The role of Regional Transport Partnerships in Delivering the

Cleaner Air for Scotland StrategyAlex Macaulay

Partnership Director for SEStran

Context • RTPs established as statutory bodies by the Transport (Scotland)

Act 2005• Strategic Regional Transport Planning

Authorities• Deliver a Regional Transport Strategy• Successful delivery of projects and initiatives

across Scotland– Subway modernisation, park & ride,

accessibility, active travel, real-time information,bus service procurement, smart ticketing

• Ideally placed to work with Public and Private sector partners

• Key role in economic growth, social inclusion and climate change

• Contribution to Community Planning and National outcomes

Develop to Deliver • Paper prepared by an officer led

working group under auspices of Ministers– Including RTP Officers, Transport

Scotland and CoSLA representatives

• Jointly agreed terms of reference• How RTPs can assist in the delivery of

the NTS• Maximise the role of RTPs as

statutory bodies• Approved by Minister, CoSLA and

RTPs

Identified Areas of Influence and Delivery • Building Effective Partnerships

– Scottish Government/Transport Scotland, CoSLA and the RTPs • Improving Integration of Land Use and Transport Planning

– ‘key agencies’ in the Development Planning process• Improving Access to Health and Social Care

– enhanced key role• Delivering a “Step Change” for Bus, Integrated Transport, Ticketing and

Information– implementation of proposals emerging from the national Bus Stakeholders

Group– progress social / integrated transport, Demand Responsive Transport and

Community Transport initiatives, including the procurement and co-ordination of public transport.

– development and delivery of smart and integrated ticketing. – Real Time, on-line and conventional forms of public transport and multi-modal

travel information.– Make door to door journeys for older and disabled people more accessible.

Identified Areas of Influence and Delivery • Developing Rail/High Speed Rail

– contribute to implementation of franchises and HSR issues through liaison.

– National rail policy issues to be addressed through proposed Scottish Government/Transport Scotland/RTP/CoSLA liaison.

• Improving Air Services – contribute to development of air policy and provision

through liaison and regional action as appropriate. • Improving Ferry Services

– contribute to development of ferries and other maritime policy and provision through liaison arrangements and regional action as appropriate.

Identified Areas of Influence and Delivery • Improving Freight

– contribute to freight policy development and delivery through liaison and regional action, including Regional Freight Quality Partnerships, as appropriate.

• Promoting and Improving Active Travel and Travel Planning – RTPs to have key role in supporting the Scottish Government on

delivery of national cycling / active travel targets and infrastructure, including co-ordination with Councils / Community Planning Partnerships, Sustrans, Cycling Scotland and other agencies, with appropriate funding and delivery responsibilities.

• Delivery Mechanisms – Transport delivery mechanisms, prioritisation and funding to be

addressed through proposed Scottish Government/Transport Scotland/RTP/COSLA liaison arrangements, liaison with private sector partners, Community Planning Partnerships and the travelling public, and regional action as appropriate.

An example - SEStran Regional Transport Strategy

• Reviewed and approved by Ministers in July 2015)– Transport sustainability through

location, layout, accessibility, public transport and active travel provision.

– Facilitate sustainable economic growth– Improve Accessibility especially for

those without access to a car– Promote a healthier and more active

population

SEStran Regional Transport Strategy Objectives

• 1. Economy - to ensure transport facilitates economic growth, regional prosperity and vitality in a sustainable manner;

• 2. Accessibility - to improve accessibility for those with limited transport choice (including disabled people) or no access to a car, particularly those who live in rural areas:

SEStran Regional Transport Strategy Objectives

• 3. Environment - To ensure that development is achieved in an environmentally sustainable manner:– 3.1 to contribute to the achievement of

the Scottish national targets and obligations on greenhouse gas emissions.

– 3.2 to promote more sustainable travel.– 3.3 to reduce the need to travel.– 3.4 to minimise the negative impacts of

transport on natural and cultural resources.

– 3.5 to increase transport choices, reducing dependency on the

private car.

SEStran Regional Transport Strategy Objectives

• 4. Safety and Health - To promote a healthier and more active SEStran area population:– 4.1 to improve safety (accidents)

and personal security.– 4.2 to increase the proportion of

trips by walk/ cycle.– 4.3 to meet or better all

statutory air quality requirements.

– 4.4 to reduce the impacts of transport noise.

Scottish coverage of Regional Transport Strategies

All focused on Sustainable Transport

Some examples - Active travel

• Providing cycle friendly routes for commuting• Working closely with LA’s and Sustrans• Embedded Active Travel Officers within RTPs• Regional Cycle Network funding • Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme• Supporting the work of Smarter Choices Smarter

Places• Travel Planning• Aberdeen City Centre Master Plan

• 4 Nissan LEAFs

• 6 Mitsubishi i-MiEVs

• 500+ Staff members on Booking System

• 1 CCS Rapid Charger & 30 Type 2 ‘Fast’ Charge Posts• Emissions saved since project start*

• Over 21.0 metric tonnes of CO2

Edinburgh College EV Project

• Regional Car Sharing website

• (replicated in other RTP areas)

• Launched in October 2006, over 8,300 Members

• CO2 savings – 1039 tonnes

• Mileage savings – 3,155,514

• One way Trips to the moon saved 13!

Tripshare SEStran

Public transport

•Encourage bus and rail use•Community Rail Partnerships •Real-Time passenger information •Park and Ride provision•Supported services/BRT

•Cleaner fuels•SQPs

•And many more

Freight• Freight Quality Partnerships• Freight Routing Map• Consolidation centre studies

– SEStran – Grangemouth, West Lothian– TACTRAN – Perth, Dundee

• Dundee Sustainable Urban Logistics Plan• Empty Container study• Rosyth – Zeebrugge Ferry• All designed to reduce emissions

Modelling• “We will: Design, develop and implement a two-tier

modelling system for regional and local scales to provide evidence for appraising and identifying potential transport and planning solutions to local air quality issues.”

Regional NMF Areas

Modelling

• Existing Regional Transport models could be used as a basis for modelling transport emissions

• Upgraded to take into account local conditions (constrained junctions, canyon effects, fleet composition)

• We will work with TS to develop the tools

National Low Emission Framework (NLEF)

• “We will: By April 2016, in further consultation with partner organisations, ensure the NLEF criteria, tests, and processes are developed, agreed, and finalised.

• We will also develop the software tools and associated guidance for the NLEF, including funding options and technical reports, that will underpin the evidence on effectiveness of options.

• Based on the principles of the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG),”

National Low Emission Framework

Conclusion

• Low emission projects very much built into Regional Transport Partnership Strategies

• RTPs make significant contributions to Scottish Government and the delivery of its objectives

• RTPs integral to the CAFS Strategy and happy to cooperate