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Delivering our vision

4.1 Our transport networks must be well-maintained and operated efficiently, but if they are to meet our current and future needs they must also be improved. Better transport networks strengthen connections, promote accessibility, improve safety and create a better environment.

Improving infrastructure
4.2 If we are to reduce car dependence and impacts on the environment then we need to continue to shift the balance of spending in favour of public transport. By 2006, 70% of the transport budget will be focused on public transport and this will deliver a major programme of improvements to our public transport infrastructure: increasing capacity, enabling new services and opening up new opportunities for people to use public transport.

4.3 People’s daily travel patterns are complex and frequently cross local authority boundaries. Managing diverse transport networks of roads, buses, ferries and trains in a joined-up way requires the strategic planning, policy development and leadership that the regional approach can bring.

The rail network
4.4 A mix of traffic shares the Scottish rail network: freight, ScotRail services and GNER and Virgin long-distance services. There are 340 railway stations and 3,000 km of track. Every year the ScotRail franchise runs 35 million train kilometres with passengers travelling a total of 2 billion km. There are 650,000 rail services and over 62 million passenger journeys a year. Improving infrastructure 4.2 Scottish Ministers specify the ScotRail passenger franchise including Scottish sleeper services. They can also give advice to the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) on cross-border passenger services, such as the east coast main line franchise.

4.5 The rail network in the west of Scotland is the most heavily-used commuter network outside London, and caters for around 60% of passenger journeys made in Scotland. The main commuting routes into Edinburgh account for over 4.5 million urban passenger journeys a year. Lines to Oban, Aberdeen, Mallaig, Thurso, Ardrossan, Wemyss Bay and Gourock provide transport links to ports and ferries. Rail links are vital for freight and terminals, such as those at Hunterston, Mossend, Grangemouth, Aberdeen, Inverness and Ayr, enable transfer between rail and road or water. We are encouraging more freight to go by rail through Freight Facilities Grant and Track Access Grant.

New railways
4.6 We are embarked on the biggest expansion of the Scottish rail network in modern times: construction has started on the Larkhall-Milngavie rail link and preparations are well under way for other flagship rail projects, including Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine, Borders railway, Airdrie-Bathgate, Glasgow and Edinburgh Airport rail links and the expansion of Waverley Station. We are supporting City of Edinburgh Council's proposals to introduce a modern tram network to Edinburgh, to tackle congestion and link communities with areas of economic growth. Trams will provide fast, efficient, mass transport and provide a real alternative to travel by private car. Our investment in rail and tram infrastructure is driven by 2 main objectives: supporting the economy and expanding access to opportunities.

4.7 We are investing in developing new links that join areas of relatively weak economic performance with more successful areas to the benefit of both. We are providing real public transport alternatives to the car and making sure the opportunity gap narrows between those who have access to a car and those who do not. By reinstating the railway between Airdrie and Bathgate, we will create a new route between Edinburgh and Glasgow that will increase travel choices and open new opportunities for employment, education and recreation to communities in North Lanarkshire and West Lothian.

4.8 Delivering this programme of improvements will challenge both the public and private sectors, but all those interested in seeing a better rail system must rise to this challenge. We are working closely with the Department for Transport in the review of the structure and organisation of the railways announced in January 2004. We welcome the Secretary of State for Transport’s desire to re-examine whether further functions can be devolved to Scotland, and are working to ensure that Scottish rail passengers get the best possible service. Announcements on the outcome of the review are expected shortly.

Buses
4.9 Buses are the most commonly used form of public transport and play an important role in achieving our objectives. We use buses for 88 passenger journeys per head of population per year, 14% higher than the figure for Great Britain as a whole of 77 journeys per year³¹. 12% of adults travel to work by bus³²; and 11% of all adult journeys are by bus³³. Over many years bus patronage decreased as car use increased but bus use has now risen in each of the four years to 2002-03 and there is huge potential to build on this.

Improving infrastructure for buses
4.10 Infrastructure such as shelters, interchanges and priority measures improve the journey experience and can help encourage more people to use buses. We have provided £235 million to local authorities, regional transport partnerships and SPT from the Public Transport Fund (PTF) to support more than 100 projects across Scotland, with half of that investment funding bus-related projects. These include a network of bus shelters across the Highlands and Islands, the development of 8 quality bus corridors in Glasgow, doubling capacity at Ferrytoll park and ride in Fife and introducing CCTV on all buses serving Dundee. Buses also benefit from road infrastructure improvements. The benefit is greatest when new projects or maintenance works include bus priority measures.

