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Introduction
6.1 The environment is not an abstract concept: our activities have direct impacts upon it. Transport is one of the most critical of such activities and, as shown in Chapter 1, road transport in Scotland provides the main means for people and goods to move within and between communities. The environmental management of the Scottish trunk road network must therefore be conducted to the highest standards. Over the last few years considerable advances have been made in techniques for managing traffic, maintaining the network and, where appropriate, constructing new roads in ways which allow these standards to be achieved. Research is continuing to build on these advances. These steps, along with national and European initiatives, such as the improvement of air quality through vehicle and fuel technology and the National Air Quality Standards, can deliver a continuing improvement.
Traffic Management
6.2 Managing the use of the network by different classes of traffic and the behaviour of traffic as it passes through sensitive communities are critical ingredients of good environmental practice. The Scottish Office and Executive have worked with COSLA to produce a broad raft of guidance under its Roads, Bridges and Traffic in the Countryside agenda initiated in 1992. In 1997 the Scottish Office published Rural Road Hierarchy and Lorry Routeing, recommending the development in rural Scotland of a structured hierarchy of roads, defining road types according to the type of traffic and purpose to which they are best suited. Pursuit of this approach allows a balance to be achieved between transport, environmental and economic interests. Councils following this advice can secure a number of practical benefits. These include the control of lorries running over sensitive routes and the savings arising from appropriate targeting of expenditure on heavy structural refurbishment.
6.3 Inconsiderate driver behaviour can degrade the environment and can lead to accidents and stress. Based on research it had carried out, the Scottish Office published a consultation document, Traffic Calming on Through Routes,in 1997, exploring how schemes should be conceived, developed, implemented and monitored. Subsequent research and consultation responses are now being analysed. The techniques use signing, road markings and coloured surfacings, landscape features and altered road layouts to create an environment with different characteristics between delineating gateways. Monitoring has shown a high degree of satisfaction and definitive advice on techniques will be published for wider application.
Road Maintenance
6.4 The character of the road often defines a visitor's perception of the character of the area. With the prominence of the tourism industry in Scotland, it is important that our activities in maintaining the road network and its environs continue to improve. As a further initiative with COSLA, the Scottish Office published Rural Road Management and the Environment , in 1997, to highlight the importance of protecting the rural environment and to illustrate how improvements can be made over a range of activities such as the maintenance of historic structures, the energy efficiency of roadside lighting, the reduction of chemical impact of road salting and gritting and verge maintenance and recycling for optimum use of resources. Further work has been undertaken in a number of these areas.
6.5 Recycling, an area often cited as an essential pre-requisite of sustainability, has in the past been limited to "closed site" applications where materials have been reused or reworked within individual contracts. To minimise the waste of premium materials, the Executive now intends to explore the wider potential for delivering consistent and high quality reconstituted materials for road construction and maintenance. An off-the-network demonstration road will be constructed later this year to explore developing techniques.
New Road Design and Construction
6.6 In some cases, new road construction can be justified on the basis of beneficial environmental impacts, for example the relief provided to communities experiencing heavy traffic or the reduction in air pollution generated by congestion or difficult driving conditions. There is clearly a need, in choosing the line for a new road, to avoid or mitigate, as far as possible, the problem of communities being bisected by busy roads. This potential for 'community severance' is taken into account in the appraisal method described in Chapter 7 but under the 'accessibility' rather than 'environmental impact' heading.
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Traffic calming at Crimond on the A90 |
Reworking the landscape to minimise environmental impact - A830 |
6.7 New road construction inevitably involves a reworking of the landscape and there are well-established mitigation techniques which allow potentially harmful environmental impacts to be mitigated. However, this reworking, if planned carefully and handled sensitively can go beyond mitigation and provide positive environmental benefits. If environmental issues are addressed thoroughly at the design stage, a good road scheme can improve the environment as well as delivering economic benefits.
6.8 In addition to supporting national UK-wide guidance on environmental assessment and design practice, through its research, the Executive has developed a number of innovative policies to promote good environmental design. "Fitting Roads"9 requires a conscious analysis of the functionality, economics and environmental issues which can then be applied to the examination of options and standards. Whilst recognising the important strategic role of all trunk roads, this methodology provides flexibility and obviates the need for applying Central Scotland's standards to remote Highland glens. Cost Effective Landscape: Learning from Nature 10 provides a new methodology for planning, implementing and maintaining landscaping in keeping with local harmony. Both these techniques have been used on the Polnish to Loch nan Uamh improvement opened earlier this year. This work has also helped in the development of the New Appraisal Methodology which has been used to assess major new schemes.
6.9 The emphasis on carefully pre-planning new works leads to the recognition of dangers and opportunities at the construction phase. The Executive is currently working with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to improve construction techniques in draining water from road works sites and to avoid pollution with sediment. Measures required during the construction phase can also contribute, along with other designed drainage features, to the control of contamination of the run-off from the finished road surface in line with the Water Framework Directive11. Discussions are also underway with SEPA to minimise waste arising from excavations through smarter interactive design with contractors. Increasing emphasis has been placed on the protection of wildlife habitats. River diversion works for the recently completed A74(M) project were designed to improve the bed characteristics for salmon breeding. Adders were collected and provided with wintering nests adjacent to the roadworks, to avoid danger to them from the construction activities. Measures were also taken for the protection of a range of other species. A research project, assessing the effectiveness of these measures, and steps taken on other schemes to protect species, will allow us to develop best practice for future applications.
6.10 An overarching theme is the maintenance of biodiversity within the network. The Scottish Executive is finalising its Trunk Road Biodiversity Action Plan which will be published later this year. This ties in with the Scottish Natural Heritage Natural Heritage Zones and is designed to mesh with local biodiversity action plans.
6.11 Whilst the emphasis of our investment programme has changed from new construction to maintenance of the existing network, the underpinning environmental concerns, opportunities and techniques are equally applicable and will be pursued in our future programme to create a better and more attractive network.
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Otter ledge and fish run on A74(M) |
A differentiated approach to grass cutting gives aesthetically pleasing results, creates variety for wildlife and offers potential maintenance cost savings |
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