Technical Notes 2022, Issue 66 - Strategic Transport Projects Review 2

1. The purpose of this Technical Note is to inform Members of the current Transport Scotland consultation on the Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 (STPR2). The development of STPR2 is set against a broader change to transport policy being brought forward by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, climate change and resulting from changes to transport use during the Covid-19 pandemic. Visit STPR2's website.

2. Officers are working to respond to this consultation in line with approved Council strategies and policies. The nature of current transport consultations means that an officer response on behalf of the Council is considered acceptable as they do not pose any significant policy change which would have implications for the Council and its operations. Other Services are being involved in the response as required.  Elected Members are welcome to provide comments to officers should they wish, prior to the consultation end date of 15 April 2022.

3. STPR2 provides an overview of large-scale, strategic transport projects in Scotland to 2042. It outlines delivery and implementation of National Transport Strategy 2 (2020), all projects contributing to the four priorities outlined in the Strategy’s vision. STPR2 has the following objectives:

• Takes climate action
• Addresses inequalities and accessibility
• Improves health and wellbeing
• Supports sustainable economic growth
• Increases safety and resilience

These objectives align with the Council’s Local Transport Strategy Transport Planning Objectives.

4. STPR2 has two guiding aims: firstly reducing carbon emissions and reaching net zero by 2045; and secondly reducing car kilometres and ensuring a 20% reduction in car kilometres by 2030.  The latter has been explored and agreed between COSLA and Transport Scotland, leading to a joint route map that can be found View the joint route map.

5. STPR2 sets out an evidence based review of the vision, priorities and outcomes for transport and sets out the best projects to deliver the policy set in the National Transport Strategy 2. STPR2 therefore contains recommendations on projects to ensure consistency across Scotland, with each recommendation needing tailoring to different regions/locations.  STPR2 demonstrates Scottish Ministers’ and Transport Scotland’s commitment to the projects. Following consultation and finalisation of STPR2, detailed business cases will be progressed for the projects.  This is already the case for some projects, for example the Clyde Metro which has oversight from the Glasgow City Region.

6. The following recommendations and projects are included in STPR2 that are of relevance to East Dunbartonshire (those projects not included relate to other areas of Scotland or ferries for example):

Improving active travel infrastructure

1. Connected neighbourhoods - STPR2 recommends delivering connected neighbourhoods which are the transport components of 20-minute neighbourhoods within towns and cities.

2.Active freeway and cycle parking hubs - STPR2 recommends development of active freeways on high-demand corridors in Scotland’s large urban areas, with priority given initially to the larger cities. Active freeways would encourage more people to walk, wheel and cycle more often by providing high-quality direct active travel routes, segregated from traffic, on busy corridors in large urban areas

3. Village-town connections; 4. Connecting towns by active travel; 5. Long-distance active travel network - STPR2 recommends developing the long-distance active travel network to connect Scotland’s cities and regions. This would enhance the National Cycle Network. 

Influencing travel choices and behaviour

6. Behaviour change initiatives – STPR2 recommends building on existing programmes to deliver local, regional and national initiatives that raise awareness of sustainable transport options and encourage individuals to make the most appropriate transport choices for their journeys.

7. Changing road user behaviour - STPR2 recommends implementation of speed enforcement technology and national road safety behaviour change campaigns, education and training initiatives. These would reduce road casualties and help to deliver the outcomes of Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030.

8. Increasing active travel to schools - STPR2 recommends improved and safer walking, wheeling and cycling routes to primary and secondary schools, accompanied by measures to reduce traffic congestion, volumes and speeds in the vicinity of schools.

9. Improving access to bikes - STPR2 recommends building on existing successful programmes and the work of established support groups to provide bikes, accessories and training to more people across Scotland.

10. Expansion of 20mph zones - STPR2 recommends supporting the Scottish Government’s 20mph Task Group by scaling up current local programmes and initiatives to provide new or expanded 20mph limits and zones on appropriate roads in cities, towns and villages across Scotland.

Enhancing access to affordable public transport

11. Clyde Metro - STPR2 Recommends that Transport Scotland continues to work with Glasgow City Council, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and other regional partners on developing the business cases and delivery plan for Clyde Metro.

14. Provision of strategic bus priority measures - STPR2 recommends bus priority options are implemented within Scotland’s cities and towns where congestion is highest and that bus priority measures continue to be identified and implemented on the trunk road and motorway network.

17. Glasgow – Perth/Dundee rail corridor enhancements - STPR2 recommends a programme of enhancements, which would achieve improvements to journey times and increases in capacity and reliability for passenger and freight services.

19. Infrastructure to provide access for all at rail stations - STPR2 recommends a review of station accessibility across Scotland to identify barriers and improve access for all to the rail network, prioritising those stations that have particular problems.

20. Investment in Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) - STPR2 recommends that pilot schemes involving DRT and MaaS draw on innovative solutions, international best practice and smart technologies.

21. Improved public transport interchange facilities - STPR2 recommends building on STPR2 recommendation 19 (infrastructure to provide access for all at railway stations) by upgrading the accessibility and quality of passenger facilities at existing bus stations and other transport interchanges, to improve the overall attractiveness of public transport services. 

22. Framework for delivery of mobility hubs - STPR2 recommends a delivery framework is developed, building on best practice, to optimise the effectiveness of mobility hubs and ensure a consistent and coordinated approach is taken to assessing locations, facilities and methods of community engagement. Mobility hubs are facilities where various types of transport, and potentially other services inter-connect.