Maritime networks
4.11 Scotland’s geography means that the maritime sector is of major importance to our social and economic fabric. This is as true of the lifeline ferry services operating to remote communities as it is of the coastal and international shipping services that are so important to exporters. Our role is to facilitate and support the sector and work with the shipping, port and harbour industries to ensure the maintenance and development of services.

4.12 We work with the ports and shipping industries to facilitate sustainable developments that will benefit Scotland such as the Rosyth-Zeebrugge Superfast ferry. We recognise the importance of ferry links to Northern Ireland. We are keen that the industry continues to explore potential opportunities for Scottish freight and passenger ferry services throughout the UK or further afield. While responsibility for ports policy is devolved, shipping policy is reserved and we will ensure that Scotland's interests are considered when decisions on maritime matters are taken at UK, EU and wider international levels.

Improving maritime infrastructure
4.13 We recognise the need for safe and fit-for-purpose berthing facilities at the ports and harbours used by lifeline services. We have invested heavily, with our funding partners, to achieve this objective. Our Piers and Harbours Grants programme, supplemented, where appropriate, with resources from the Integrated Transport Fund, supports harbour authorities’ efforts to improve berthing facilities. The programme has supported recently-completed projects at Hatston, Scrabster, Eigg, Muck and Rum. Work ongoing or provisionally planned includes a new terminal and second linkspan at Oban, a new linkspan and breakwater at Dunoon, a new linkspan at Rothesay and new facilities at Canna, Inverie and Raasay.

4.14 The Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry service has been well-received and is increasingly popular for both freight and passengers. We want to build on that success as improved ferry links to Europe could increase trade and tourism opportunities and take more lorries off busy Scottish roads.

Canals
4.15 Scotland’s canals were a neglected asset but the whole network is now undergoing a renaissance. Central to this has been the Millennium Link project which re-opened the Forth and Clyde, and Union Canals, and linked them through the spectacular Falkirk Wheel. The scale of the project was massive with 38 bridges, 2 aqueducts and 5 km of new canal, in addition to the Wheel itself. The Caledonian and Crinan canals have also seen major new investment. Scottish Ministers are helping that process by giving increased levels of grant to British Waterways Scotland to develop their facilities.

4.16 British Waterways is a cross-border public corporation which has the remit of maintaining and developing canals in Great Britain. The Scottish Executive acts as government sponsor for its activities in Scotland. Scotland’s Canals: an asset for the future sets³⁴ the tone for a brighter future for our historic canal network with the aim of building upon the infrastructure investment already made to unlock the benefits canals can bring, including: freight opportunities, leisure activities and economic regeneration.

Air networks
4.17 We recognise the benefits that air travel brings to the economy and society, benefits that will be balanced against the environmental impacts. For many business people air travel is essential and for the Highlands and Islands it is vital. It also has an important role in improving the economic competitiveness of Scottish businesses and attracting inward investment. Global connections are a key strand of our economic strategy, A Smart, Successful Scotland³⁵. The provision of adequate airport capacity, new direct flights from Scotland’s airports and improved surface access, are all important priorities but we must also take account of environmental consequences.

4.18 The UK Government’s air transport white paper, published in December 2003, set out a framework for the development of air transport in Scotland up to 2030, against which airport operators, airlines and the Scottish Executive and others can plan ahead. The Scottish Executive was heavily involved in its preparation. The white paper envisaged a substantial expansion in demand for air services to 2030 and anticipated that airport capacity would correspondingly need to be developed to address Scotland’s needs. The Scottish Executive, along with the UK Government, is committed to ensuring that growth in air transport is compatible with our environmental objectives, particularly in maintaining an overall downward trend in the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. The aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) sector will be vital in supporting the growth in air travel over the next 30 years and is a key area within the Scottish Aerospace Strategy³⁶ developed by Scottish Enterprise. Plans are currently under way to develop a Scottish Aerospace Centre of Excellence which will make an important contribution to MRO activity.

