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SECTION 1: NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY

Background

The purpose of this Environmental Report is to provide an account of the Strategic Environmental Assessment ( SEA) on the National Transport Strategy ( NTS) Consultation Paper. SEA is a new requirement for public plans and strategies, arising from EU Directive 2001/42/EC which was adopted by the European Council and Parliament in 2001. The Environmental Assessment Act (Scotland) 2005 came into force on 20 February 2006. The Act repealed the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes (Scotland) Regulations 2004, which were in force prior to the Act. Responsible Authorities who had already started preparing plans and programmes on or before the 19 February 2006, are able to continue following the provision set out in the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

There is not a legal requirement to undertake the SEA process in the context of the NTS on the following grounds:

• The provisions of the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes (Scotland) Regulations 2004 do not apply as the NTS is not required by legislative, regulatory or administrative provisions; and
• The first preparatory act for the NTS was undertaken prior to the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 being enacted.

However, we consider that the SEA process is extremely valuable to the overall development of the NTS. We have therefore chosen to apply the SEA process to the NTS on a voluntary basis.

It is important to highlight at this stage that the findings documented within this Environmental Report are based upon assessment of the policy ideas presented in the NTS Consultation Paper at publication in April 2006 and not firm policy commitments. It is recognised that this may potentially detract from the robustness of the Environmental Report, however it does provide an opportunity to highlight key issues for consideration within an environmental context. In accordance with the SEA process we have completed the Environmental Report during the development of the NTS and as publication of a draft strategy does not form part of the NTS process, this report has been based on the consultation paper which contains policy ideas rather than fixed policy measures.

This Environmental Report documents the findings of the SEA for the NTS Consultation Paper, and provides the Consultation Authorities (Historic Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Environment Protection Agency), key stakeholders and the wider public with the opportunity to consider and comment on the assessment during the public consultation period on the NTS Consultation Paper. The results of the consultation on this Environmental Report will be reported in a SEA Post-Adoption Statement which will be published alongside the finalised NTS later in 2006.

Assessment Framework

A criterion-based approach was used to identify and examine the risk to and opportunities for the environment in respect of the NTS Consultation Paper. In accordance with the SEA Regulations the following criteria were included within the scope of the assessment:

• Biodiversity

• Population
• Human Health
• Soil
• Water
• Air quality
• Climatic factors
• Material assets
• Cultural heritage
• Landscape

Noise and visual amenity were also scoped within the assessment. This provided continuity with the environmental criteria included within the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance ( STAG) published in 2003 to aid transport planners and policy makers in the development of transport plans, policies, programmes and projects.

To provide a context to the assessment, information on the environmental baseline and likely future trends was gathered. The policy context was also established through a review of relevant plans, policies and programmes. Together this information provided a basis upon which to identify key environmental issues within the context of the NTS. A series of SEA objectives were then developed to provide the assessment framework against which to determine the likely significant environmental effects arising from the NTS Consultation Paper. The objectives were based upon the criteria scoped within the assessment and are summarised in Table NT1. For each objective, a series of questions were set to ensure there was consistency in the assessment process. The overarching objectives and policy options presented within the NTS Consultation Paper were evaluated against this assessment framework.

Table NT1: SEA Objectives

The Consultation Authorities were consulted at relevant stages in the process for their comments and views on the proposed scope and approach to the environmental assessment of the NTS Consultation Paper.

Background to the National Transport Strategy

In June 2004 the Transport White Paper, Scotland's Transport Future, made a commitment to publish a National Transport Strategy for Scotland. The NTS will be a non-statutory document prepared by the Scottish Executive and represents the first strategy of its kind for transport in Scotland.

The NTS will be a high-level strategic document which sets out an achievable long-term vision for transport in Scotland. The overall aim of the NTS will be to promote economic growth, social inclusion, health and protection of our environment through a safe, integrated, effective and efficient transport system. The development of the NTS Consultation Paper is a step towards the final NTS.

In accordance with the 2004 White Paper, the NTS Consultation Paper suggests that the high level objectives of the NTS will be to:

• Promote economic growth by building, enhancing, managing and maintaining transport services, infrastructure and networks to maximise their efficiency;
• Promote social inclusion by connecting remote and disadvantaged communities and increasing the accessibility of the transport network;
• Protect our environment and improve health by building and investing in public transport and other types of efficient and sustainable transport which minimise emissions and consumption of resources and energy;
• Improve safety of journeys by reducing accidents and enhancing the personal safety of pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, passengers and staff; and
• Improve integration by making journey planning and ticketing easier and working to ensure smooth connection between different forms of transport.

