand the bus network relatively cheaply and easily. Increases in revenue support for buses, to increase the number of services and reduce fares, if at sufficient levels, would be likely to encourage rises in bus use and lead to environmental, congestion and social inclusion benefits. Experience in London has delivered large increases in bus patronage, although at a cost: the public subsidy per bus journey in London is higher than elsewhere.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 5.

Do we have the balance of investment between spending on new and existing infrastructure and other non-infrastructure activities and between different modes of transport right? If not, how should it change over time?

14 We need to ensure that investment in transport contributes to the objectives and priorities contained in the recent Regeneration Policy Statement ⁹, including how transport investment can act as a catalyst for effective regeneration and how to avoid people, places and communities suffering economic and social isolation because of poor connectivity to areas of economic growth.

15 Our current national regeneration priority is the Clyde Corridor, encompassing the areas of Glasgow covered by the Clyde Gateway and Clyde Waterfront initiatives. We are also supporting regeneration projects with a regional impact, initially in Ayrshire and Inverclyde. Transport investment in these areas has significant potential as a catalyst for regeneration.

16 A challenge will be to find the best balance between investing in these regeneration areas and in other areas of the country which may benefit. The Executive's framework policy for Scotland's six cities - Building Better Cities¹⁰ - is based on a long-term strategy of helping competitive City-Regions to grow. Each of Scotland's six cities, together with its partners in each City-Region, now has a growth strategy for the next ten years and beyond - a City-Vision - underpinned by investment from the Executive and endorsed by local communities, stakeholders and national agencies.

17 Our planning and transport reform proposals support the City-Region policy. Our planning reform proposals, set out in the White Paper of June 2005, Modernising the Planning System, will put in place a system where most of Scotland will be covered by a single level of development plans, but with an additional level of strategic development plans for the four major city regions. The new statutory regional transport partnerships, which will begin to take on powers in April 2006, include a number of RTPs which bring together cities and their surrounding regions in single strong bodies to develop regional transport strategies.

18 We need to ensure that we are aligned in our investment with the spatial priorities set out in the National Planning Framework (which supports, for example, an East Coast Corridor from Aberdeen to Newcastle) and the priorities for rural areas set out in Rural Scotland - A New Approach.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 6.

To what extent should transport spending be targeted specifically at areas with significant potential for regeneration? How should transport spending be balanced between regeneration areas and other key areas, such as rural Scotland?

International connectivity by air: Air Route Development Fund

19 Through Scottish Enterprise, the Executive funds the Air Route Development Fund, which invests in new direct routes from Scotland to promote business and tourism travel. Our discussions with business have made clear that they attach great importance to this policy (for example, the Strategy for the Financial Services Industry in Scotland¹¹, published in 2005 and prepared jointly by the Executive and the financial services sector, highlights the importance to Scottish industry of being able to move freely between financial hubs and seeks to encourage the introduction of new direct flights). It would seem that, given our geographical location, to make Scotland an attractive, easily accessible destination does require high quality international aviation links.

20 However, environmental organisations have argued that this policy not only creates additional flights and therefore more climate change emissions, but may in fact be having the net impact of taking money out of the Scottish economy - i.e. they argue that more money is flying out of Scotland than is flying in. However, the Air Route Development Fund has a strict policy of only supporting those routes where there are clear net economic benefits.

21 It would be possible to build on this investment in international air links to ensure that Scotland's connectivity continues to improve although, clearly, if we did, detailed appraisal would need to continue to be undertaken of the potential economic impact on Scotland of the projected levels of inwards and outwards travel, as well as the environmental impacts of additional flights from our airports.

22 At any rate, noting the environmental impact of aviation, and subject to specific concerns being addressed regarding the unique nature of air services in the Highlands and Islands, the Executive will continue to support efforts at the UK level to promote an Emissions Trading Programme involving aviation.

International connectivity by sea

23 We have supported international connectivity by sea. The Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry route is a commercial venture carrying passengers and freight to mainland Europe. The Executive and Scottish Enterprise have provided financial support for marketing the route, and for developing the ferry terminal at Rosyth. The operator has recently cut its services.

24 We are supportive of the development of container ports with deep water facilities in Scotland, which would significantly open up the international freight market. Continued growth in world trade, together with increased containerisation of sea-borne trade, has led to the construction of ever larger ships. The lack of deep water capacity at existing ports in the UK and on the continent, coupled with the scale of the global market and future growth predictions, has already led to private sector interest in the development of deep water container capacity at a number of locations in the UK, including in Scotland.

25 In practice, most developments in international connectivity by sea are matters for the private sector, UK Government and/or EU and not directly within our devolved powers.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 7.

What further steps need to be taken in Scotland to facilitate the development of international connectivity by both air and by sea?

Cross-border connectivity by rail and road

26 Scottish Ministers may give advice to the UK Government on cross-border rail franchises that begin or end in Scotland - the East and West Coast Main Lines and the Cross-country franchise. This is not binding on the UK Government, since these franchises only partially impact on Scotland.

27 At present, an average of 148 short haul flights per weekday go between Scottish airports (Glasgow International, Glasgow Prestwick, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Dundee) and the London airports' system (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London city) of which 98 are between Glasgow and Edinburgh and London. Our goal in this regard should be to promote rail as a more sustainable alternative, but to do that it needs to be able to compete on quality, cost and/or speed grounds.

28 Some action is already being taken by the Scottish Executive and private sector. Our Air Route Development Fund, by increasing direct flights, could, in time, reduce the number of connecting flights. On rail, the ScotRail sleepers and the cross-border rail franchises run by the private sector can and do compare favourably in terms of the quality of the journey experience and the facilities that are provided to travellers, and, within the regulated framework, have the power to address fares issues to some extent through special offers and the like.

29 In terms of speed, rail services are also becoming increasingly competitive with what is on offer from short haul flights. The upgrade that is currently underway to the West Coast Mainline is beginning to deliver reduced journey times, with the average journey time from Glasgow to London now less than 5 hours, and the fastest trains taking 4 hours 25 minutes. In many cases, if the total time taken to travel to and from the airports and check-in is included, the total time from central Scotland to central London is little different on rail than by air.

30 Speed is, nevertheless, a deciding factor for many. Work undertaken by the Strategic Rail Authority suggests that the number of passengers switching from air to rail as a result of planned improvements to the West and East Coast Main Lines will be around 25% from Manchester, 10-15% from the North East, and less than 5% from Scotland ¹². This view notwithstanding, it is argued by some that a step change in the Scotland to London rail service on the continental high speed link model may be needed to provide an effective alternative to flying in the long term. We would be interested in views on this point.

31 The primary road links across the border are the A1 on the east coast and the A74(M) on the west. Continuous improvement of these links in Scotland have seen two thirds of the former upgraded to dual carriageway and the latter converted to motorway, each as part of a co-ordinated project on both sides of the border. The A68 south of Edinburgh and the A7 south of Galashiels both remain trunk roads in Scotland serving Scottish Borders but have been detrunked in England.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 8.

Do consultees consider that there are issues relating to cross-border connectivity by rail and road, and within devolved competence, that the Strategy should consider?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 9.

What view do consultees take on whether there is a need for a faster Scotland to London rail service, to provide an alternative to flying in the long term?

Managing and maintaining the road and rail networks

32 Management and maintenance of Scotland's major infrastructure networks - trunk roads, local roads (via Executive funding of local authorities), and rail - is critical to ensuring that Scotland remains competitive.

33 Since the beginning of January 2006, the management and maintenance of the trunk road network has been a key responsibility of the transport agency Transport Scotland, working to the Transport Minister.

Trunk roads

34 Transport Scotland is developing the Trunk Road Asset Management Plan to ensure that the trunk road network, an asset valued at over £11 billion, continues to be maintained effectively. Significant additional funding has been allocated to trunk road maintenance to ensure the network is kept in a safe and sound condition.

35 On the trunk road network, operational efficiency is being improved through the development of the Network Operator role and the further use of Intelligent Transport Systems ( ITS).

36 When traffic management is put in place to facilitate the maintenance of the trunk road network, it can reduce the capacity of the road and cause additional congestion. A significant issue for the future maintenance of our motorway network, will be the trade-off between building extra width and suffering significant congestion to these major trade corridors.