Aviation infrastructure
4.19 The Scottish Executive, through Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL), owns 10 airports, including Inverness. Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow International and Glasgow Prestwick are privately-owned, and others, such as Dundee, are owned by local authorities. Airport infrastructure and air services operate under the regulatory framework set by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Department for Transport. In recognition of the special circumstances in the Highlands and Islands, the CAA has already agreed a number of derogations for the smaller Scottish airports. The Executive will ensure that the airports’ operator will continue to explore with the regulatory bodies the scope for further derogations consistent with ensuring the continued safety of operations.

The road network
4.20 The trunk road network was reviewed comprehensively in 1996 and currently stands at 3,488 km, which represents under 7% of the total Scottish public road network. It carries well over a third of the total traffic volume and over 60% of the heavy goods vehicle mileage. It was established initially by statute in 1936 and was designed to serve destinations of importance to industry, commerce, agriculture, tourism and national planning. Trunk roads connect Scotland’s cities and also provide vital connections to many rural communities and the ports that serve the islands.

4.21 In 1960 it took 10 hours to drive from Carlisle to Caithness. The construction of the motorway network, the improvements to the long-distance single carriageway roads and the construction of bridges have reduced that to 6 hours and similar improvements are evident on all trunk road trips. These benefits now depend on a high-quality maintenance regime, an operational policy to reduce congestion and a targeted programme of new construction, where that is shown to be justified against the criteria of safety, economy, environment, accessibility and integration. Our policy includes giving particular support to important smaller-scale projects, especially targeted on improving safety.

4.22 Roadworks reduce the efficiency of the road network because they slow down traffic flow, increase journey times and contribute to congestion. Over time, poor-quality roadworks also damage the quality of the road surface. We will take action to improve the quality of roadworks by utility companies and the co-ordination of roadworks overall.

4.23 There are four tolled bridges in Scotland: Skye, Forth, Erskine and Tay. Each one plays an important role in the transport network. They are, however, all different ­ both in terms of their management and their usage.

4.24 There will be a two-phase review of tolled bridges. The first phase will deal with existing tolls. It will assess all existing tolls, including the way in which potential changes to tolls could help achieve our environmental and economic objectives of reducing pollution and congestion. The second phase will include an examination of the broader issues, relating to the management, operation and maintenance of the tolled bridges. This will also include an assessment of how the tolled bridges relate to the new regional and national transport arrangements.

4.25 The Executive is committed to ending the discredited toll regime on the Skye Bridge. Professional advisers have been appointed and discussions with Skye Bridge Ltd have already begun. We believe we can achieve our goal by the end of this year.

4.26 Councils are responsible for local roads (all non-trunk roads), which total 51,104 km. The Scottish Executive provides funding for the management, maintenance and improvement of the local road network through the annual local government financing settlement. The levels of grant-aided expenditure (GAE) provided to each council are calculated using a formula system agreed by COSLA. The funding provided is not ring-fenced for roads matters. Some councils spend less than their GAE, but most spend more. For example, in 2002-03 the total allocated to local authorities for road and winter maintenance, road lighting and administration was £270 million against the actual expenditure of £298 million.

4.27 There have been many years of under-investment in local roads. Since 1999 Scottish Ministers have taken opportunities to allocate additional, specific funding to help councils. There are also some larger-scale roads projects which, although not part of the trunk network, are of importance in developing and improving local transport links, to encourage economic development, access to work and leisure facilities, or to promote tourism. While such projects will remain the responsibility of councils, we will seek opportunities to work with local authorities or through strengthened regional transport partnerships to explore ways in which these larger-scale schemes can be delivered.

Improving trunk roads infrastructure
4.28 The trunk road network is vital because it serves public transport, other road users and freight. It is valued at around £10 billion and we will manage and maintain it in the most efficient and effective manner possible, investing money now to avoid storing up problems for the future. Targets to measure the condition of the network have been developed and our performance will be measured against these. We will develop a Trunk Road Asset Management Plan to provide a strategic long-term approach to the management, operation and enhancement of the network. Making the best use of the existing trunk road network ensures that congestion is managed and minimised.

