Our response to the Scottish Government’s STPR2 consultation

This review will contribute to improving active travel infrastructure in Scotland by promoting the development of infrastructure such as:

• Active freeways
• Village-town active travel connections
• Connecting towns by active travel
• Long distance active travel network

 

Sustrans Scotland’s key recommendations for improvements to the Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 are:

• 20-minute neighbourhoods

The focus of 'Connected neighbourhoods' on streets within 800m of a town centre is too limited to live up to the title of this option.

It would better support 20-minute neighbourhoods (1600m walking distance) if the scope of this option was expanded to include low-cost traffic reduction measures across all residential areas.

This would create the opportunity to achieve a strategic-level impact on modal shift away from private car use by targeting the environment where most people start their journeys.

• Public transport and active travel “competing”

We are concerned that some city-based mass-transit schemes may squeeze out space for active travel modes unless accompanied by motor vehicle demand management measures that prioritise space for people.

It also needs to be properly assessed whether mega-budget projects focussed on particular corridors create as much benefit as large programmes of smaller interventions spread over a wider area.

To date, rail improvements have not included sustainable access to stations - only addressing issues within the station itself.

Providing car parking at stations is an inefficient use of space and encourages local traffic into town centres to the detriment of business and walking, wheeling and cycling.

 

Our full response to the Scottish Government's STPR2 consultation

1 Were you aware of STPR2 prior to this consultation?

Yes

2 To what extent do you agree or disagree that the STPR2 process reflects the NTS2 Priorities and Outcomes?

Strongly agree

3 Please provide any further comments you have in relation to the STPR2 process.

-

4 To what extent do you agree or disagree that it was correct to take both a Regional and National approach to STPR2?

Strongly agree

5 Please provide any further comments:

Tay City regional workshops were an effective, collaborative way to produce an exhaustive list of regional project options.

Grouping projects into categories at a national level makes sense, though we have some disappointment that more region-specific projects weren't identified in the national report, particularly for active travel.

The plan has no local approach, but traffic regulations and their applications depend on local government budget.

6 To what extent do you agree or disagree that the engagement process has allowed you to provide a contribution to STPR2?

Neither agree nor disagree

7 Please provide any further comments you have on the engagement carried out throughout STPR2.

As a key stakeholder representing all of the Active Travel Delivery Partners, we are disappointed that we have not been involved in the discussions between the STPR2 consultants and Transport Scotland to refine the active travel options (the last Active Travel Stakeholder meeting was held in December 2019).

We therefore consider that our expertise and knowledge in strategic active travel delivery has not been adequately incorporated in to the STPR2 process.

Key Themes

8 Which of the overall key themes is your / your organisation’s top priority?

Improving active travel infrastructure

9 Which of the overall key themes is your / your organisation’s lowest priority?

Strengthening strategic connections

1. STPR2 Key Themes and Recommendations

10 To what extent do you agree or disagree that the recommendations under this theme will contribute to Improving Active Travel Infrastructure?

Connected neighbourhoods: Agree

Active freeways: Strongly agree

Village-town active travel connections: Strongly agree

Connecting towns by active travel: Strongly agree

Long distance active travel network: Strongly agree

11 Which of these recommendations would you prioritise to contribute to Improving Active Travel Infrastructure?

Connected neighbourhoods: Medium Priority

Active freeways: High Priority

Village-town active travel connections: Medium Priority

Connecting towns by active travel: Medium Priority

Long distance active travel network: Medium Priority

12 Do the recommendations under this theme address the transport needs of your local or regional area or the people your organisation represents?

Yes

13 Please provide any additional comments you have on the theme Improving Active Travel Infrastructure and the recommendations within it.

The focus of 'Connected neighbourhoods' on streets within 800m of a town centre is too limited to live up to the title of this option.

It would better support 20-minute neighbourhoods (1600m walking distance) if the scope of this option was expanded to include low-cost traffic reduction measures across all residential areas.

This would create the opportunity to achieve a strategic-level impact on modal shift away from private car use by targeting the environment where most people start their journeys.

We note and welcome that all of the inter-urban active travel options align with the development of the National Cycle Network.

However, it is important to note that the effectiveness of the existing network is constrained by varying quality of infrastructure.

Therefore, improving the existing network and plugging its gaps is as important, if not more so, than creating new routes.

 

2. Influencing Travel Choices and Behaviours

14 To what extent do you agree or disagree that the recommendations under this theme contribute to Influencing Travel Choices and Behaviours?

Behaviour change initiatives: Strongly agree

Changing road user behaviour: Agree

Increasing active travel to school: Strongly agree

Improving access to bikes: Strongly agree

Expansion of 20mph limits and zones: Agree

15 Which of these recommendations would you prioritise to contribute to Influencing Travel Choices and Behaviours?

Behaviour change initiatives: High Priority

Changing road user behaviour: High Priority

Increasing active travel to school: High Priority

Improving access to bikes: High Priority

Expansion of 20mph limits and zones: Medium Priority

16 Do the recommendations under this theme address the transport needs of your local or regional area or the people your organisation represents?

