Speed limit and activated halt signals at Springholm: EIR release

Information requested

1. We wish to know the intended duration of the trial of the experimental speed activated traffic halt signals on main street Springholm and if a trial conclusion date has been set.

2. We wish to know the methodology by which it is proposed to evaluate the success of the these experimental speed activated traffic halt signals.

3. We wish to know whether there are any concurrent trials of this technology taking place and, if so, the location of the trial(s), proposed duration(s) and evaluation date(s).

4. We wish to know the current status of any procedural processes being undertaken with a view to securing legal enforcement status in respect of drivers who do not comply with a red light presented by speed activated traffic halt signals.

5. We wish to know which residential trunk road streets under Transport Scotland's control are currently undergoing or about to commence approved 20 MPH speed limit trials, when these trials commenced / are to commence and when it is anticipated that each trial will be concluded and evaluated.

6. We wish to know which residential trunk road streets under Transport Scotland's control are currently the subject of discussions in respect of possible 20 MPH speed limit trials.

7. We wish to know with respect to residential trunk road streets falling within the category set out in either numbered paragraphs 5. or 6. the most recent 12 month traffic volumes of each street, pre Covid-19 lockdowns e.g. 2019 calendar year.

8. We wish to know, with regard to the promotion of safe, active community travel, what nation wide steps Transport Scotland are undertaking with respect to their residential trunk roads to implement the resolution that road safety must be prioritised over speed in built-up areas, contained in paragraph 11 of the Stockholm Declaration made on 20 February 2020 at the Third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety and that of the World Health Organisation both with respect of the adoption of 30km/h road speed limits for the protection of vulnerable road stakeholders on residential streets reflecting the upper limit of human bodily resilience in unprotected collisions.

Response

As the information you have requested is 'environmental information' for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA.

This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request

1. The trial duration period enables the collection of information/data which will be used to evaluate the trial scheme at its completion. This includes evaluation of injury accident data over a minimum three year period to understand the effect on road user safety. This period commenced following the last technology change made to the traffic signal detector and activation loops which was undertaken in December 2018. At this stage trial conclusion date has not been set, although we would expect it to be no sooner than three years after the last change in technology and the accident record period following that.

2. The success of the speed activated signals will be measured by a reduction in the average speed and 85th percentile speed of vehicles travelling through the village along with any associated safety benefits.

3. There are no other trials of this technology being undertaken on the Scottish trunk road network.

4. To enable these signals to be legally enforceable, a Scottish Statutory Instrument would be required to amend the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

In advance of, and to support any change in legislation, Transport Scotland will require to develop the policy for the use of this technology as a speed management tool. The outcome of the current trial will inform the development of this policy.

The evidence gathered to date from the trial has enabled the initial stage of policy development to be undertaken however this will be an ongoing process which will continue beyond the completion of the trial.

5. Please see the following table for details of sites on the trunk road network which are currently undergoing or due to commence 20mph speed limit trials:

Site	Trial Start Date
A68 Lauder	August 2020
A68 Earlston	August 2020
A68 St Boswells	August 2020
A68 Jedburgh	September 2020
A7 Selkirk	September 2020
A7 Hawick	October 2020
A702 West Linton	September 2020
A702 Carlops	September 2020
A84 Callander	TBC
A85 Comrie	TBC
A85 Crieff	TBC
A9 Thurso	TBC

We anticipate that each trial will last 18 months where upon they will be concluded and evaluated.

6. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), Transport Scotland is not required to provide information which it does not have. We do not have the information you have requested because other than the sites listed at point 5 there are no other trunk road streets under our control which are currently the subject of discussions in respect to the 20mph speed limit trials.

This exception is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in information about 20mph speed limit trials, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

7. Please see Annex A to this response for a spreadsheet showing, for each 20mph trial site, all available traffic flow data by direction as average daily flow by month. For your information we do not necessarily always have traffic counting sites at exactly the points a person may desire data from and on these occasions we have to supply data from the closest site (or sites). I have indicated on Annex A which counter applies to which 20mph trial site.

Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), Transport Scotland is not required to provide information which it does not have. We do not have some of the information you have requested due to counter/battery failures stopping counts from taking place.

This exception is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in information regarding traffic flows, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

8. In its scrutiny of the Restricted Roads (20 mph Speed Limit) (Scotland) Bill the Rural Economy Connectivity Committee (RECC) concluded that the “one size fits all approach” proposed in the Bill would not be appropriate. The Scottish Government committed to continue to work with CoSLA and SCOTS to identify straightforward, efficient and effective procedures for local authorities who wish to introduce more 20 mph speed limits in the right environment. The RECC welcomed such further research and requested to be updated on the outcomes.

The research was conducted as an online survey, promoted to all 32 local authorities through the SCOTS network for an 11 week period closing in September 2020. It identified lack of funding, lack of resources and a low priority to local authorities as the main barriers to further implementation of 20 mph speed limits.

It also highlighted that, as part of the Spaces for People (SfP) funding programme, many local authorities had introduced 20 mph limits alongside wider measures to maintain social distancing. Following an evaluation process, decisions are yet to be taken on whether these SfP schemes should be made permanent in certain locations. To gain an understanding of the rationale for determining their future status it has been agreed with both CoSLA and SCOTS to suspend further action regarding 20 mph implementation until the outcome of the SfP evaluation is known.

The Scottish Government has published a new Road Safety Framework to 2030. The Framework sets out a vision for Scotland to have the best road safety performance in the world by 2030 and an ambitious long term goal where no one is seriously injured or killed on our roads by 2050. We will build on what we’ve already achieved and our new Framework will do so through a sharper focus, improved evaluation, mode specific targets and stronger connections between national and local levels. At the same time, it aims to support wider policy objectives, such as tackling the climate emergency by supporting a shift away from cars and towards walking, wheeling and cycling for shorter everyday journeys.

Following on from the outcomes of the research carried out alongside CoSLA & SCOTS, we are developing a national strategy for 20 mph zones and limits in Scotland to support a range of policies that assist those Government national outcomes and indicators relevant to this area.

The strategy will identify a number of outcomes to assist in the further delivery of 20 mph zones and limits on those roads where it is appropriate to do so. It seeks to reduce perceptions of road danger, encourage people to walk and cycle, and create more pleasant streets and neighbourhoods by providing a more equitable balance between different road users, thereby promoting inclusivity.

Once the review has been completed we will consider the outcomes alongside local authorities and other key stakeholders, including the need for revision of any national guidance. The work will draw on best practice and available evidence relating to 20 mph zones and limits to inform the development of an implementation plan.

The plan will include consideration of:

• Resource and funding requirements for 20 mph zones and limits, (e.g. for design and installation of new zones/limits, and complementary awareness-raising and attitudinal change campaigns);
• Support for local authorities (and other partners where appropriate) to implement 20 mph zones and limits (where appropriate) in urban areas and on roads that are active travel routes to key trip generators e.g. schools, hospitals; and
• Implementation of national road safety campaigns aimed at supporting 20 mph zones and limits and promotion of better driver behaviour in relation to 20 mph zones and limits.

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FOI202100161024 - Annex A

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