Transport Scotland - 20mph implementation plans for Dumfries and Galloway area: FOI release

Information requested

1.a. May we have the 20mph implementation plans prepared by Dumfries and Galloway Council in respect of streets under their control in communities comprising one or more trunk routes?

b. We wish to know if there is a corresponding offer of grant to Dumfries and Galloway Council in respect of its implementation of 20 mph speed limits, the grant amount thereof and to have a copy thereof along with its schedule of 20mph implementation measures.

c1. Are there active discussions between Transport Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council with respect to achieving implementation of 20mph on all the remaining appropriate roads in their area for the financial year 2025-26?

c2. Have or will the Council be required to submit to Transport Scotland a schedule of remaining 20 mph candidate sites for the financial year 2025-26 in order to receive any corresponding offer of grant?

c3. Is it now recognised by Transport Scotland that on the Council's present roll out policy many otherwise appropriate roads in Dumfries and Galloway will not be given 20mph in 2025 per the national target because the Council is choosing to ignore them in favour of prioritising other locations suiting its roll out criteria regardless of the relative collision threat level presented to active travellers or the gross disparity of fast traffic protection levels this approach is producing?

2a. May we have copies of the initial trunk route street 20mph assessments made by Transport Scotland for these other locations within Dumfries and Galloway along with any subsequent amendments thereto?

b. Do the initial assessments for the A75 within Crocketford and Springholm in Annex A referred to above remain unchanged as of the date of this information request? If they have been amended please supply maps of the proposals as now amended and the reasons for these amendments.

c. What is the current stage of progress toward delivery of Transport Scotland's 20mph proposals for the A75 within Crocketford and Springholm?

d. What else is still required before Transport Scotland's 20mph proposals for the A75 within Crocketford and Springholm may become an accomplished fact on the ground?

e. What is the current stage of progress toward delivery of Transport Scotland's 20mph proposals for the other 20mph candidate sites in Dumfries and Galloway?

f. Is progress toward delivery of Transport Scotland's 20mph proposals for 20mph candidate sites in Dumfries and Galloway being impeded by delays on the part of Dumfries and Galloway Council to prepare complementary 20 mph proposals on its associated side streets?

3a1. We wish to know the reason(s) for this anomalous treatment of Springholm and Crocketford within the 2025 national 20mph rollout given that both settlements clearly meet the Scottish Government's criteria.

a2. Specifically does it reflect the fact that the Transport Scotland proposals for these two villages require no further discussion because the inital proposals found acceptance with both consultees or alternatively does it reflect the fact that the proposals raised issues such that it was agreed these be set aside and thus omitted meantime from all ongoing 20mph trunk route roll out discussions?

b. We wish to know at what level of seniority discussions have been conducted with Police Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council.

c. Is there any publicly accessible minuted record of the content of these discussions or are they confidential?

d. Is Transport Scotland aware of any elected members of Dumfries and Galloway Council being privy to these trunk route 20mph proposal discussions because at this point we can find no evidence that Transport Scotland's 20 mph proposals for Springholm and Crocketford have been formally put before elected members?

e. What contingency plan does Transport Scotland have with respect to the implementation of 20mph on the region's trunk route streets to meet the Scottish Government's 2025 target in the now foreseeable event that Dumfries and Galloway Council continues to pursue a policy of no priority to designate the remainder of its 30mph streets within these 20 miles per hour in 2025? In this regard we would refer you to the Council's enclosed e-mail FOI reply dated 8 January 2024. We cannot so far detect any likelihood of co-operation on a community wide 20 mph limit in either village.

f. Whilst we note that Transport Scotland ostensibly has ultimate responsibility to decide if 20mph is given to the A75 villages is it not in fact the case that Dumfries and Galloway Council by simply not commiting to investing resources for whatever reason thereby have an effective veto on the implementation timetable of 20 mph along the section of the A75 within Springholm and Crocketford? Ditto also the police by claiming lack of patrol capacity?

g1. Given that the First Minister visited Crocketford in December and was unable to confirm the availability of any funding for the delivery of a bypass for Springholm and Crocketford nor even make a public statement regarding 20mph what contingency plan does Transport Scotland have to implement 20 mph limits along the collision prone A75 streets regardless of the apparent reticence of Dumfries and Galloway Council to properly play their part in Vision Zero with respect to their associated side streets?

g2. Is the partial 20mph zoning in Springholm of the street beside the primary school and the cul de sac within the 47 home Wheatley housing development sufficient to allow Transport Scotland to designate the village A75 20mph end to end as per the map in Annex A?