Yes

17 Please provide any additional comments you have on the theme Influencing Travel Choices and Behaviours and the recommendations within it.

A diverse and widely available range of behaviour change initiatives have the potential to achieve significant changes in personal travel behaviour and to capitalise on the infrastructure investment.

However, the behaviour change recommendation seems to imply blanket information/awareness raising of measures.

This measure should be refocused to use population segmentation at a local level to target population sub-groups, for example using social marketing.

3. Enhancing Access to Affordable Public Transport

18 To what extent do you agree or disagree that the recommendations under this theme contribute to Enhancing Access to Affordable Public?

Clyde Metro: Agree

Edinburgh & South East Scotland Mass Transit: Agree

Aberdeen Rapid Transit: Agree

Provision of strategic bus priority measures: Agree

Highland Mainline rail corridor enhancements: Agree

Perth- Dundee- Aberdeen rail corridor enhancements: Agree

Edinburgh/Glasgow – Perth/Dundee rail corridor enhancements: Agree

Supporting integrated journeys at ferry terminals: Agree

Infrastructure to provide access for all at railway stations: Strongly agree

Investment in DRT and MaaS: Agree

Improved public transport passenger interchange facilities: Agree

Framework for delivery of mobility hubs: Agree

Smart, integrated public transport ticketing: Agree

19 Which of these recommendations would you prioritise to contribute to Enhancing Access to Affordable Public Transport?

Clyde Metro: Medium Priority

Edinburgh & South East Scotland Mass Transit: Medium Priority

Aberdeen Rapid Transit: Medium Priority

Provision of strategic bus priority measures: Medium Priority

Highland Mainline rail corridor enhancements: Medium Priority

Perth- Dundee- Aberdeen rail corridor enhancements: Medium Priority

Edinburgh/Glasgow – Perth/Dundee rail corridor enhancements: Medium Priority

Supporting integrated journeys at ferry terminals: Medium Priority

Infrastructure to provide access for all at railway stations: High Priority

Investment in DRT and MaaS: Low Priority

Improved public transport passenger interchange facilities: Medium Priority

Framework for delivery of mobility hubs: Low Priority

Smart, integrated public transport ticketing: Medium Priority

20 Do the recommendations under this theme address the transport needs of your local or regional area or the people your organisation represents?

Yes

21 Please provide any additional comments you have on the theme Enhancing Access to Affordable Public Transport and the recommendations within it

We are concerned that some city-based mass-transit schemes may squeeze out space for active travel modes unless accompanied by motor vehicle demand management measures that prioritise space for people. It also needs to be properly assessed whether mega-budget projects focussed on particular corridors create as much benefit as large programmes of smaller interventions spread over a wider area.

To date, rail improvements have not included sustainable access to stations - only addressing issues within the station itself. Providing car parking at stations is space inefficient and encourages local traffic into town centres to the detriment of business and walking, cycling and wheeling.

Integrated ticketing should seek to include access to cycle hire schemes as well to provide seamless end to end journeys via integrated active travel and public transport.

Infrastructure to provide access for all at railway stations: this should be strengthened to ensure that it is possible for all users have equal value regardless of their travel mode.

4. Decarbonising Transport

22 To what extent do you agree or disagree that the recommendations under this theme contribute to Decarbonising Transport?

Ferry vessel renewal and replacement and progressive decarbonisation: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Rail decarbonisation: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Decarbonisation of bus network: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Behaviour change and modal shift for freight: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Zero emissions vehicles and infrastructure transition: Don’t Know / No Opinion

23 Which of these recommendations would you prioritise to contribute to Decarbonising Transport?

Ferry vessel renewal and replacement and progressive decarbonisation: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Rail decarbonisation: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Decarbonisation of bus network: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Behaviour change and modal shift for freight: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Zero emissions vehicles and infrastructure transition: Don’t Know / No Opinion

24 Do the recommendations under this theme address the transport needs of your local or regional area or the people your organisation represents?

Don’t Know / No Opinion

25 Please provide any additional comments you have on the theme Decarbonising Transport and the recommendations within it.

Transport emissions are the highest source of Scotland's carbon emissions, and the only sector (from heat, agriculture, industry) that has not decreased since 1990. Sustrans advocates strongest possible measures to decarbonise transport by reducing dependency on private vehicles and facilitating modal shift from cars to public transport and active travel.

5. Increasing Safety and Resilience on the Strategic Transport Network

26 To what extent do you agree or disagree that the recommendations under this theme contribute to Increasing Safety and Resilience on the Strategic Transport Network?