These high level objectives will be broadly supported by the following goals:

• Facilitate economic growth - by ensuring that the right transport infrastructure and services are in place to enable economic growth on a socially and environmentally sustainable basis;
• Promote accessibility - through linking up our transport networks and by ensuring that we consider transport issues when locating services and reduce the need to travel wherever possible; and by making sure that transport is physically accessible;
• Promote choice and raise awareness of the need for change - through measures such as travel plans and behaviour change interventions;
• Promote modal shift - by shifting the balance away from unsustainable growth in car use, particularly single-occupancy car use, and towards walking, cycling and public transport; by incorporating public transport considerations into the planning of land use ( e.g. large retail, office and housing developments); and, for freight, through promoting the use of rail and shipping;
• Promote new technologies and cleaner fuels - through ongoing support and encouragement to Scottish industry and motorists where it is appropriate ;
• Manage demand - by promoting the efficiency of our networks through demand management measures;
• Reduce the need for travel - by providing local services on local walking and cycling networks and promoting the uptake of alternatives such as home working; and
• Promote road safety - through promotional campaigns and interventions with key groups.

In terms of content, the NTS will not provide specific details on individual projects but rather it will set the framework for transport at the national, regional and local level. The Strategic Projects Review ( SPR) will consider in detail the Executive's future major infrastructure investment programme. ¹

Assessment of the NTS Consultation Paper

This section provides a summary of the key points arising from the assessment of the NTS Consultation Paper:

Biodiversity

• Promotion of policies to effect a stabilisation in overall traffic volumes and less demand on the existing network through measures to reduce the need to travel, manage demand and encourage modal shift would in turn reduce the need for new infrastructure and the associated risk posed by new construction on habitat fragmentation and air, water, soil and noise pollution.
• Potential negative impact presented by some forms of demand management, particularly those with an infrastructure component, for example Park and Ride.
• Biodiversity related impacts largely site specific and therefore more detailed assessment required through SPR and also at the regional and local level when there is greater certainty regarding the exact nature, location and specifications of different measures.

Population

• Positive impact likely in terms of measures to promote accessibility to services and alternative modes of transport to the private car, especially in rural areas.
• Promotion of sustainable travel could encourage a 'critical mass' of pedestrians and cyclists to be reached thereby further enhancing safety as car and other vehicle users would have greater awareness of their presence through this increase in numbers.

Human Health

• Promotion of modal shift, particularly towards cycling and walking would provide health benefits through increasing physical activity and reducing levels of obesity and related illnesses such as coronary heart disease.
• Reducing the need to travel and promotion of modal shift could also help aid the environment by reducing congestion.

Soil

• Promotion of policies to effect a stabilisation in overall traffic volumes and less demand on the existing network through measures to reduce the need to travel, manage demand and encourage modal shift would in turn reduce the need for new infrastructure and the associated risk posed by new construction on habitat fragmentation and air, water, soil and noise pollution. Potential negative impact presented by some forms of demand management, particularly those involving the development of new infrastructure, for example Park and Ride sites.
• Soil impacts are largely site specific and therefore more detailed assessment required through SPR and also at the regional and local level when there is greater certainty regarding the exact nature, location and specifications of different measures.

Water

• Increased waterborne travel, passenger and freight, could present greater potential for accidental spillages and risk the integrity of the living marine environment.
• Potential for emissions to increase as a result of less strict emission regulations in relation to maritime travel. For example the sulphur content of maritime fuel is higher in comparison to that permitted for road and rail purposes.

Air quality

• Promotion of policies to effect a stabilisation in overall traffic and less demand on the existing network through measures to reduce the need to travel, manage demand and encourage modal shift would have positive environmental benefits in terms of air quality.
• Possible increase in the proportion of public transport vehicles would require promotion of cleaner fuels and technology to ensure benefits are maximised. Also a need to ensure targeted modal shift from the car to alternatives was not accompanied by an unintended shift from walking and cycling to motorised transport to a degree that could potentially off-set any environmental gain.
• Careful management required to ensure released network capacity from measures to manage existing demand and encourage use of alternative modes to private car do not encourage uptake of space by other vehicles, resulting in no overall benefit to the environment.