4.29 While the balance of our investment is shifting towards public transport, we are also spending more on our roads. We are completing the central Scotland motorway network: the M74 in Glasgow, the M8 between Baillieston and Newhouse and the M80 between Stepps and Haggs. We are extending the M77, building the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) and constructing a second crossing at Kincardine Bridge. Local authority partners are working with us on the delivery of the M74 northern completion and the AWPR and contributing funding. The remainder of the planned trunk road improvements consist of smaller schemes and route action that will significantly benefit road safety and will lead to more consistent journey conditions on the long-distance network.

Improving opportunities for freight
4.30 For business, being able to transport goods efficiently and reliably is a critical factor in their success. To encourage the transfer of freight from road to rail and water there have been 23 Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) awards made in Scotland since July 1999, totalling over £64 million. These awards will remove 23 million lorry miles from Scotland's roads each year. The projects will deliver £74 million of environmental benefits by transporting 27 million tonnes of freight and over 500,000 containers by rail and water instead of by road. Examples of awards are the railhead at Grangemouth, timber transport on the west coast and the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry service. The FFG scheme is also supplemented by two schemes offering revenue help: Track Access Grant for rail projects and later this year, the new Waterborne Freight Grant scheme for start-up shipping routes. The schemes are designed to offset the additional costs of moving goods by water or rail compared to road.

4.31 While we want to see more freight being transported by rail or water, the vast bulk of freight traffic will continue to be carried by road.We therefore commissioned research into ways of increasing the efficiency of the road freight sector in Scotland. The study will be published this summer and is expected to contain a list of recommendations which we will consider, such as the use of intelligent transport systems. We are also financing a Road Haulage Modernisation Fund to tackle the driver shortage in the industry and encourage fuel-efficient driving.

4.32 We are in regular touch with the UK Government regarding the development of a UK-wide Lorry Road User Charging scheme, expected to be implemented in 2008. This will charge hauliers for the distance they travel on UK roads and aims to ensure that all lorry road users contribute on a fair and equal basis to the cost of road use, regardless of their nationality. The scheme is not intended to act as a congestion charge, rather it is expected to be broadly cost-neutral to hauliers as there will be reductions in fuel duty to offset the new charge.

4.33 In recognition of the major potential economic benefits, we will support proposals to establish international container transhipment hub facilities in Scotland. Orkney Islands Council, together with Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Orkney Enterprise, are working with private-sector interests through International Container Hubs Ltd (ICHL) to promote Scapa Flow. Clydeport PLC, with North Ayrshire Council and Scottish Enterprise, is leading efforts to develop Hunterston and attract potential investors.These developments are largely complementary, rather than competing. While investment decisions will be a matter for the commercial judgement of the port authorities and shipping operators, we are working closely with the parties involved to promote the opportunities these initiatives present.

Improving opportunities for cycling and walking
4.34 We are supporting the development of dedicated cycle paths and improved accessibility for pedestrians because cycling and walking are sustainable, healthy and environmentally-sound. As tourism and leisure activities they also generate income for the economy. We have provided grant support of over £4 million to Sustrans to develop the National Cycle Network and it has 2,500 km already open with a further 770 km planned. Core funding is provided for Cycling Scotland, a new independent organisation set up in 2003 to promote all aspects of cycling. Local authorities also have a duty, under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, to plan a system of core paths to give the public reasonable access for recreation and passage throughout their areas. This will open up walking and cycling opportunities across Scotland.

4.35 We have a target to quadruple the number of cycle trips by 2012, compared with the level in 1996. We are now considering targets and indicators for walking in the light of responses to the consultation paper, A Walking Strategy for Scotland³⁷. Dedicated funding will continue to be provided to local authorities for cycling, walking and safer streets projects, including Safer Routes to School. Since the mid-1980s the percentage of pupils walking to school has fallen from about 70% to 56%, and those going by car has risen from about 5% to 19%³⁸. We are funding 35 school travel co-ordinators across 26 local authorities to increase walking and cycling on the school run and encourage young people to walk or cycle.