37 Even minor accidents and other incidents on the trunk road network can lead to significant disruption over extended periods whilst debris is cleared up and the road is made safe. This is an area that requires careful management and Transport Scotland has introduced, in one of its maintenance Operating Company contracts, an incident support service comprising teams on the network with the capability of reaching sites quickly and attending to or co-ordinating the re-establishment of normal flow.

Local roads

38 Investment in local roads is a statutory responsibility of local authorities. Revenue expenditure by councils on their local roads is met mainly through Grant Aided Expenditure ( GAE) support from the Scottish Executive supplemented by Council Tax. GAE provides a hypothetical indication of how much each council should spend on its roads and other services based on various indicators such as population and road lengths. However, it is up to each council to decide how best to allocate its funding resources based on local needs and priorities. As this is a statutory responsibility of councils, Scottish Ministers do not intervene in the process.

39 In recent years, we have heard from local authorities that they lack the resource to maintain the local road network fully. The Audit Scotland report Maintaining Scotland's roads¹³, published in November 2004, indicated that almost half of Scotland's 32 councils spent above their hypothecated GAE for roads maintenance, leaving more than half of the councils spending less than their total allocation. The report also showed that a small number of these councils spent less than 50% of their total allocation. Maintaining the local road network, as a key national asset, must be a priority and we are interested in views from consultees on how we might ensure that local authorities fully spend the allocation that they are given to do this. This could include, for example, ring-fencing of the allocation.

40 In the future local authorities will be encouraged to engage with the new regional transport partnerships to have regionally important non-trunk roads projects prioritised in RTPs' regional transport strategies with funding coming from local authority and RTP resources.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 10.

How do we ensure that all local authorities spend their Grant Aided Expenditure allocation for local roads on local roads? Do consultees think anything more needs to be done to ensure appropriate management, maintenance and operation of the Trunk Road Network?

Rail

41 From April 2006, the Scottish Ministers fund rail infrastructure within Scotland. In the future, they will specify (via the Office of Rail Regulation) those network outputs that Network Rail will be tasked with delivering in Scotland. In return, Network Rail will identify, monitor and report separately for Scotland on how it is performing in delivering the agreed outputs in Scotland.

42 We are considering issues relating to rail in depth in our detailed Rail Strategy, which is linked closely to this NTS process. We have commissioned a Scottish Planning Assessment to set out the evidence base, addressing where the demand will be for rail services over the next 10 to 20 years, where the current network will fall short of this, and proposals to meet the gap. We have consulted widely on what the strategic priorities for Scotland's railways should be.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 11.

What are the issues relating to the management and maintenance of the road and rail networks over the long term that the Strategy should address?

Freight

43 We have heard from the freight sector that, despite the importance of freight to the economy, there is a perception that it is not given enough priority compared with passenger traffic. To redress this balance, Ministers have committed to developing a freight strategy. This is being done jointly with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and with the close involvement of the industry.

44 The strategy will identify the freight and logistics priorities of Scotland's industries and business. It may identify actions which we can take to help address, for example, issues raised by our location and main trading links, and so aid our businesses to compete globally and grow. It will also consider how the Scottish economy can benefit from future opportunities in the freight and logistics sectors (through for example developing ports with deep water facilities).

45 A Scoping Study is currently underway for the freight strategy that will identify high-level objectives which will be fed into the NTS. In addition, the Scoping Study will identify a list of potential options for inclusion in the freight strategy to help achieve the objectives.

46 Meanwhile, the Scottish Road Haulage Modernisation Fund, totalling £12m, is making the freight industry more sustainable and fuel efficient. Training in Safe and Fuel Efficient driving is expected to lead to fuel efficiencies averaging 10% for haulage companies, in addition to raising safety levels for the 1400 drivers who will take part. Both these training schemes will continue to at least March 2007.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 12.

What should the NTS say about freight, bearing in mind that a freight strategy is under development? In particular, what should the NTS say about meeting the different needs of freight and passengers on the road and rail network, and how to balance these competing demands?

Skills

47 Transport in Scotland needs the right people with the right skills to deliver. We have an ambitious programme of infrastructure investment, and unprecedented amounts of money going towards transport in Scotland - and some employers have argued to us that we risk a skills shortage in the future. Some questions which have been raised are as follows:

• Are we doing enough to attract school leavers and others to transport in Scotland as a career? Is the profession being made sufficiently attractive?
• In a traditionally largely male-dominated industry, what can be done to bring more women in, and capitalise on their potential?
• Are there enough graduates coming through the Universities to meet the transport planning requirements of future transport in Scotland?
• Do the civil engineering, professions which support civil engineering and construction industries have enough skilled people to deliver our infrastructure investment programme on time?
• Are there enough people coming through in the rail industry and wishing to work in Scotland, given our expansion of the rail network?
• Do volunteers (drivers, for example) who work in non-scheduled transport have the right skills and experience, and what can be done to give them such skills and maintain the safety of passengers without over-burdening the not-for-profit sector?

48 These questions highlight the complexity of skills issues. If there is a lack of appropriately skilled people flowing into the profession, it is important to consider that this may be down to factors such as the industry's image, how its terms and conditions compare to other sectors, and competition with other businesses. It may not necessarily signify that the current workforce does not have the right skills to work in transport in Scotland. These issues and others will have an impact on how potential recruits perceive the industry as a career choice.

49 When we published S cotland's Transport: Delivering Improvements¹⁴ in 2002, we said that we would produce a Scottish Strategy for Skills. Subsequently, however, the development of the Sector Skills Councils (employer-led, independent organisations which cover specific sectors ¹⁵) and their Sector Skills Agreements, and the development of our new transport delivery agency, Transport Scotland, which will be a hub of best practice in transport, have overtaken this commitment and it is no longer our view that such a Strategy is required. The NTS once developed will identify specific skills issues as necessary, if they come out strongly through consultation.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 13.

What, if anything, should the NTS be saying about skills, bearing in mind the leading role that the Sector Skills Councils have in reducing skills gaps and shortages in the public and private sectors and the role Transport Scotland has in promulgating good practice across the industry? Is it right to integrate skills issues into the NTS?

Tourism

50 Consultees - both in the context of the NTS and in the context of the Tourism Framework for Change - have made clear that they think that transport is critical to the target of increasing tourism revenues by 50%. Future infrastructure needs will be considered by the Strategic Projects Review, rather than the NTS. However, we are already tackling the important issue of access to our airports through our support for the Glasgow and Edinburgh Airport Rail Links.

51 Some consultees have raised with us the need to consider those who visit Scotland to enjoy travelling by foot, bike or motorbike. VisitScotland operates welcome schemes that offer guidance to the tourism industry on the facilities and services that address the specific needs of walkers, cyclists and motorcyclists, and give recognition to businesses that adopt these practices.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 14.

Bearing in mind that investment in new transport infrastructure is not covered in the NTS, as it will be addressed in the forthcoming Strategic Projects Review, what specific steps, if any, does the NTS need to set out to support tourism?

MEASURES TO PROMOTE ACCESSIBILITY

Introduction

52 Transport has a key role to play in ensuring services are accessible and contribute to closing the opportunity gap. This requires improving co-ordination of service provision at local level; ensuring accessibility in its widest sense is considered at the earliest stage of developments; and ensuring national, regional and local policy takes full account of social inclusion issues.

53 Both the provision of public transport and services in the right place, and the need to make them physically accessible to the full range of potential users are important factors in accessibility. It is also important to place emphasis on walking and cycling for appropriate journeys as this is linked to increasing benefits to health. These issues are particularly acute in the most deprived areas where car ownership is very low: 60% of people living in the 15% most deprived areas have no access to a car for private use, compared with 27% in the rest of Scotland.

54 This transport goal contributes to the following of our over-arching objectives:

• Promote economic growth - by linking people to jobs where they can earn money and shops and leisure facilities where they can spend it;
• Promote social inclusion - most critically, by ensuring that everyone can get the transport they need to access the services they need;
• Protect our environment and improve health - by ensuring that people have options other than the private car in both urban and rural areas, we can make environmental gains; and
• Improve integration - an integrated system of transport delivers better accessibility to all than one which is not well integrated.

