Buchan Sustainable Transport Study: EIR release

Information requested

Can the Scottish Government publish the Buchan Sustainable Transport Study, which examined possible travel interventions in Dyce, Ellon, Peterhead, and Fraserburgh to accelerate the region’s transition to net zero?

Separately, can the Scottish Government publish minutes of meetings where the study has been on the agenda?

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.

Response to your request
1. I enclose a copy of Buchan Sustainable Transport Study report. This includes:

1. Executive Summary Report
2. Case for Change report
3. Preliminary Options Appraisal report

This report was funded by the Scottish Government’s Just Transition Fund and is owned by Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce (AGCC) and Campaign for North East Rail (CNER).

This report is currently being reviewed by the Scottish Government. In the interest of being fully transparent with the public, we are releasing this, which we have received from AGCC and CNER.

2. I enclose a copy of the meeting note from the Project Engagement Meeting between AGCC, CNER and Transport Scotland on 22 May 2023. This meeting note was prepared by Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce and is not owned by Transport Scotland.

There were no further relevant meeting notes found while conducting the search.

Due to the size of the files we are unable to upload Document 3 referred to above. If you wish to consider, please contact us at the address below and we will be happy to provide.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

EIR 202400436745 - Information Released - Annex

File type

PDF

File size

8.3 MB