Improving services
4.36 We are striving to make our transport services among the best in Europe but this cannot be achieved without investing in the wide range of skills we need to deliver major improvements. Our services are dependent on transport planners, engineers, drivers, fitters, technicians, IT specialists, office staff and many others. The new national transport agency will enable us to build a core of expertise in planning and delivering major infrastructure projects and we expect the strengthened regional transport partnerships to become regional centres of expertise and innovation in transport. Our Fresh Talent initiative³⁹ encourages people to come from other countries to build their futures here and the transport sector should make the most of that opportunity to promote Scotland as an attractive place to live and work.

4.37 Everyone working in transport can learn from the best in the world by ensuring the highest quality in everything that we do, from infrastructure maintenance, to the condition of our ferries and rolling stock, to the standard of our customer care. The passenger experience is determined not just by the reliability and comfort of the journey, but also by the quality of service they receive, including the helpfulness of staff, and whether they get service with a smile. A welcoming and helpful approach can make a real difference to visitors’ perceptions.

Rail services
4.38 A well-run passenger rail network, that expands and develops over time, is good for the economy, for the environment and for giving people from every background access to work, education, healthcare, leisure and other opportunities.

4.39 ScotRail operates 95% of passenger rail services in Scotland and the franchise to provide these services is being re-let during 2004. We aim, through the new franchise, to deliver a better deal for passengers. There will be improvements in service quality, and reductions in cancellations and delay because of tough new standards that are being put in place. New services, such as Larkhall-Milngavie will be included in the franchise as soon as the infrastructure is in place.

Bus services
4.40 Most bus services are provided commercially and the market approach encourages entrepreneurship and provides the incentive for operators to innovate, to put on new services and to provide new types of service. Local transport authorities subsidise around 16% of local bus service mileage and in 2003-04 spent £27 million on socially-necessary bus services. These services often operate in rural areas and on less well used routes. Increasingly, authorities are looking to new and imaginative solutions which involve non-traditional services, using more appropriate vehicles and different types of service, such as demand-responsive transport. The public service nature of buses is reflected in the 80% rebate in fuel duty that operators receive through Bus Service Operators Grant. This is operated in Scotland by the Scottish Executive and £53 million was paid in 2003-04, helping to reduce the level of fares.

4.41 The £18 million Bus Route Development Fund announced in April 2004 aims to improve the frequency and quality of bus services. The scheme will involve local government and bus operators working together to develop existing and new local services to encourage more people on to buses. The scheme will provide financial support for up to three years for new or improved bus routes which have the potential to grow. The Rural Transport Fund has supported both public and community transport in rural areas to improve accessibility for remote and rural communities and £25 million has been allocated to local authorities for new rural public transport services.

4.42 The Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 provides options for local transport authorities to use in relation to local bus services. These include quality partnerships and quality contracts. Statutory quality partnerships between transport authorities and bus operators are intended to provide a sound basis for all parties to invest and contribute to improving services. Under a partnership, the transport authority could specify the quality of buses, times of services and frequencies. Under a quality contract, the transport authority could determine the services, frequencies and fares to be provided in the corridor or area covered by the contract, as well as any additional facilities or services. The options provided by the 2001 Act are in addition to the powers which transport authorities already have.

4.43 Already there is a great deal of voluntary partnership working in the bus sector delivering significant benefits to passengers. Increased bus use also depends on having an appropriate road infrastructure. Bus priority measures are often very important in enabling buses to combat congestion. Initiatives by transport authorities include bus priority lanes, priority at traffic lights and junctions, new and improved bus stations, interchanges and shelters, raised kerbs to ease boarding, and park and ride facilities. Initiatives in response by bus operators include increased frequencies, increased numbers of low-emission and low-floor buses and improved ticketing and passenger information. We want to encourage more high-quality innovative proposals.

Ferry services

4.44 Ferry services within Scotland range from the 12-hour journey from Lerwick to Aberdeen, to inter-island services that take minutes, to busy commuter routes like Gourock-Dunoon. The shorter routes on the Clyde are the most heavily used, with several carrying more than half a million passengers a year. A long-standing objective has been to secure the provision of regular, reliable, safe and affordable ferry services to island and remote mainland communities to protect their economic and social well-being.