4a. Has Transport Scotland arranged any training conferences for local councillors on the implementation of 20 miles per hour as part of the quest for Vision Zero or have plans to do so?

b. Has Transport Scotland any plans for a high profile public information campaign aimed at convincing the public as to the merit of the national rollout utilising social media etc?

c. Why is the national campaign not being fronted by leading politicians as it was in Wales and are there any plans for this?

d. Has the ending of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens lessened the focus on a national 20mph roll out by this year? Momentum as was evidenced by the publication of many new 20mph TTRO's and TRO's during the currency of that agreement seems to have evaporated since it was abandoned and the Highland Council have since pushed back their final approval of trial 20mph limits to May.

e. Is Scotland's 2025 20mph roll out target on all appropriate roads now being set aside through ongoing delay and inaction just as the Welsh national roll out has delivered a clear reduction in fatalities and serious injuries, garnering safety awards in the process?

Response

I enclose a copy of all of the information you requested.

1a. Response: Local authorities have not been asked to provide this information to Transport Scotland, however, you may wish to contact Dumfries and Galloway who may be able to help you.

b. Response: The letter is attached, please see Annex A.

c1. Response: Transport Scotland are working closely with all road authorities, including Dumfries and Galloway to ensure necessary resources and support are in place for a successful rollout of 20 mph speed limits on appropriate roads by the end of 2025.

c2. Response: Local authorities will be asked to submit their expected spend, in regards to the implementation of 20mph speed limits for 2025-26. Funding is subject to Transport Scotland's 20mph budget being agreed by ministers and made available each financial year.

c3. Response: Transport Scotland are working closely with all road authorities, including Dumfries and Galloway to ensure necessary resources and support are in place for a successful rollout of 20 mph speed limits on appropriate roads by the end of 2025.

2a. Response: Please find in Annex B&C copies of the 20mph assessments made by Transport Scotland for the other locations on the trunk road within Dumfries and Galloway. These were prepared to inform consultation with Dumfries and Galloway Council and Police Scotland. Transport Scotland will make the final decision on whether a 20mph speed limit is appropriate through these locations following further consultation with Dumfries and Galloway Council and Police Scotland.

b. Response: No consultation has yet been undertaken with Dumfries and Galloway Council or Police Scotland specifically in relation to Crocketford and Springholm therefore the initial assessments for Crocketford and Springholm have not been amended.

c. Response: Scotland have a number of locations across the Trunk road network that have been assessed for 20mph limits. Transport Scotland are working through a programme coordinating as much as possible with Local Authority plans. As noted in a previous response, it is the intention that 20mph speed limits on the trunk road are introduced at the same time as those on the Local Authority’s roads.
This will simplify installation, provide a consistent message to drivers and prevent the abortive work of signage being installed at junctions by the Local Authority before potentially being removed shortly afterwards by Transport Scotland, or vice versa.

Initial assessments of the A75 through Springholm and Crocketford have been undertaken based on the road assessment criteria for 20mph speed limits. These were prepared to inform consultation with Dumfries and Galloway Council and Police Scotland. Transport Scotland will make a decision on whether a 20mph speed limit is appropriate through these locations following further consultation with Dumfries and Galloway Council and Police Scotland.

d. Response: Transport Scotland will make a decision on whether a 20mph speed limit is appropriate through these locations following further consultation with Dumfries and Galloway Council and Police Scotland. Should a 20mph limit be identified as appropriate for Springholm and Crocketford, it is currently the intention of Transport Scotland that this will be introduced at the same time as those on the Local Authority’s roads.

e. Response: Initial assessments of the A75 through Springholm and Crocketford have been undertaken based on the road assessment criteria for 20mph speed limits. These were prepared to inform consultation with Dumfries and Galloway Council and Police Scotland. Transport Scotland will make a decision on whether a 20mph speed limit is appropriate through these locations following further consultation with Dumfries and Galloway Council and Police Scotland.