Demand Responsive Transport

55 Demand Responsive Transport ( DRT) is about users influencing service provision. It can be any form of transport, however, the key is the flexibility of the route and where and when the stopping points are for the route. DRT can involve taxis/private hire vehicles, shared taxi/taxibus, community car schemes, non-emergency patient transport, 'joblink' services, ring-and ride, social services transport, education services transport, dial-a-ride, community buses, flexible public transport buses and many other related services.

56 Current experience of DRT is mixed across Scotland. Research has been undertaken to examine the success of rural and urban DRT pilot initiatives that had been supported by the Executive, but also to examine good practice across Scotland with a view to producing guidance to help encourage DRT more widely. The overall aim of the research was to provide a clear sense of how DRT could best be delivered to meet the Executive's policy objectives of improving accessibility and social inclusion. The Executive provided funding towards 9 urban and rural DRT pilot projects between 2003-2004 and 2005-2006. These included various types of urban DRT services operated by Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow City Councils. Funding was also provided to Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Bute, Fife and Highland Councils to operate rural DRT services. Further funds were provided to Angus Transport Forum to provide a DRT scheme in the Angus Glens.

57 It is planned to publish the outcomes of the research and guidance on DRT in Scotland in the near future and to hold a series of workshops across Scotland to raise awareness and test some of the recommendations of the report.

58 The expansion of DRT services is critical to improving accessibility. We recognise that more could be done to encourage DRT and that barriers currently exist which act as a disincentive to moving from scheduled to flexible services.

59 Some of these barriers may be legislative. We have heard from stakeholders about existing legislation and how it prevents social work services' vehicles, for example, being used for other groups when not in use. There appear to be barriers in place as well in terms of, for example, different driver training regimes for different providers. This appears inefficient and fails to maximise use of resources. We could re-examine the legislative framework to ensure that there are not regimes in place which make integration more difficult than it should be.

60 We need to ensure that, at the local and regional level, these services work together in the most efficient way possible. Traditional barriers between the health service, local authority and voluntary sector providers need to be broken down, and we need to ensure that no one suffers exclusion as a result of falling between different transport providers. This will necessitate at the very least inter-service sharing of vehicle and driver resources and passenger information. At one extreme it may be most efficiently achieved through the appointment in any given area of a single point of contact and dispatch, covering all forms of non-scheduled transport.

61 We could explore a number of other measures to remove these disincentives to moving to flexible from scheduled services. For example, we could explore the option of providing Bus Service Operator Grant funding to flexible DRT services and we could also look at whether all community transport operator services and all fully flexible demand responsive services should be entitled to be part of the concessionary travel scheme.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 15.

What are the key barriers to developing effective Demand Responsive Transport and how should they be overcome? For example, legislative, regulatory or operational barriers?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 16.

Where are there examples of particularly good practice in demand responsive transport?

Accessibility planning: emerging experience

62 Accessibility planning is about analysing the gaps in transport provision, identifying areas of poor integration and potential social exclusion. Accessibility planning is a requirement of the second round of the English Local Transport Plans with the aims of ensuring that:

• there is a clear process and responsibility for identifying groups or areas with accessibility problems;
• authorities have improved information on barriers to accessibility and the areas where accessibility is poorest; and
• local authorities work with other agencies to consider a wider range of solutions to accessibility problems including changes to the location and delivery of services and measures against crime around transport, as well as improved mainstream and specialist transport.

63 It may be possible to examine emerging experience there to see whether accessibility planning is an approach that provides tangible benefits and good value for money, and could be considered in Scotland for the future. We would need to ensure that we were able to reflect geographic variations, the real demand for linkages between places and value for money.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 17.

Is accessibility planning something that should be considered for local or regional transport strategies in Scotland? If so, should it be compulsory, or (as at present), one of a suite of possible approaches?

Transport for older and disabled people

64 We are rolling out the Scotland-wide free bus scheme for around 1.2m older and disabled people in April 2006. We are also working on a national concessionary travel scheme for young people. In the previous schemes, older and disabled people could travel free on buses in their local area. The Scotland-wide scheme further increases the social inclusion of card holders by enabling them to access amenities and visit friends and family on a national basis.

65 We are also committed to assessing improved concessions for disabled people and research has been undertaken to look at how transport can be improved to ensure it is accessible for disabled people. This research was broadened from the narrow definition of looking at improving concessions, linked to barriers of affordability, to more generally looking at all the barriers to travel for disabled people and possible solutions to improve the opportunities for disabled people to travel. This major piece of research is now complete and will be published shortly, setting the challenges for improving transport for disabled people.

66 Confidence and trust in the public transport system is one of the key challenges. The Thistle Travel Card Scheme is one example of what is already being done to help disabled people feel more confident about using public transport, thereby making it more accessible. It aims to assist older and disabled people to access public transport. It involves an easily recognisable card which indicates to transport staff that its holder may require support during their journey on public transport. We are currently working with ENABLE to review the Thistle Travel Card Scheme and will look to re-launch this based on the evidence of the review to support older and disabled people to feel confident enough to use public transport.

67 As the research has shown, older and disabled people can face barriers other than cost and need for support in accessing public transport. The availability of information about transport, the timing and integration of services, attitudes of service providers to safety issues including driver training and waiting areas can all impact on people's ability to use the transport they need. We will look at other ways to improve confidence in the system and to address the other challenges identified in the research on improving transport for disabled people.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 18.

How can we improve the accessibility of public transport to disabled people? For example, how far should concessions be extended for disabled people?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 19.

How do we make sure that transport operators and drivers follow best practice in dealing with older people, with disabled people and other groups who may have difficulties with transport? For example, should it be a condition of funding that such best practice is demonstrated?

Rural transport

68 Many of the issues set out in this consultation paper apply equally in urban or rural contexts. However, some issues are specific to rural areas and, for that reason, we held a consultative event specifically on rural transport. The major issues that came out from that were the importance of demand-responsive and other forms of non-scheduled transport, as well as scheduled buses. We also discussed the needs of those who find private and public transport hard to use.

69 Some of the particular social inclusion issues that face people in rural areas are:

• For drivers, the higher proportion of their income that they spend on driving, because in rural areas people on lower incomes may feel that they have to have a car, and because people in rural areas have to travel further, which costs more in fuel;
• For non-drivers, the higher levels of car use, which tend to mean that there is less demand for public transport so that those who do not have a car are more socially excluded by the lack of transport provision than they would be otherwise - this is a particular problem for older people, disabled people, women and young people; and
• Obtaining access to services such as health services, which are unlikely to be as conveniently located as they are in urban areas and may require travel to get to.

70 At present we support demand-responsive transport pilots and the Rural Transport Fund, which aims to improve social inclusion in rural areas through various initiatives. We recognise that in rural areas public transport provision is not always easily available and that therefore demand responsive options are important. We will review the early years of the concessionary travel scheme to monitor how this impacts in rural areas to see whether improvements and changes are required.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 20.

What more could be done through transport means to tackle social exclusion in rural areas?

Lifeline air and ferry services

71 We provide direct funding for vital air services which link the communities of Barra, Campbeltown and Tiree with Glasgow; we also provide direct funding for the maintenance and operation of 10 airports which support the economic and social integrity of our peripheral communities throughout the Highlands and Islands.

72 At present, the Executive is undertaking major tendering exercises designed to ensure that our ferry subsidies are compliant with European law. Once the new contracts are in place for both the Northern Isles and the Clyde and Hebrides networks, the Executive plans to step back and carry out some research on the provision of these services, examining routes, services, fares, integration with land transport and the role of different providers. The intention is to develop a long-term strategy to deliver real improvements in the services.

73 We have already consulted on our plans for research on the Clyde and Hebrides network and we envisage the review being taken forward in a collaborative fashion, involving inputs from key development agencies and, most importantly, the communities themselves.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 21.

What do we need to consider in reflecting on the future of the lifeline air and ferry network?

Regional transport policy and access to towns and cities

74 The Transport (Scotland) Act 2005, and our draft guidance to regional transport partnerships, ensure that regional transport strategies will address the need for transport links into town and city centres from surrounding towns, estates and housing developments, to support the movement of people from where they live to where they work and access education and services.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 22.