23. Smart, integrated public transport ticketing - STPR2 recommends continuing with the support and ongoing delivery of fully integrated smart ticketing and payment services across all public transport, to increase demand and encourage active travel.

Decarbonising transport

25. Rail Decarbonisation - STPR2 recommends the priorities for decarbonising key rail routes should align with the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan and focus where appropriate on routes with the most potential to switch traffic from road to rail.

26. Decarbonisation of the Bus Network - STPR2 recommends further investment to stimulate the commercial roll out of zero-emission buses with an extension of existing funding criteria to include vehicles used for home to school and community transport.

27. Behavioural Change and Modal Shift - STPR2 recommends the Scottish Government brings together public and private sector organisations to develop a net zero freight and logistics network for Scotland that would encourage the switch to more sustainable and efficient freight transport.

28. Zero emission vehicles and infrastructure transition - STPR2 recommends targeted funding from Transport Scotland to accelerate investment in zero emission fleets, facilities and emerging technologies.

Increasing safety and resilience on the strategic transport network

Note that East Dunbartonshire does not have any trunk roads but is close to the M8 and M80 so brief information is provided on these projects.

30. Trunk road motorway safety improvements

31. Trunk road and motorway network climate change adaptation and resilience

32. Trunk road and motorway network renewal for reliability, resilience and safety

33. Control Centre of the Future

34. Incident Management System Upgrade

35. Intelligent Transport System

37. Improving active travel on/near trunk roads through communities

38. Speed management plan - STPR2 recommends a national review to establish appropriate speed limits for different road types within Scotland.

Strengthening strategic connections

Note that these projects are of interest to East Dunbartonshire but will not be delivered in East Dunbartonshire.

43. Major Station Masterplans - STPR2 recommends that station plans and masterplans are progressed to align with and support the investment priorities of Transport Scotland and Network Rail. 

44. Rail freight terminals and facilities - STPR2 recommends that Transport Scotland supports industry partners in carrying out an updated market study for rail freight growth in Scotland (linked to the 2019 industry growth plan) including a review of rail freight terminals/hubs to confirm how to meet long-term mode shift requirements. 

45. High Speed and Cross Border Rail Enhancements - STPR2 recommends that Transport Scotland continues to work closely with the UK Government to take forward a programme of infrastructure on-line and off-line upgrades targeted at longer-distance cross-border routes.

7.         The officer response will include the following key points:

• The Council is welcoming of the general tone and order of priorities of STPR2. The options and direction of STPR2 reflects the four priorities of NTS2.
• While a regional and national approach is welcomed, a greater emphasis that all transport relies on accessible local places would be useful.
• The range of options across the national and regional scales are broadly welcomed and deserve further investigation, the Council particularly awaits detailed timescales for delivery of Clyde metro which would have a transformational effect on regional transport.
• STPR2 requires more clarity on the long-term aims of active travel recommendations in order to be a more useful resource for directing development at local level. Further detail on delivery could be added to each recommendation, to ensure it is clearer how change will happen, by what means and what the result of the proposed STPR2 projects will look like in practice.
• Whilst the Council welcomes the significant role local government plays and the flexibility presented in the active travel recommendations, infrastructure consistency is needed across Scotland as well as identified and adequate funding.
• Consistency is required across Government messaging and across Parliament, if road infrastructure is to be transformed away from the current, car dominated model.
• Regarding recommendations 3 -5, the Commitment to the National Cycle Network and connecting towns is welcomed, East Dunbartonshire residents and visitors benefit from long-distance routes in the area. The Council is, therefore, seeking clarity on who is responsible for the maintenance of long-distance paths, this clarity will, in turn, benefit active travel connectivity in rural areas.
• There has been a reduction in ScotRail services as a result of the pandemic but, in order to influence behaviour and choices to promote sustainable transport, access to regular public transport is essential.
• Whilst the expansion of 20mph zones is welcomed and forms part of East Dunbartonshire Council’s Local Transport Strategy (2020), greater clarity and national commitment to this recommendation is needed. This accords with ambitions to make active travel a more attractive option, increase the quality of air in our urban areas and, more generally, make streets more pleasant places to be. A national approach to identifying the kinds of roads which will be limited to 20mph would be welcomed for the benefit of all stakeholders.
• Culturally, many individuals are used to thinking about car travel first. In order to begin to reverse this, which must occur if the 2030 target of a 20% reduction in car kilometres is to occur, clear campaigns are needed at regional/national scales.

• All recommendations that make public transport a more attractive, accessible option for all are supported. Integrated ticketing between public transport modes at the highest feasible level (i.e. ideally a nationally integrated public transport ticket) will make public transport a more attractive option, decarbonise transport and reduce total car kilometres in line with national targets.
• The Council is disappointed that options included in the STPR2 Initial Appraisal: Case for Change - Glasgow City Region 1769, Improve performance of Milngavie Rail Line and Glasgow City Region 1770, Dual the rail line to Milngavie – have not been included in STPR2. The Council would like clarity on works to improve the Milngavie line and in particular the in the 2020-21 Scottish Government budget commitment of a further £5m to Transport Scotland to support a range of work in relation to the Longannet, Milngavie and East Kilbride lines, which was to include a business case for the Milngavie route.
• In the context of the climate crisis, recommendations related to decarbonising transport are essential and show that the public sector is engaged in influencing sectors and actors that can have a strong collective impact rather than solely placing responsibility on the general public to change their behaviour.