Just Transition: draft plan for transport in Scotland

Annex G: Adaptation, Biodiversity and Environment

Scotland’s climate has changed and will continue to do so, with the impact of rising global emissions already locked in for decades to come. More extreme weather events, severe flooding, hotter winters and increased coastal erosion are already putting pressure on how people, goods and services a moved across Scotland.

As we respond to this new reality, a just transition to net zero and climate resilience presents an opportunity for us to adapt our transport system and improve our natural environment. This Annex sets out the key initiatives that Transport Scotland has developed to address these challenges.

Existing Climate Change Adaptation Policy within Transport Scotland

Transport Scotland’s Approach to Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience (ACCAR) was published in August 2023 and sets out an ambitious vision for “a transport system which is well adapted and prepared for current and future impacts of climate change, is safe for all users, reliable for everyday journeys, and resilient to weather related disruption.”

Transport Scotland ensures that adaptation and resilience are embedded across the Transport Scotland functions through an internal governance structure for the ACCAR and an appropriate leadership board, with at least one individual from each directorate overseeing the implementation of the ACCAR outcomes.

The ACCAR supports delivery of the wider Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP3) which sets out over 200 actions to build Scotland’s resilience to climate change. SNAP3 does this through outlining support and tools for our communities, businesses, public services and nature to adapt to the changing climate in a way that is fair and inclusive. The Plan sets out a long-term vision across five high-level outcomes for climate adaptation and defines Scotland’s priorities for action through 23 objectives for the next five years.

ACCAR is embedded within the SNAP3 outcome on Public Services and Infrastructure (PS), specifically delivering against the Transport System objective (PS4) which ensures ‘the transport system is prepared for current and future impacts of climate change and is safe for all users, reliable for everyday journeys and resilient to weather related disruption.’

There are specific outcomes and actions proposed to ensure each transport mode is adapted to prepare for the likely existing impacts of climate change:

Roads ACCAR Strategic Outcome: ‘Trunk Roads which are well adapted and resilient to the current, projected, and unexpected impacts of climate change’.

• In 2021, a Roads Vulnerable Locations Group (VLG) was established. This agreed to establish the Vulnerable Locations Operational Group (VLOG) to lead on the operational alignment required to manage a Pilot Adaptation Programme to deliver schemes to mainstream climate change adaptation across the Roads Directorate.
• A Trunk Road Adaptation Plan (TRAP) is being developed to identify and evaluate current and future climate risks on the Trunk Road Network (TRN).

Rail ACCAR Strategic Outcome: ‘Supporting the delivery of climate change adaptation and resilience for Scotland’s Rail network’.

• The Scottish Ministers’ High Level Output Specification (HLOS) - Control Period 7 - 2024 – 2029 commits to working in partnership with Scottish Rail Holdings, ScotRail Trains Ltd., and other external stakeholders to deliver its net zero, climate change adaptation and sustainability objectives while contributing to related Scottish Government objectives included in NTS2.
• Network Rail’s Climate Ready Plan explicitly refers to the ACCAR as a funder priority and SNAP3 as a government priority under national priorities within their plan. Network Rail co-founded the Climate Ready Infrastructure Forum which intends to advance the climate adaptation and resilience efforts of infrastructure owners and operators in Scotland.

Aviation ACCAR Strategic Outcome: ‘Engaging with aviation stakeholders to support their decision making in relation to climate change adaptation and resilience’.

• Transport Scotland is engaging with HIAL to ensure they are prepared for potential climate change impacts. HIAL is monitoring flooding risks to its infrastructure and takes appropriate action at those airports most at risk to ensure there is no significant disruption to services. They are also monitoring the effects of high temperatures at its airports and the impact these could have on vehicles, runways, and infrastructure.

Maritime ACCAR Strategic Outcome: ‘Contributing to safeguarding lifeline ferry services, ports, harbours, and canals in response to the threat of climate change’.

• Transport Scotland are proactive in collaboration with CMAL and ferry operators, providing a vital understanding of climate science to ensure it is considered when developing appropriate future interventions and policy.
• Transport Scotland proactively collaborate with Scottish Canals to identify climate change adaptation and resilience interventions and opportunities.

Existing Biodiversity Policy within Transport Scotland

The Scottish Government has declared twin, interlinked crises of Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss, with two key milestones:

1. immediate action now to halt biodiversity loss at the latest by 2030; and

2. restore and regenerate biodiversity and reach NetZero emissions by 2045.

The National Transport Strategy 2 includes a commitment to build on the requirements of national planning policy and strengthen our commitment to securing positive effects for biodiversity in all our works, through the application of Transport Scotland’s landscape design and management policy, Fitting Landscapes - securing more sustainable landscapes.

The recent publication of the national Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045 Tackling the Nature Emergency in Scotland seeks to drive an increase in ecological connectivity and deliver the restoration of nature. This establishes a framework of action leading to a ‘nature positive’ nation, and to systematically mainstream biodiversity across sectors and the wider policy landscape, including transport.

Natural Capital

Transport Scotland has started development of a Natural Capital geospatial tool for the Scottish Trunk Road network to establish a baseline assessment of the ecosystem services supported by the landholding. The emerging tool can be utilised to help support a variety of activities, including:

• Monitoring and reporting against existing environmental targets, such a biodiversity and carbon.
• Supporting operators’ maintenance decisions. For example, identifying hotspots for pollinator rich habitat and ensuring suitable maintenance.
• Early identification and consideration of natural capital prior to detailed assessments being undertaken. This could generate better environmental outcomes due to considering natural capital at an earlier point in projects.

Transport and Air Quality

Poor air quality has a negative impact on all of our health, with the very young, the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions being particularly vulnerable. Introduction of LEZs into Scotland’s four largest cities (Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh) was a key Program for Government commitment aimed at improving air quality by keeping the most polluting vehicles out of our city centres where levels of air pollution tend to be elevated.

The transition to net zero is expected to have a positive effect on the desired outcomes of LEZs. Increases in the change towards use of low and zero emission forms of transport will reduce air pollution within LEZ areas at the source and will also lead to a reduction in GHGs.

• LEZs encourage a modal shift towards less polluting and more sustainable means of transport including cleaner vehicles and active travel. This change has been promoted through our associated support funds such as the Bus Emission Abatement Retrofit (BEAR) grant and the LEZ Support fund.
• Between 2018-2021 the BEAR grant awarded over £24 million to bus and coach operators, helping to retrofit over 1,200 mid-life buses and coaches to the latest Euro VI emission standard, significantly reducing the pollution caused by these vehicles while maintaining the resource for more sustainable travel.
• Through LEZ grants over 560 taxis have also been retrofitted to meet Euro 6 standards and limit their emission of harmful pollutants.
• The LEZ Support Fund has helped lower income households and microbusinesses and sole traders adapt to Low Emission Zones with up to £3,000 available to eligible households. This includes up to £1000 in ‘travel better’ credits to support the adoption of cycling, car sharing and public transport.
• The impact of the LEZ Support Fund has resulted in an increase of grantees using active travel for transport: 41% now walk more since disposing of their non-compliant vehicle; 31% use public transport; and 24% cycle.