What more should be done to ensure that there are connections from outlying estates to towns and cities?

Culture

75 We are keen to ensure that access to cultural opportunities is available to all. We are commissioning research to show how well planned transport systems can contribute to the policy objective of getting people to cultural activities, and identify potential gaps. However, we would also be interested to know from consultees whether there are any specific areas or events where they consider that transport particularly well or particularly poorly supports access to cultural opportunities, and whether any specific societal groups have disproportionate difficulty accessing cultural activities because of transport issues.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 23.

Are there any specific areas or events in Scotland where transport particularly well or particularly poorly supports access to cultural opportunities? Are there any specific societal groups disproportionately disadvantaged in accessing cultural activities because of transport issues?

MEASURES TO PROMOTE CHOICE AND RAISE AWARENESS OF THE NEED FOR CHANGE

Introduction

76 We want to give people a real choice in the way they travel, and allow them to decide to use public transport, walk and cycle rather than using their cars. We can raise awareness through what are known as "smart measures" - measures to change behaviour - and promotional campaigns.

77 This transport goal contributes to the following of our over-arching objectives:

• Promote social inclusion - by ensuring that ownership of a private car is not considered a mark of "success" or a pre-requisite for accessing services, employment, leisure facilities and so on;
• Protect our environment and improve health - by letting people make the choice to travel more sustainably and in a more healthy way; and
• Improve safety - because public transport, walking and cycling are safer modes of transport both for the user and for third parties than the private car.

Travel plans

78 We are committed to increasing the uptake of sustainable Travel Plans (also known as Sustainable Transport Plans) across the country. Travel Plans are packages of measures, specific to an individual site and/or employer, that aim to promote more sustainable travel behaviour both to and whilst at work (through, for example, the promotion of car sharing, cycling and walking, and the use of public transport). Travel Plans can be either voluntary - as an effective measure by employers to tackle issues with travel to and at the workplace - or can be required by local authorities of developers.

79 The Scottish Executive published the booklet Travel Plans: An Overview¹⁶ in 2001 which highlighted the benefits of Travel Plans. Work with public bodies and the regional transport partnerships ( RTPs) is ongoing to promote travel plan best practice across the country. There is a key role for the RTPs, and also for local authorities, in demonstrating leadership in this regard. We have provided funding to the RTPs to appoint dedicated travel plan officers to help organisations produce sustainable transport plans to promote better environmental options like public transport, walking, cycling and car sharing.

80 As well as voluntary employer-led Travel Plans, Travel Plans may be required of developers by local authorities as a condition attached to the grant of planning consent to show that new developments are accessible by modes other than the private car. This is set out in Scottish Planning Policy 17, Planning Advice Note 75 and Transport Assessment and Implementation: A Guide.

81 However, we have heard evidence that there are barriers to the enforcement of such Travel Plans. Local authorities in many cases consider that they do not have the resources to follow up the implementation of Travel Plans, and it is not always clear where the responsibility for hitting targets set out in Travel Plans may lie where there are numerous occupiers on a site. Our reforms of planning - as set out in the White Paper and current Bill - will help to strengthen the enforcement of Travel Plans which have been required of developers by local authorities. However, there may be more that could be done.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 24.

Should Travel Plans be required of all "larger" employers? If so, how should we define "larger" and should Travel Plans be required of all public bodies such as local authorities and Health Boards to show public sector leadership on this issue?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 25.

What should the relative roles of the Executive, regional transport partnerships and local authorities be in increasing the uptake and how might it be ensured that travel plans required of developers under the planning system are systematically enforced?

Behaviour change

82 A lot of car travel occurs out of habit, due to a lack of awareness or poor availability of information about alternative travel options. With this in mind there has been a growing recognition of the importance of integrating behaviour change into mainstream transport policy. A number of measures have been developed to influence the travel decisions made by individuals towards alternatives which are more sustainable than the private car, for example walking, cycling and public transport. Such measures are more widely known as "smarter choices" and include school, workplace and individualised travel planning, improvements to public transport and marketing methods such as travel awareness campaigns, setting up websites for car share schemes, supporting car clubs and encouraging tele-working.

83 These measures provide direct benefits in terms of their potential to impact on levels of car use. In a wider policy context they also provide an overall positive contribution, for example by improving social inclusion, reducing environmental damage, improving health and reducing commercial costs for employers.

84 Research published by the Department for Transport ¹⁷ in July 2004 demonstrated that "smarter choices" can be effective (and cost-effective) in changing attitudes and behaviours if consistently applied. The research was based on 24 UK case studies and an international literature review of the impact of smarter choice schemes. These research findings were further supported at our "Sustainable Transport" consultative event in mid-2005, where the need for travel behaviour change and support for measures to facilitate this process were identified as key issues.

85 In recent years there has been investment by the Scottish Executive in measures which try to directly promote behavioural change. These include our former travel awareness campaigns, Choose Another Way and Learn to Let Go, and the ongoing messages on healthy transport being promoted by the Executive's Healthy Living campaign. Over the past three years, we have supported the pilots of the Stepchange personalised travel behaviour change project. RTPs have recently been given some support to enable them to continue to promote the key messages which emerged from the Stepchange pilots. However, in view of the relatively small amount of resource that is currently provided to support behaviour change and the development of "smarter choices", and given their effectiveness, we could do more.

86 This might mean taking steps to influence people: personally; at work and school; through local authority campaigns; through efforts by regional transport partnerships; and at the national level. One potential option which has been suggested to us is a long-term national travel behaviour change marketing campaign which all groups and organisations could use as a hook for regional/local promotional activities as required.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 26.

Should we be investing in "smart measures" to promote modal shift? If so, what degree of investment is required; what measures are most effective; and what should be the role of the Scottish Executive (for example, promotion of the concept, sharing best practice, running a scheme or funding others to run a scheme)?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 27.

Is there a need for a single national travel awareness "brand" that the Executive, RTPs and local authorities could all use? If so, what should it be?

MEASURES TO PROMOTE MODAL SHIFT

Introduction

87 We favour modal shift away from the car (particularly single-occupancy car use) and towards walking, cycling and public transport as safer and more sustainable alternatives.

88 This transport goal contributes to the following of our over-arching objectives:

• Promote social inclusion - by ensuring that everyone has access to alternatives to the private car;
• Protect our environment and improve health - most importantly, because modal shift away from single-occupancy car use and towards public transport, walking and cycling will have real environmental benefits, including benefits to health through reduced air pollution - and modal shift to walking and cycling will contribute to health improvement;
• Improve safety - because public transport, walking and cycling are safer modes of transport both for the user and for third parties than the private car; and
• Improve integration - because one way to promote modal shift is to make public transport a more integrated, easier to use option.

Spending balance

89 We are committed to spending 70% of our budget on public (and other sustainable modes of) transport over the period of our 10-year investment plan which runs to financial year 2012-13.

90 Linked to this, in Building a Better Scotland: Spending Proposals 2005-2008¹⁸ (the output of the Scottish Executive's Spending Review 2004) we set a range of targets aimed at increasing people's use of sustainable modes such as bus and rail.

Cycling and walking

The National Cycle Network in Scotland is 2,000 miles long and 1,700 of those miles are on quiet/traffic calmed roads. 54% of the population live within 1 mile of the network and 95% of Scotland's schools are within 1 mile of the network.

In 2004:

• 2% of people who travelled to work usually cycled, and 13% usually walked
• 1% of pupils usually cycled to school and 51% usually walked
• 4% of adults said that, in the past week, they had cycled for pleasure or to keep fit and 51% had cycled to go somewhere
• 44% of adults said that, in the past week, they had walked for pleasure or to keep fit, and 53% had walked to go somewhere

91 Our walking policy - on which we consulted in 2003, in the form of a draft strategy - contributes to the delivery of the Physical Activity Strategy for Scotland.

92 As well as their contribution to health, we recognise the importance of cycling and walking to reducing congestion and integrating other transport modes. Our funding of these modes through local authorities, as well as our direct investment in national initiatives such as the National Cycle Network, aims to increase levels of cycling and walking substantially. Walking and cycling are important drivers for tourism in Scotland and are promoted by VisitScotland as part of their "Active" product strand.