Climatic factors

• Promotion of policies to effect a stabilisation in overall traffic and less demand on the existing network through measures to reduce the need to travel, manage demand and encourage modal shift would have positive environmental benefits in terms of climatic factors, in particular carbon related emissions.
• Possible increase in the proportion of public transport vehicles would require promotion of cleaner fuels and technology to ensure benefits are maximised. Also a need to ensure targeted modal shift from the car to alternatives not accompanied by an unintended shift from walking and cycling to motorised transport that could potentially off-set any environmental gain.
• Biofuels widely recognised as more environmentally sound option. Gains offset to a degree by cultivation processes and intensive land use which can lead to carbon emissions. However, potential scope to enhance environmental performance through developments in production processes and use of biomass to generate hydrogen for fuel cells from which water would be the only by-product.
• Careful management required to ensure released network capacity from measures to manage existing demand and encourage use of alternative modes to private car do not encourage uptake of space by other vehicles, resulting in no overall benefit to the environment.

Material assets

• Promotion of policies to effect a stabilisation in overall traffic and less demand on the existing network through measures to reduce the need to travel, manage demand and encourage modal shift, would in turn reduce the need for new infrastructure and the risk posed to habitat fragmentation and effects on air, water, soil and noise pollution from new construction.
• Impacts on material assets are largely site specific and therefore more detailed assessment required through SPR and also at the regional and local level when there is greater certainty regarding the exact nature, location and specifications of different measures.

Cultural heritage

• Promotion of policies to effect a stabilisation in overall traffic and less demand on the existing network through measures to reduce the need to travel, manage demand and encourage modal shift, would enhance the integrity of the cultural environment in both urban and rural areas through associated reduction in traffic levels.
• Impacts are largely site specific and therefore more detailed assessment required through SPR and also at the regional and local level when there is greater certainty regarding the exact nature, location and specifications of different measures.

Landscape

• Promotion of policies to effect a stabilisation in overall traffic and less demand on the existing network through measures to reduce the need to travel, manage demand and encourage modal shift, would in turn reduce the need for new infrastructure and disturbance to the landscape posed by new construction.
• Landscape impacts are largely site specific and therefore more detailed assessment required through SPR and also at the regional and local level when there is greater certainty regarding the exact nature, location and specifications of different measures.

Noise

• Promotion of policies to effect a stabilisation in overall traffic and less demand on the existing network through measures to manage and reduce traffic levels are particularly beneficial in terms of noise pollution. Potential for adverse impacts to arise through the development of new infrastructure.
• Noise related impacts are largely site specific and therefore more detailed assessment required through SPR and also at the regional and local level when there is greater certainty regarding the exact nature, location and specifications of different measures.

Visual amenity

• Promotion of policies to effect a stabilisation in overall traffic and less demand on the existing network through measures to reduce the need to travel, manage demand and encourage modal shift, would in turn reduce the need for new infrastructure and the risk on visual intrusion posed by new construction.
• Impacts are largely site specific and therefore more detailed assessment required through SPR and also at the regional and local level when there is greater certainty regarding the exact nature, location and specifications of different measures.

Summary of Assessment

As the NTS is a high-level strategic document which provides the framework for the development of plans and policies at the national, regional and local level a relatively broad brush approach has been adopted for the purposes of this assessment.

A commitment to protecting and enhancing the environment has been incorporated within the strategic aims and objectives of the NTS. This has been reflected within this Environmental Report with the NTS expected to have a largely positive impact on the environment, particularly through policies relating to sustainable travel and overall reduction in the need to travel. However, it is inherently difficult to provide a detailed analysis where there is a considerable degree of uncertainty about the locations in which development is likely to take place and design specifications. On this basis, this Environmental Report provides the context for more detailed environmental assessment which would be expected to be taken forward at the national level through the SPR, at the regional level through the Regional Transport Strategies and the local level through the Local Transport Strategies, whichever is the most appropriate.

Next Steps

The NTS Consultation Paper was published on 20 April 2006 and is subject to a 12 week public consultation period which will conclude on 13 July 2006. The results of the consultation process will be taken into consideration in the development of the final NTS to be published later in 2006.

Publication of this Environmental Report marks the commencement of an 8 week public consultation period which will also conclude on 13 July 2006. This will allow the Consultation Authorities, key stakeholders and wider public the opportunity to comment on the SEA process which has been applied to the NTS Consultation Paper on a voluntary basis.

A SEA post-adoption statement will be published alongside the final NTS later in 2006 and will be made available to the Consultation Authorities and wider public. This will include an update on the environmental information included within the final NTS and also outline how the details of this Environmental Report and subsequent public consultation have influenced the final NTS.

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