Transport Scotland is currently working toward introducing a 20mph speed limit on the A7 through Langholm in March 2025. Proposals are currently being finalised for the introduction of a 20mph speed limit on the A701 in Dumfries.

f. Response: Progress toward delivery of Transport Scotland's 20mph proposals for 20mph candidate sites in Dumfries and Galloway is not currently being impeded by delays on the part of Dumfries and Galloway Council to prepare complementary 20 mph proposals on its associated side streets.

3a1. Response: Transport Scotland are working through a programme of locations that have been subject to initial assessment based on the road assessment criteria for 20mph speed limits and coordinating this programme as much as possible with Local Authority plans.

a2. Response: As noted in response to Q2b above, no consultation has yet been undertaken with Dumfries and Galloway Council or Police Scotland specifically in relation to 20mph speed limit proposals for Crocketford and Springholm.

b. Response: For discussions on the implementation of 20mph speed limits on the trunk roads for Transport Scotland these have been conducted by the Development Management and Trunk Road Casualty Reduction Manager and supported by the relevant team member involved in delivering 20mph speed limits on the trunk road. For Police Scotland these discussions have been held with a road policing inspector with support from other officers as appropriate. For Dumfries and Galloway Council, these discussion have been conducted with the Team Leader Network Strategy and Road Safety.

c. Response: There is no publicly available minuted record of these discussions.

d. Response: The initial proposals, showing the trunk road sections proposed for 20mph, were sent to Dumfries and Galloway Council officials on 15 January 2024. Transport Scotland is not aware if officials shared these with elected members of Dumfries and Galloway Council.

For the introduction of a temporary speed limit Transport Scotland notify stakeholders as set out in the Road Traffic (Temporary Restrictions) Procedure Regulations 1992
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/1215/regulation/3/made.

e. Response: Transport Scotland is currently working to deliver 20mph speed limits on all appropriate Trunk Roads by the end of 2025.

f. Response: Whilst it is the current intention that 20mph speed limits on the trunk road are introduced at the same time as those on the Local Authority’s roads, as noted above, Transport Scotland is currently working to deliver 20mph speed limits on all appropriate Trunk Roads by the end of 2025.

g1. Response: The Scottish Government is committed to the implementation of 20mph speed limits on those roads where it is appropriate to do so by 2025. Transport Scotland are planning to meet this commitment and implement 20mph speed limits on appropriate lengths of the trunk roads within Dumfries and Galloway.

g2. Response: Transport Scotland will make a decision on whether a 20mph speed limit is appropriate on the A75 through Springholm following further consultation with Dumfries and Galloway Council and Police Scotland.

4a. Response: Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030 fully embeds the Safe System approach to road safety. A Safe System involves those who manage and design the roads as well as those who use them; each is responsible for, and must contribute to, eradicating fatal and serious injuries. Ultimately, all road users are expected to use the roads safely and comply with the rules. The Scottish Government is investing in road safety practitioners who are delivering road safety throughout the country by delivering a programme of Safe System training to over 500 partners, Councillors and Ministers.

b. Response: To help deliver a national message and ensure a consistent approach to implementing 20mph limits, local authorities have been provided with an “Implementation Guide for 20 mph Speed Limits in Scotland” , a communication toolkit and a FAQ.

c. Response: The Scottish Government is committed to the implementation of 20mph speed limits on those roads where it is appropriate to do so by 2025. To deliver this commitment a 20mph Stakeholder Task Group was established to agree the most effective way of achieving it in Scotland. This group agreed to support local authorities to expand 20 mph speed limits where appropriate as the optimum route to implementation.

d. Response: In 2024-25 the Scottish Government has provided £4 million funding to local authorities to support targeted initiatives designed to protect pedestrians and cyclists through the roll out of 20mph speed limits. The Scottish Government is committed to the implementation of 20mph speed limits on those roads where it is appropriate to do so by 2025.

e. Response: The Scottish Government is committed to the implementation of 20mph speed limits on those roads where it is appropriate to do so by 2025.

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.

FOI 202500448768 - Information Released - Annex

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