93 We are investing in measures to make our streets and public places safer and more pleasant to be in, such as 20mph zones and Home Zones. We are also keen to ensure that healthy and sustainable travel are kept high on the agenda of schools and pupils. To assist this, we have placed School Travel Co-ordinators in every local authority. Efforts to engage young people in the sustainable transport message have benefits not only because they will be more likely to demonstrate sustainable behaviours in the future, in adulthood, but also because they can influence their parents now to make more sustainable travel choices.

94 The planning policy document SPP17 - Planning for Transport gives walking and cycling priority over public transport and then cars in developing a transport access hierarchy for new development. There is also emphasis on walking and cycling networks connecting developments to local services.

95 We heard at our "Walking and Cycling" consultative event that the comparatively low cost of cycling and walking schemes could allow a high level of progress for a relatively small shift in priorities.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 28.

We want to promote walking and cycling as healthy, sustainable ways to travel - what more should be done in this regard?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 29.

How can the NTS maximise its contribution to improving the health of the nation?

Buses

In 2004:

• 13% of people who travelled to work usually went by bus
• 24% of pupils usually travelled to school by bus

In 2004/05:

• there were 465 million passenger journeys on local bus services
• this was 2% more than in the previous year, and the sixth consecutive year in which there had been a rise in patronage

96 Buses are the dominant form of public transport and bus services can be provided easily and relatively cheaply wherever there are roads.

97 Buses are subsidised in Scotland by the Scottish Executive through the Bus Service Operator Grant, worth over £50m per year. Local authorities provide support for bus services which are not commercially viable but which are needed, primarily for social inclusion reasons, to enable people to access essential services (over £25m per year).

98 We have provided transport authorities with a tool-kit of options to ensure that quality in bus services is improved through the framework in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001. The toolkit includes Quality Partnerships, Quality Contracts, provision of information about local bus services and joint ticketing schemes.

99 Through the new Bus Route Development Grant scheme, we are providing funding of £22.5m over three years to support services which have the potential to grow. The scheme helps to improve access to public transport, encourage modal shift and reduce congestion and environmental impacts. Short-term grant is given to kick-start new or existing under-used routes through enhanced services, frequency and marketing. Services are expected to be normally self-sustaining by the end of the 3-year funding period.

100 Our stakeholders have told us, however, that there is significant concern about how the bus industry works, particularly in areas where there are a number of operators and little apparent inter-operator integration. Options for improving this include:

• Consideration of what we can do to further encourage and develop the strengths of the de-regulated market and to identify and tackle its weaknesses; and
• Further investigating the London model to see whether there are any aspects which can be usefully applied in the Scottish context.

101 By their nature, bus services tend to be local and the key relationship is between a bus operator and the local authority, or RTP where it has been granted bus related powers. Options to improve bus services must therefore include looking at what can be done to encourage this key relationship. This could include:

• Revisiting the rules on Quality Partnerships and Quality Contracts;
• Consideration of the role of Punctuality Improvement Partnerships, agreements between local transport authorities and bus operators on providing bus services within agreed time parameters;
• Consideration of how best to resource local authorities (or RTPs as appropriate) to ensure that the right steps are taken, as part of an integrated transport strategy, to improve bus services;
• Investigation of the scope for requiring local authorities to set targets on the improvement of bus services; targets could be to:
  • increase the average speed of buses in comparison with that of cars; and
  • increase the number of local passenger journeys;
• Investigation of the scope more generally for requiring local authorities to be more pro-active in working with bus operators to ease congestion by tackling bottle necks as well as by increasing bus priority more generally; or
• Consideration of area-based approaches such as Quality Networks.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 30.

How do we make buses more attractive for people to use, and therefore allow them to make the choice to take the bus rather than using their car? How do we ensure that the quality of the travelling experience is made a priority by bus operators?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 31.

Is there a need for change in how the bus market operates, or are the current arrangements working? If so, what should this change be?

Rail

In 2004:

• 3% of people who travelled to work usually went by rail
• 1% of people usually travelled to school by rail

In 2004/05:

• there were 72.9 million rail passenger journeys originating in Scotland
• this was 10% more than in the previous year, and the highest figure for more than 40 years

102 We subsidise rail through revenue support to the ScotRail franchise (in the order of £250m per annum), our funding of Network Rail in Scotland (approximately £300m per annum), and our investment in various strategic rail infrastructure enhancements such as the new Airport Rail Links and the reopening of the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail link.

103 We promote quality in rail services through our specification of the ScotRail franchise which sets standards for punctuality, reliability and quality which tighten over time; our input into other franchise letting processes for services that begin or end in Scotland; and our funding of Network Rail in Scotland.

104 Customer surveys suggest that performance is the most important factor regarding their decision to travel by rail. Consideration of better timetabling, engineering access and incentive systems may be ways to contribute to this.

105 There may be a number of modest rail investments that would enable the existing network to make a bigger contribution to modal shift, economic development and transport integration - such issues were raised in the consultation on strategic priorities for rail.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 32.

How do we make rail more attractive for people, and therefore allow them to make the choice to take the train rather than use their car?

Provision of information

106 Accessibility of information about public transport and our road network is a major concern, and we invest in:

• Traveline Scotland, a Scottish public transport journey planning and information service provided by telephone, including SMS text, and online. The average monthly call volume for Traveline Scotland is 60,554 and the monthly average number of internet enquiries is 220,285;
• Transport Direct, a UK-wide internet public journey planning and information portal enabling journeys to be planned across all modes of transport (including car), and on-line ticket purchase. The monthly UK usage figure for September 2005 was 323,013 individual user sessions; and
• Traffic Scotland, which provides up-to-date information for drivers to make informed decisions on their journeys on the trunk roads.

107 Local authorities and the private sector are also investing in better information for passengers, and there are examples of good practice already in place, such as the City Journey Planner, provided by Dundee City Council, which allows visitors and residents a quick and simple method of planning their journey by public transport within the city. The Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 also gives powers to introduce information and ticketing schemes.

108 As technology progresses, so travel information provision is also developing. Real-Time Information systems are part of our investment plans in public transport and these systems enable operator control centres to monitor the progress of their buses along a route in real time. RTI not only increases on-board security for driver and passenger alike in the event of emergency, but the location data is also streamlined to RTI enabled bus stops. This provides passengers with accurate timing for the next buses due at their stop rather than historic timetable information. By transmitting the real-time data stream to the mobile phone SMS text services offered by Traveline Scotland, passengers have a transport information facility for use while on the move and not just at the bus stop.

109RTI is already in operation in Dundee, Glasgow and parts of Edinburgh as part of a phased roll-out, with others interested to follow suit. The Traveline Scotland SMS text service, which makes use of historic timetable data continues to roll out in 2006 and RTI will be added as these systems become available.

110 VisitScotland.com and the network of Tourist Information Centres provide information on travel options, linked to Traveline Scotland. The provision of information and how it might be enhanced to meet future needs is being considered as part of a review of Information and Sales currently being carried out by VisitScotland.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 33.

What else should be done at a national level to support improvements in travel information? How do we capitalise on the potential opportunities created by new technologies - such as 3G mobile phones - to improve the provision of travel information?

Fares

111 Changes in fares are one way to make public transport more attractive. As set out earlier, the real cost of public transport has risen in recent years whilst the cost of motoring has been falling. For example:

• We could consider whether the current regulated rail fares regime continues to be the best fit for our transport objectives, considering issues such as absolute fare levels, simplicity of fares structure and quota-management;
• We could consider how discounts on fares might support modal shift: for example, we could consider whether a purchased discount card, available to all, might be useful on the rail network or on other public transport;
• We could adapt the "Oyster" card model used in London, as an extension to the Citizen Card already being rolled out, to ensure that multi-operator travel ( i.e. buses, trains) is as easy, and ticketing as smart, as possible with the technology currently available to us. Examples of multi-modal ticketing schemes presently available are One Ticket in the south-east of Scotland, Zonecard used in the west of Scotland, and PlusBus tickets available from mainline rail stations for onward journeys by bus.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 34.

Do you consider that action needs to be taken on the cost of public transport fares and, if so, what?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 35.

