20 MPH Task Force Group: FOI release

Information requested

1. The terms of reference of the Scottish Government's 20 MPH Task Force Group.

2. The reporting timetable of the Scottish Government's 20 MPH Task Force Group.

3. The membership composition of the Scottish Government's 20 MPH Task Force Group.

4. The meeting schedule/frequency of the Scottish Government's 20 MPH Task Force Group and whether its agendas and minutes of meetings are to be in the public domain or are to remain private and confidential.

5. Whether any interim/draft report and the final report of Scottish Government's 20 MPH Task Force Group will be published in the same manner as the Welsh Government's 20 MPH Task Force Group report published on 15 July 2020.

6. Whether the 20 MPH Task Force Group is the sole working group tasked with advancing the delivery of the Scottish Government's proposed National Strategy for 20 mph Zones and Limits.

7. Given that the Scottish Government are not trailblazing a National Strategy for 20 mph Zones and Limits because the Welsh Government have already undertaken the same associated investigative work then if the Scottish reporting timetable is stated in response to question 2. to be 2023 or later what is the reason for that delay given the pressing need to implement the long standing UN/WHO safe street traffic speed of 20 mph maximum when vulnerable persons are in unprotected proximity to passing traffic?

Response

1. The terms of reference of the Scottish Government's 20 MPH Task Force Group.

The terms of reference of the 20 mph Task Group currently falls under Section 17(1) – Information not held. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested because it has not yet been created for this group.

2. The reporting timetable of the Scottish Government's 20 MPH Task Force Group.

The reporting timetable of the 20 mph Task Group currently falls under Section 17(1) – Information not held. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested because it has not yet been created for this group. However the Programme for Government commitment states “We will ensure all appropriate roads in built-up areas have a safer speed limit of 20 mph by 2025, forming a task group to plan the most effective route for implementation”

3. The membership composition of the Scottish Government's 20 MPH Task Force Group

The 20 mph Task Group membership composition consists of: Transport Scotland, SCOTS, COSLA, Cycling Scotland, Living Streets, I AM Roadsmart, Police Scotland, RoSPA, SCSN, Safety Camera Partnership, British Horse Society, MACS, MAG, Scottish Fire and Rescue and Sustrans. In addition the task group has committed to consider wider membership suggestions (and appropriate stages for them to join) as the strategy progress.

4. The meeting schedule/frequency of the Scottish Government's 20 MPH Task Force Group and whether its agendas and minutes of meetings are to be in the public domain or are to remain private and confidential.

The Task Group met December 2021 and will meet again 15 March, following this they will meet as and when required with the meeting date being agreed at the previous meeting. As the Task Group is working on the development of a strategy, the agenda and minutes will not be published.

5. Whether any interim/draft report and the final report of Scottish Government's 20 MPH Task Force Group will be published in the same manner as the Welsh Government's 20 MPH Task Force Group report published on 15 July 2020.

The Task Group for the national strategy for 20 mph has been established to identify the most appropriate route to implement 20 mph, with the decisions being captured and published in the final national strategy for 20 mph speed limits and the relevant guidance.

6. Whether the 20 MPH Task Force Group is the sole working group tasked with advancing the delivery of the Scottish Government's proposed National Strategy for 20 mph Zones and Limits.

The 20 mph task group has overall governance of the national strategy. To assist in this process, wider sub groups of experts will be formed, providing expert evidence and recommendations to enable decisions to be discussed and agreed formally by the full task group.

7. Given that the Scottish Government are not trailblazing a National Strategy for 20 mph Zones and Limits because the Welsh Government have already undertaken the same associated investigative work then if the Scottish reporting timetable is stated in response to question 2. to be 2023 or later what is the reason for that delay given the pressing need to implement the long standing UN/WHO safe​​​street traffic speed of 20 mph maximum when vulnerable persons are in unprotected proximity to passing traffic?

As answered at point 2 The reporting timetable of the 20 mph Task Group currently falls under Section 17 (1) – Information not held. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested because it has not yet been created for this group. However the Programme for Government commitment states “We will ensure all appropriate roads in built-up areas have a safer speed limit of 20 mph by 2025, forming a task group to plan the most effective route for implementation”

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