4.45 We are fully committed to our lifeline ferry links and will continue to support development of improved services, maintenance of affordable fares and introduction of new vessels and routes. Improved standards of service and investment in new vessels for the Northern Isles and on the Clyde and Hebrides network are evidence of that continuing commitment. An important task for the Executive is to ensure that subsidy complies with European law and this is reflected in the ongoing or imminent tendering of contracts. Since 2000, we have introduced new vessels that have allowed the introduction of a new Sound of Barra service and improvements to services to the Small Isles and across the Sound of Harris and in summer services to the islands served from Oban. A new vessel will be introduced in 2005 on the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay route.

Air services
4.46 The Scottish Executive has taken great strides, through the establishment of the Route Development Fund, to encourage direct air links serving Scotland. This is specifically to ensure that Scottish businesses can access new and established markets directly, quickly and efficiently - avoiding extra flights via a hub airport - and to encourage inbound tourism which brings substantial economic benefits.

4.47 While the establishment of new direct air services reduces the need to use major hub airports, there will be an ongoing and continuing need to provide for access to London. The Scottish Executive will promote, with the UK Government, the need for measures to protect access to the main London hubs. This should be done on the basis of clearly-defined criteria which take into account such factors as alternative transport options; which do not require peripheral areas of the UK to pay a premium for access; and which ensure a minimum level of provision.

4.48 Air links enhance enormously the accessibility of the Highlands and Islands. We will continue to work with HIAL and the airlines to help deliver an air transport network there that is sustainable in the long term; serves social and economic needs; enhances internal and external business links; develops opportunities for the promotion of inbound tourism; and respects the unique environmental heritage of each location.

4.49 Delivery of an enhanced air network serving the Highlands and Islands may be assisted through a combination of the imposition of Public Service Obligations (PSOs) and the provision of financial support via the Route Development Fund. There will also be a need for infrastructure enhancements at some airports in the Highlands and Islands. We currently fund PSOs on 3 routes: from Glasgow to Barra, Tiree and Campbeltown, recognising that these routes would not otherwise operate.

Community transport
4.50 Community transport bridges the gap between public and private transport and shows how services can respond effectively to people’s needs. We are funding pilot demand-responsive services in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, to explore the role they can play in improving choice and accessibility in urban settings. This builds on the success of the Rural Community Transport Initiative (RCTI) which supports Dial-a-Bus services, voluntary car schemes and community ferries. These services play a crucial role, particularly where there are limited or no scheduled services.

Travel behaviour
4.51 We need to be receptive to new ideas and be innovative in our thinking. New ways of engaging with people and passenger groups need to be found and we have to think about how we get drivers to alter their attitudes to transport use and safety. It is not just about improving infrastructure and services ­ we need to change behaviour as well.

4.52 Altering travel behaviour has the potential to reduce road traffic growth. It does not take much of a shift towards public transport, cycling and walking to have a significant impact on our roads. A good example of this is the school holiday period where people enjoy the relative ease with which they can travel. If commuters tried leaving their car at home one day a week and travelling by public transport instead, or working from home, or car sharing we could see a 20% reduction in commuting car traffic.

Road safety
4.53 The Scottish Road Safety Campaign (SRSC) brings together local authorities, the police, motoring organisations and voluntary organisations with an interest in road safety to develop road safety education initiatives and publicity messages. It has produced excellent educational resources, many aimed at children, and has mounted effective publicity campaigns on issues such as drink and drug driving, speeding, seat belt use and young driver safety.

4.54 The Children’s Traffic Club, overseen by the SRSC, offers vital road safety training to all 3-year-old children in Scotland to establish a firm foundation on which later road safety education and training can build. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are significantly more at risk on the roads than those from higher-income families so we will continue to target children from poorer areas. Gr

Green transport plans
4.55 Green transport plans (GTPs) have the potential to make a difference in the way that we commute and carry on our business. Public bodies, the health service, universities and colleges, cultural venues, heritage sites and businesses all have an impact on the local environment, local transport networks and their neighbours caused by the travel patterns of employees, suppliers, customers and visitors. Road traffic growth can be constrained locally by using GTPs in organisations that generate traffic and the public sector has a responsibility to lead by example. We want to see an increase in the number of organisations developing GTPs and working in partnership with local transport operators.