If you support lower fares, would such reductions need to be funded by tax revenue, or are there schemes which consultees consider could pay for themselves through modal shift ( i.e. because more people would be travelling, albeit paying somewhat lower fares)?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 36.

How can we promote integrated ticketing between different operators?

Freight

In 2003/04, freight lifted in Scotland totalled 219 million tonnes:

• Road - 153.4 million tonnes (70%)
• Rail - 8.3 million tonnes (4%)
• Waterborne - 29.6 million tonnes (14%)
• Inland waterway - 10.1 million tonnes (5%)
• Pipeline - 27.7 million tonnes (13%) ¹⁹

112 We promote modal shift in freight through our freight grant schemes - the Freight Facilities Grant Scheme has taken 51 million lorry miles off the road since July 1999. The grants are offsetting increases in road mileage but this effect is limited given developing trends ( HGV traffic volumes are increasing year on year and there were a total of 1,625 million lorry miles run in 2004).

113 We could try to find additional ways to increase the uptake of rail and waterborne freight, for example by measures to allow our long coastline to develop its potential, or developing new ideas for providing support for goods moving by rail or sea. Through the rail strategy we will also seek to ensure that the operation of freight trains is given appropriate priority to ensure that freight train operators can meet the needs of industry.

114 These issues will be addressed in the forthcoming freight strategy.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 37.

How do we promote additional modal shift from road freight to rail and waterborne freight?

Personal safety

115 We have heard from stakeholders that one factor in making choices on mode is perceived personal safety issues. This varies, but can affect certain groups of people (though the perception of whether there are personal safety issues is not consistent even amongst those groups), in certain areas, at certain times of the day.

116 The Executive commissioned research into anti-social behaviour on buses, which was published in March 2005. This found that the majority of passengers experienced anti-social behaviour on buses, although most was of a non violent/non physical nature (eg rudeness or drunken behaviour) and only acted as a deterrent to using buses for a small number of people. The research highlights the need for close interagency working to implement a range of physical preventative and diversionary approaches, such as the creation of dedicated posts in Strathclyde and Lothian and Borders Police forces to tackle bus crime and substantial investment in fitting CCTV cameras in buses to collect evidence and prevent violence.

117 We recognise the need to ensure that anti-social behaviour is acknowledged and tackled, both by drivers and by those travelling on public transport, to ensure that travelling in Scotland by whatever mode is a safe, secure and enjoyable experience. To facilitate that, the Scottish Executive continues to work in partnership with local authorities, transport operators and others on a range of deterrent and enforcement measures to make public transport safer for both passengers and staff. Initiatives include the issuing of swab kits to train and bus drivers for the collection of DNA evidence which has led to successful convictions, the provision of CCTV coverage at stations and on buses and trains, and public awareness campaigns highlighting both the penalties associated with unacceptable behaviour and how the public and staff can help by reporting incidents.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 38.

How do we ensure that people are safe, and feel safe, on public transport, at stations and bus stops, and while travelling by foot, bike or car? For example, what needs to be done to tackle anti-social behaviour on public transport and on our roads?

MEASURES TO PROMOTE NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND CLEANER FUELS

Introduction

118 We wish to increase the uptake of cleaner vehicles and fuels where they produce fewer harmful emissions than existing technologies. Vehicle standards are not devolved to the Scottish Ministers, but we have responsibilities and can embrace opportunities as far as biofuels and other technologies are concerned.

119 This transport goal contributes to the following of our over-arching objectives:

• Promote economic growth - because new technologies are a potential growth area, as shown by the opening of a new biofuels plant in Motherwell;
• Promote social inclusion - because a cleaner environment benefits everyone but most of all those in deprived areas who tend to suffer disproportionately from environmental disbenefits; and
• Protect our environment and improve health - most importantly - because cleaner technologies produce fewer emissions which is good for tackling climate change and also for local air quality.

Biofuels

120 The Scottish Executive supports, and is engaged with, the UK's work on the Powering Future Vehicles Strategy²⁰ which aims to promote new vehicle technologies and fuels, and ensure the involvement of the UK automotive industry in the development of new technologies.

121 The European Directive on Biofuels ²¹ aims to promote the use of biofuels or other renewable transport fuels as substitutes for fossil fuels in the transport sector. It requires Member States to set indicative targets for biofuels sales in 2005 and 2010, with regard to the reference values set out in the Directive. Although it would be open to the Scottish Executive to set different targets, given the single UK fuel market in which we operate we participate in the UK-wide target for the uptake of biofuels. The target for 2005 has been set at 0.3% of total fuel sales for 2005. As regards the 2010 target, we have agreed to a UK-wide target of 5% of the total fuel sales for 2010.

122 The more ambitious target for 2010 will be achieved through the introduction of a Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation ( RTFO) from 2008. This would place an obligation on transport fuel suppliers to ensure that a specified percentage of their aggregate fuel sales are biofuels over a specified period. The introduction of an RTFO is a reserved matter given the express reservation under Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998.

123 The UK Government will consult on the detail of how the obligation will work in the course of 2006. This will cover issues like what level the obligation should be set at in future years and how long each obligation period will last. The Scottish Executive is closely following these developments and their possible implications for Scotland.

124 Building on the existing scoping study into biomass and its implications for Scotland, it may be possible to do more work to examine the detailed implications for Scotland of greater use of biofuels, in terms of its effects on land use and biodiversity in Scotland as well as the potential need for imports from overseas. The relative carbon benefits of alternative biofuel feedstocks (short rotation coppice; oilseed rape; forestry thinnings) and uses (heat; electricity; transport fuel) could also be examined.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 39.

Within a UK market, what, if anything, should Scotland specifically do to promote the uptake of biofuels?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 40.

Where are the commercial opportunities for biofuels in Scotland? What, if anything, is the role for the public sector in supporting commercial biofuels developments? Are there downsides of an increased biofuel market in Scotland?

Cleaner vehicles

125 Vehicle standards are a reserved matter. However, until earlier this year, we ran a number of grant schemes (Powershift, CleanUp and Autogas+) to promote cleaner vehicles and fuels. Over £4m in grant was given out to support over 2,500 vehicles. A review of the programmes was carried out to evaluate their effectiveness and look at whether other programmes would better meet our air quality and carbon objectives.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 41.

Within the context of a UK regulatory framework, what more, if anything, should be done to make motor vehicles in Scotland cleaner to run?

Opportunities from technology

126Going for Green Growth: a green jobs strategy for Scotland²² set out the opportunities for economic growth in the environmental sector in Scotland. New technologies - such as hydrogen fuel, fuel cells and so on - could have significant environmental benefits and our economy could also benefit if we can promote their development in a Scottish context.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 42.

Where are the potential gains in terms of new transport technology in Scotland? How do we capture the potential economic benefits of developing them in Scotland? What, if anything, is the role for the public sector in supporting the development of such new technologies?

MEASURES TO MANAGE DEMAND

Introduction

127 The ultimate aims of demand management are to influence travelling behaviour so that the network is used in the most effective way possible, and also to address environmental concerns. Demand management measures are largely required for the road network, but capacity issues also affect our railways and are normally addressed by fare pricing structures (such as the price differences between peak and off-peak fares; or between advance purchase and turn-up-and-go fares).

128 This transport goal contributes to the following of our over-arching objectives:

• Promote economic growth - because reduced congestion means improved flows of traffic and better journey reliability which in turn means goods getting to market and people to jobs more quickly and more predictably;
• Protect our environment and improve health - because reduced congestion means fewer engines idling, inefficiently, which emit emissions, and also because one way to tackle congestion is to promote use of mass transit public transport options, which are more environmentally sustainable; and
• Improve integration, because one way to promote modal shift onto the less congesting public transport options is to promote an integrated, easy to use system.

Parking policy

129 At a local authority level, demand management in all areas comes through parking restrictions and charges. SPP17 - Planning for Transport sets out maximum parking standards for new developments, with national ceilings for key development types over prescribed size thresholds.

130 We have invested considerable funds over the last few years in supporting local authorities to take forward park and ride facilities in their areas to encourage more travellers to leave their cars behind and use public transport. An example of where this is working is Ferrytoll Park and Ride, which has recently doubled its capacity through an award from the Executive, in recognition of the continued demand by Fife commuters for such a measure.