Access to Argyll A83: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Trunk road and motorway safety Improvements: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Trunk road and motorway network climate change adaption and resilience: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Trunk road and motorway network renewal for reliability, resilience and safety: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Enhancing Intelligent Transport Systems: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Strategy for improving rest and welfare facilities for hauliers: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Improving active travel on trunk roads through communities: Agree

Speed management plan: Strongly agree

27 Which of these recommendations would you prioritise to contribute to Increasing Safety and Resilience on the Strategic Transport Network?

Access to Argyll A83: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Trunk road and motorway safety Improvements: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Trunk road and motorway network climate change adaption and resilience: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Trunk road and motorway network renewal for reliability, resilience and safety: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Enhancing Intelligent Transport Systems: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Strategy for improving rest and welfare facilities for hauliers: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Improving active travel on trunk roads through communities: Medium Priority

Speed management plan: Medium Priority

28 Do the recommendations under this theme address the transport needs of your local or regional area or the people your organisation represents?

Don’t Know / No Opinion

29 Please provide any additional comments you have on the theme Increasing Safety and Resilience on the Strategic Transport Network and the recommendations within it.

Where road bypasses are proposed these should only be implemented where:

- Other options to encourage modal shift to other modes has been fully considered

- The full cost of demand management/placemaking measures in the town being bypassed have been included within the project scope/budget.

Otherwise, many of the supposed benefits to the town will be lost when the less congested roads encourage more people to drive.

 

6. Strengthening Strategic Connections

30 To what extent do you agree or disagree that the recommendations under this theme contribute to Strengthening Strategic Connections?

Sustainable access to Grangemouth Investment Zone: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Access to Stranraer and ports at Cairnryan: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Potential fixed links in Outer Hebrides and Mull: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Investment in ports infrastructure: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Major station masterplans: Agree

Rail freight terminals: Don’t Know / No Opinion

High speed and cross border rail enhancements: Don’t Know / No Opinion

31 Which of these recommendations would you prioritise to contribute to Strengthening Strategic Connections?

Sustainable access to Grangemouth Investment Zone: Do not support this recommendation

Access to Stranraer and ports at Cairnryan: Do not support this recommendation

Potential fixed links in Outer Hebrides and Mull: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Investment in ports and infrastructure: Don’t Know / No Opinion

Major station masterplans: Medium Priority

Rail freight terminals: Don’t Know / No Opinion

High speed and cross border rail enhancements: Don’t Know / No Opinion

32 Do the recommendations under this theme address the transport needs of your local or regional area or the people your organisation represents?

Don’t Know / No Opinion

33 Please provide any additional comments you have on the theme Strengthening Strategic Connections and the recommendations within it.

Major station masterplans should seek to improve both increased active travel access and storage. Any fixed links to islands should include high quality active travel provision

Access to Stranraer and the Ports at Cairnryan: While Sustrans does not have details on the proposed plans, we anticipate that this will involve a large number of road upgrades to facilitate more traffic. This goes against National Transport Strategy (NTS2) outcomes. We are not seeing a corresponding set of proposals to facilitate travel to Stranraer / Cairnryan either by public transport or using active travel options.

STPR2 Recommendations and other Scottish Government Policy

34 Prior to this consultation were you aware of the list of Scottish Government policies below, which STPR2 aligns with and supports?

Take action against climate change: Yes

Decarbonising transport: Yes

Reducing car use: Yes

Encouraging greater walking, wheeling and cycling: Yes

Addressing inequalities, such as: Child poverty: Yes

Addressing inequalities, such as: Affordability of transport: Yes

Addressing inequalities, such as: Access to transport: Yes

Transport as an enabler of inclusive economic growth: Yes

Providing a safe transport system: Yes

Providing a reliable and resilient transport system: Yes

35 Prior to this consultation were you aware of the Scottish Government policy documents to which STPR2 aligns with and supports?

National Transport Strategy 2 (NTS2): Yes

National Planning Framework (NPF4): Yes

Climate Change Plan Update & Route Map: Yes

Infrastructure Investment Plan: Yes

Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 & Delivery Plan: Yes

National Performance Framework: Yes

36 To what extent do you agree or disagree that the STPR2 recommendations reflect and will contribute to the aims of government policy?

Agree

37 Please provide any additional comments you have on the STPR2 recommendations’ contribution to Government policy.

-

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) & Other Impact Assessments

38 To what extent do you agree or disagree with the overall findings of the SEA?

Don’t Know / No Opinion

39 The SEA has reviewed plans, policies and programmes relevant to STPR2. Are there any other plans, policies and programmes that should be considered?

Don't Know

40 The SEA sets out the current national and regional baseline environment conditions and future trends. Do you have any comments on this baseline data?

Don't Know

41 Are there any particular issues, problems or opportunities you would like to mention that have not been captured within the SEA?

Yes

If yes, please provide further comments:

Looking at the wider economic context, oil price hikes due to Russian sanctions will lead to transport poverty increasing. Wider global trade impacts could lead to logistics issues that could affect active travel infrastructure delivery timelines and costs.