4.56 GTPs can be used to demonstrate to planning authorities how the potential traffic impact of the development or expansion of an organisation’s premises can be minimised. A plan usually covers how well a location is served by public transport, the availability of car parking, car-sharing, how cyclists are catered for, and will propose ways of encouraging commuting staff to use more sustainable modes of travel, wherever this is possible. Broadband technology⁴⁰ can also be used to increase opportunities for business to be done online and for home-working, both of which reduce the need to travel.

Travel awareness
4.57 We want people to be aware of their travel options, consider alternatives to using the car and recognise the impact that their journey has on other people and the environment. Our Choose Another Way campaign aims to increase the number of journeys made by walking, cycling and using public transport and encourage more sensible use of the car, while recognising that there are times when the car is the only option, and that in some areas it is essential.

4.58 The campaign includes radio advertising, billboard posters and PR activity and a website, www.chooseanotherway.com, that helps people to consider different travel options and emphasises the personal and social benefits of sustainable transport. Research⁴¹ has shown that the campaign has raised awareness of travel issues but there is still a lot to be done to deliver significant modal shift away from the car.

Healthy travel
4.59 How we choose to travel has an impact on our health. Although pressurised lifestyles and local environments may not make it an easy choice, we need to find ways to be physically active every day in order to combat rising levels of inactivity-related health problems. Drivers who change to walking or cycling for short journeys, or who combine walking every day with public transport can have a rapid and significant effect on their physical health.

4.60 Good travel habits can contribute to a healthier lifestyle. Half an hour of physical activity a day, such as walking or cycling to school, work or the bus stop, makes a real and rapid difference to health. Our physical activity strategy⁴² sets national targets for adults of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (equivalent to brisk walking) on most days and for children, one hour a day on most days.

4.61 We are determined to improve Scotland's health and reduce health inequalities. Our health white paper⁴³ acknowledged the need to empower people to care about their own health and promote fundamental change in public attitudes. The health improvement challenge⁴⁴ sets out a framework for action and emphasises the importance of physical activity. Cycling and walking can help to increase the number of adults reaching the minimum level of activity compatible with better health. Currently 38% of men and 27% of women achieve these minimum levels. We aim to increase this to 50% by 2021 and will help deliver the Sport 21 2003-2007 national strategy targets for 80% of primary schoolchildren to be physically active⁴⁵.

Managing road space
4.62 Increasing traffic levels are causing environmental problems, congestion, delays and unpredictable journeys. Even where good alternatives exist, too few people are leaving their cars at home. Doing nothing will simply cause problems for future generations. We could simply build more roads, but many new roads will reach capacity quickly, perpetuating the problem. We can certainly invest more in public transport - and we are doing this. But we can also address unsustainable demand by changing travel patterns to less damaging ones. For truly sustainable transport, we need a mixed approach.

4.63 Road user charging (RUC) is a critical part of demand management, associated with driving on a particular road at a particular time. It acknowledges that road space is a scarce resource to be shared fairly. It can tackle congestion, raise transport revenues for infrastructure and address environmental impacts.

4.64 We currently support local road user charging implemented by local authorities. However, experience shows that they will always find it difficult to run such schemes, because of the complexity and financial and political risks. So, while local schemes are crucial for addressing local issues, we must have an informed public debate on road user charging on a wider scale.

4.65 A national road user charge could ensure that road users pay the actual costs of their journey - the environmental (e.g. noise, carbon emissions) and social costs (e.g. accidents, time delays) they impose on society. If a motorist has to pay these costs, they can judge whether their journey choice is the most efficient. They may find that an alternative is cheaper and change their choice. If no alternative is viable, the motorist makes the journey and pays the cost. This could be a much fairer system than at present, taking into account different circumstances in different transport settings.

4.66 Working out these actual costs of motoring is complex, but not impossible. However, two of the factors that dictate the cost, fuel duty and vehicle excise duty, are reserved to Westminster. In considering RUC in Scotland, we would need to address: reserved issues, privacy related to data collection, technology, governance (who decides the what, where and how of any scheme), social inclusion, and the long-term impacts on business, land use, housing and travel patterns.

4.67 The Executive is currently participating in a national road pricing feasibility study led by the Department for Transport. The report will provide a sound basis for Scotland to consider whether national road pricing provides any opportunities to address congestion and traffic growth in a fairer, sustainable way. Road pricing will always be controversial, but no one has yet come up with a viable alternative to solve these problems.

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