131 As a means of tackling congestion, small town/rural to urban park and ride can be an effective measure. Under existing Integrated Transport Fund/Public Transport Fund projects the Executive continues to support such developments - such as schemes in Aberdeenshire, Harthill, Croy and Todhills - and in the future such cross-local authority projects will probably be most effectively led by regional transport partnerships.

132 At the moment there is no one clear position on park and ride at railway stations - some stations charge, while others do not.

133 We are interested in the views of consultees on how park and ride might develop in the future - both in terms of transfer to bus, and transfer to rail. To make park and ride really effective might require investment in car park infrastructure, and a joined up approach by all those involved, such as Network Rail, local authorities and regional transport partnerships. To fund this, it might be possible to charge users to cover the simple cost of that infrastructure. It would be interesting to hear from consultees what measures would best promote modal shift (and discourage use of park and ride sites by those not planning to travel on by bus or rail). For example, season ticket holders could be offered a discount, or there could be a parking discount for those using the facilities at the most congested times (to encourage them to seek alternatives to the car at those times).

CONSULTATION QUESTION 43.

What needs to be done to ensure that parking policy - on-street parking, bus and rail park and ride and so on - is more effective in managing demand and promoting modal shift?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 44.

How might park and ride schemes best be developed to further encourage modal shift and reduce congestion? How should enhancements be funded and what should pricing policies be?

Trunk road network

134 We could look at innovative ways of improving demand management on the trunk road network. These might include, for example, bus priority measures; multiple occupancy vehicle and heavy goods vehicle preference schemes; metering the access to motorways; or increasing the numbers of park and ride facilities to reduce the number of vehicles on critical parts of the road network.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 45.

Should we pilot new approaches to improving demand management on the trunk road network? If so, which approaches should we pilot (for example, bus priority measures, multiple occupancy vehicle and heavy goods vehicle preference, metering, more park and ride) and do you have any views about where and when they should be piloted?

Road pricing

135 Road pricing may be the demand management policy that offers most choice to road users, in that it allows them the choice to pay and drive, or to choose an alternative time, route or mode. However, the provision of attractive alternatives that motorists would want to use is also an important part of the package, which is where policies to promote modal shift become very important.

Local road user charging

136 It is open to local authorities to promote local road user charging schemes, and the Executive match funds the development costs of such schemes. Edinburgh is the only city in Scotland that has taken forward a scheme to date, but the scheme was abandoned in early 2005. The Executive rejected the Forth Estuary Transport Authority's ( FETA) Application in Principle for a road user charge ²³ on 1 March 2006 - largely on the grounds that the proposed up front transport improvements did not provide enough genuine alternatives for motorists. Regional transport partnerships will, in the future, be able to take forward schemes under the same legislation.

137 It could be possible for the Executive to do more to support local authorities and/or regional transport partnerships who want to take forward schemes as part of a long term strategy to address traffic and its consequences. We would welcome your suggestions.

138 For example, we could assess whether there is any way the Executive could provide more policy support on individual schemes, rather than the current practice of remaining neutral because of our role in confirming charging orders

National scheme

139 The Department for Transport is currently leading work on national road pricing. The idea behind this is to spread traffic more evenly across the network, address congestion and environmental problems, and remove boundary issues. The Executive supports this in principle, perhaps as part of a UK approach that involves restructuring motoring taxation.

140 In general, road pricing schemes can be designed in various ways. For example, it would be possible to set up road pricing schemes which reflect more accurately the real cost of motoring ( i.e. covering the costs to other people, the economy and the NHS of pollution, road traffic accidents, congestion and carbon emissions), or ones which leave motoring being more or less the same cost as at the moment. The major challenge is to come up with scheme designs that clearly meet their objectives, and are understood and accepted by road users.

141 The Executive could work at a national level to build an understanding of road pricing in terms of why it is needed and why authorities and RTPs may wish to use it. We could do this with a number of partners - including the motoring and freight organisations, as well as environmental NGOs and others.

142 We could tie funding to packages of measures that include road pricing or other demand management measures to incentivise schemes and assist local decision makers. Or we could develop a similar scheme to the Department for Transport's Transport Innovation Fund, where local authorities bid for funding, with priorities set through a hierarchy of demand management mechanisms.

143 Finally, we could take forward a project to consider whether a Scotland-wide scheme is needed aside from any work at the UK level, what such a scheme would look like, and what it would achieve.

Tolled bridges

144 Recent debates over bridge tolls, and their potential role in demand management, have illustrated the considerable difficulties associated with charging at a specific point or points on the network. The Tolled Bridges Review considered, among other issues, the role of bridge tolls in demand management. Phase One of the Review focused on toll levels and current experience and was published in December 2004 ²⁴. Phase Two, published on 1 March 2006, focused on principles and management structures ²⁵.

145 To address the concerns raised in the Scottish Parliament that tolling on the Forth and Tay Bridges has a detrimental effect on the economy and local communities in Fife and Dundee, the Scottish Executive is to commission a further study which will consider whether there is factual evidence to support those concerns and the impact of removing the tolls both locally and nationally.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 46.

Given the difficulties in managing demand for road space by other means, do consultees agree that, in principle, national and/or local road pricing in Scotland could be an effective way to manage demand?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 47.

Does the Executive need to do more to build support for road pricing? Should there be funding made available to local authorities and regional transport partnerships which wish to promote local/regional road pricing schemes. If so, what model should be used to provide such funding?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 48.

What should be the objectives of any future national road pricing scheme? For example:

• Should it primarily be concerned with cutting congestion levels?
• Or should it also reflect environmental concerns about CO ₂ and other emissions?
• Should it be a means by which, in Scotland, we try to achieve our aspiration of stabilising road traffic volumes at 2001 levels by 2021 (see Chapter 4)?
• Should it aim to reflect better the true cost of motoring (including the costs to other people, the economy and the environment), or should it cost about the same to drive overall as at the moment?

CONSULTATION QUESTION 49.

If there were no UK-wide national road pricing scheme, should a Scotland-only scheme be considered?

Emissions trading

148 The UK Government has been examining the scope for including surface transport in CO ₂ emissions trading mechanisms. The objective of this is to bring about a reduction in CO ₂ emissions, directly or indirectly. It is looking at the desirability of introducing surface transport CO ₂ emissions trading at a UK level, either as preparation for EU-wide adoption or as a self-standing measure.

149 The UK Government, in consultation with the Scottish Executive, is currently considering proposals alongside other policy options as part of the Climate Change Programme Review. The Executive supports the proposal for a new mandatory UKETS, which is expected to be a devolved matter, but this will of course depend on the detail.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 50.

Do consultees support the inclusion of surface transport in any future CO ₂ emissions trading mechanisms? What impact could this have on transport's emissions of CO ₂?

MEASURES TO REDUCE THE NEED FOR TRAVEL

Introduction

150 We need to ensure that we reduce the need for travel wherever possible, by ensuring that thought is given to where people live and where they need to get to. Where travel is still required, it should be made easy to get to places on foot or by bike first of all, failing which public transport should be easily accessible. This is a cornerstone of our planning policy already. Development plans are prepared with early regard to transport infrastructure, services and objectives, and are required to indicate clearly where new development necessitates new transport investment. Policy in SPP17 requires that new developments are easy and pleasant to access by foot or on bike, and that Travel Plans are an integral part of the assessment process for new development.

151 This transport goal contributes to the following of our over-arching objectives:

• Promote economic growth - because it means that it is easier to get to markets and services;
• Promote social inclusion - by ensuring decisions are made that link communities to services;
• Protect our environment and improve health - by reducing the amount of traffic on the roads and making walking and cycling more attractive alternatives;
• Improve safety - by reducing the number of trips taken by car; and
• Improve integration - most fundamentally - through ensuring that our land use and transport planning decisions are made in a consistent and joined-up fashion.

Decisions by public sector bodies

152 Where the public sector chooses to locate services - hospitals, other healthcare facilities, schools, sport and leisure facilities and so on - clearly impacts directly on transport, as people then need to amend their travel behaviour in order to get to these services. These impacts can be positive - where services are more conveniently located or are located on an existing easy-to-access public transport corridor - or negative. In consultation, we heard that there was a feeling that the transport implications (including the knock-on costs to the service user of moving services) had not always been taken fully into account in location and policy decisions taken both at national and local level.

153 We wish to give clearer direction to health boards and local authorities that transport issues must be considered at the very earliest stage of the decision-making process about the location of new developments.

154 We have heard significant specific concern about the location of health services from consultees, particularly at our "Transport and Health" consultative event. We are working to ensure that, at local and regional level, full consideration is given to the impacts of healthcare location decisions on transport - as well as the impact of transport decisions on the users of health services. Under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005, regional transport partnerships are required to address access to healthcare as part of their regional transport strategies. Health boards are also statutory consultees on the regional transport strategy, and are required under the Act to act in accordance with it as far as possible.

155 School location also has a major impact on transport and the "school run" is a major contributor to morning congestion in our cities and towns.

156 In Building Our Future: Scotland's School Estate²⁶, we highlighted the need to consider transport issues in making decisions about school location. The strategy says: "Schools should be integrated within wider transport plans, taking account of issues such as accessibility, and transport to school" and "Wider Impact: This includes the fit between the school and the wider environment taking account of issues such as design, planning and transport". This issue is also referred to in the complementary publication The 21st Century School²⁷.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 51.

What more, if anything, needs to be done to ensure that transport considerations are taken into account in location decisions, for example of health services and schools?

Alternatives to travel: broadband and teleworking

157 The broadband strategy ²⁸ aims to deliver affordable broadband access in Scotland and encourage its use. On 29 December 2005, the Executive met its target of delivering basic broadband to every community. This was achieved through the enabling of (uncommercial) telephone exchanges, under a contract with BT. With broadband technology, it is significantly easier to telework, which potentially contributes to traffic reduction/reduced congestion by reducing commuting and business travel throughout the day. We have commissioned research on the potential benefits of e-working.

158 There is a significant potential role for employers in making alternatives to travel (or peak time travel) a reality for their employees. Flexible and home working arrangements can be beneficial to individuals' work-life balance which can have real knock-on benefits to the employer - and congestion and pollution could potentially be much reduced.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 52.

What contribution can broadband and flexible working practices make to reducing individuals' need to travel? What else should be done to reduce the need to travel?

MEASURES TO PROMOTE ROAD SAFETY

Introduction

159 Road accidents are falling, but each accident - particularly where serious injuries or deaths result - is a tragedy and has a major impact on productivity (both in the longer term because of the loss of the individual concerned to the workforce temporarily or permanently, and in the shorter term because of the knock-on impacts of accidents on the road network and the cost to the health service). To tackle the personal and economic consequences of road accidents, we have targets in place for a 40% reduction in fatal and serious road accident casualties (50% for children) by 2010, compared with the average for 1994-98, and levels of casualties are falling year on year.

160 This transport goal contributes to the following of our over-arching objectives:

• Promote economic growth - because it means that our workforce is healthy, road traffic is free-flowing and there is less pressure on health and social services;
• Promote social inclusion - because road accidents disproportionately affect those in disadvantaged areas; and
• Improve safety - most importantly of all.

Road safety strategy

161 The falling rates of accidents are being achieved through a range of initiatives set out in the GB road safety strategy Tomorrow's Roads - Safer for Everyone. This includes the work of Road Safety Scotland, which undertakes innovative education and publicity interventions to make our roads safer places to be.

162 Road Safety Scotland ( RSS) is implementing a national strategy for road safety education in Scotland. The strategy covers all stages of a child's formal education, including pre-school, primary, secondary and additional support needs. The main aim is to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland receive a minimum amount of road safety education in school, linking directly to national educational guidelines. 'Crash Magnets', a new resource for secondary pupils in S3-S6, was launched in February 2006.

163RSS also oversees the Children's Traffic Club in Scotland, which offers free road safety training to all 3 and 4 year old children in Scotland. The Club plays a vital role in improving young children's road safety skills and knowledge before they start school. It provides the foundation on which road safety education and training in later years can build.

164RSS produces publicity messages on a range of road safety issues, including speeding, drink and drug driving, seat belt use and young driver safety. It maintains a close liaison with ACPOS and arranged drink drive publicity to complement police enforcement activity during the festive season.

Motorcycling

165 One mode for which reductions are not currently being achieved is motorcycling. In recent years schemes such as Bikesafe Scotland have shown that education targeted at riders can help reduce accidents. However, targeting riders' behaviour and attitudes in isolation may not meet the desired improvements in rider safety. We have heard the view from consultees that a more holistic approach, aimed at increasing awareness of motorcyclists by other road users; ensuring that the road infrastructure is designed and maintained with motorcyclists needs in mind; in conjunction with rider education, would be more effective. We are interested in any specific views from consultees on what more could be done in this regard.

Trunk road safety plans

166 Trunk road safety plans and smaller network schemes also have relevance to road-based public transport and freight. These schemes are spread throughout the network and provide cost-effective local solutions where larger schemes cannot be justified. This is important because while major projects will provide the more substantial improvements to the trunk road network, these local schemes provide more modest but no less important solutions to road safety and congestion stress points which occur across the network.

167 Trunk road safety planning is aimed at reducing accidents across the whole of the network. Strategies range from developing engineering solutions where accidents occur or on a route or specific location basis to participating in partnership with others to provide an overall road safety strategy. For example the A77 safety group has been set up as a collaboration between Transport Scotland, Strathclyde Police, Dumfries and Galloway Police, Amey Infrastructure Services, South Ayrshire Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council and West Sound Radio. Examples of its early achievements are the construction of the Turnberry Climbing Lane providing a section of safe overtaking opportunities and trials of the SPECS speed management camera system to help reduce speed and accidents.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 53.

We are tackling road safety and are on track to meet our targets. But is there more that should be done at the national (rather than local) level?

Speed limits

168 Reducing speed limits in residential areas and around schools can make a significant difference to the survivability of accidents. A car driven at 35mph is more than twice as likely to kill someone than one driven at 30mph. Reducing this further in specific areas makes sense, particularly where children are concerned. Accordingly, the Executive is keen to see the introduction of 20 mph speed limits around schools in Scotland and is providing funding, totalling nearly £50 million between 2003 and 2008, for local authorities to spend on such schemes, related safety projects and the development of home zones. Information provided by local authorities indicates that by the end of 2005, 20 mph speed limits were in place at around 1,435 schools.

169 The Executive has provided guidance to local authorities on a range of 20 mph speed limits. Authorities can implement 20 mph zones, which include engineering measures to ensure that vehicle speeds are kept low, mandatory or advisory 20 mph limits in appropriate locations, and part-time 20 mph limits, which may be appropriate outside schools. Part-time limits operate only at times when children are going to and from school, thus minimising disruption and delays to traffic outwith these times, at weekends and during school holidays.

170 Home zones are residential areas where street space is shared between pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. The aim is that the traditional distinction between the carriageway and footways is removed and that the street as a whole becomes an extension of the local community's living space. The Executive published consultative guidance on home zones in 2002. Consultants have been appointed to carry out before and after studies of pilot schemes in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Thurso to assess the effectiveness of different techniques in achieving the objectives of a home zone. The consultation on the guidance will run to the end of 2006 to coincide with the consultant's report on the monitoring of the pilots. The Executive hosted conferences in February 2004 to promote home zones to house builders/developers and planners and in September 2005 to share experience of UK schemes.

CONSULTATION QUESTION 54.

What more can be done to make our streets safer and more pleasant places to be?

Punishments for causing accidents

171 Road traffic offences are reserved matters, with other matters of criminal law being devolved to the Scottish Executive. Where a road traffic accident occurs, the severity of the charge depends on the culpability of the person's actions. If someone causes a fatality while using a vehicle and there is evidence that there was intent to kill or injure he could be charged with murder. If there is no intent there may still be culpability with charges relating to dangerous driving, careless driving or driving under the influence of drink or drugs. Culpable homicide may also be used in some cases.

172 The Home Office has recently consulted on the issue (with Scottish Executive input) and recommended that there should be new offences of causing death by careless driving and causing death while driving without a licence. These are intended to fill a gap between dangerous driving, where the punishment is up to 14 years imprisonment, and careless driving which carries a maximum sentence of a fine.

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