Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) – Minutes of Quarterly Board Meeting - 28 January 2025

Attendees

• Anya Kettles, MACS Convener (AK)
• Simon Watkins, MACS Vice-Convener & Rail Lead (SW)
• Anne MacLeod, MACS Ferries & Aviation Lead (AM)
• Lesley Macinnes, MACS Bus & Community Transport Co-Lead (LM)
• Lynn Pilkington, MACS Planning & Strategy Lead (LP)
• Susan Fulton, MACS Roads, Infrastructure & Active Travel Lead (SF)
• Catherine Barile, MACS Member (CB)
• Elliot Cooper, MACS Member (EC)
• Joanne Devitt, MACS Member (JD)
• Michael Tornow, MACS Member (MT)
• Naghat Ahmed, MACS Member (NA)
• Zara Todd, MACS Member (ZT)

Apologies

• Lynsey Shovlin
• David Keltie-Armstrong, MACS Head of Secretariat (covering Sponsorship) (DKA)
• Anne Martin, Head of Transport Strategy and Analysis – as Sponsor (AM)

Presenting

• Sally Shaw and Scott Allen, Transport Scotland leads on TraveLine

Purpose of Meeting

The purpose of this Legislative Board Meeting is to provide quarterly updates from each workstream, receive an update from the Sponsorship Team regarding changes within Transport Scotland, hear from external guests to inform our work via the spotlight session.

Agenda Item 1: Welcome, Apologies and Housekeeping – SW

SW opened the meeting, welcomed attendees, and reviewed the agenda and housekeeping notes. SW will chair this meeting as it’s AK first Board as Convener and this his her first week in post.

Agenda Item 2: Approval of Minutes and update on action points from the previous two Board Meetings - SW

SW noted that all actions from October Board are complete. DKA provided further context to Action points 8 and 10. Minutes approved.

Agenda Item 3: Introduction with new MACS Convener

AK introduced herself and outlined her background and experience. Followed by roundtable introductions with all members, Sponsor and Secretariat.

Agenda Item 4: MACS 2025-2025 Work Plan – DKA

DKA presented the draft Work Plan developed from members feedback during Scoping Day in November 2024 and outlined the timeline below and the next steps to finalising the plan.

Timeline for finalising the Work Plan:

• Discussion at Board 28 January
• Members to feedback to Leads by early-February
• Draft discussions at Leads meeting on 11 February 2025
• Sponsorship review and comment late-February
• Convener to clear final draft by early-March 2025
• Submission to CabSec mid-March 2025
• Published by end of March 2025 – statutory date

Members provided the following feedback on the Work Plan:

Rail

• Accessibility of the replacement rolling stock fleet will be a priority.
• GBR is an unknown at this stage.
• Clyde Metro due to consult of final stages and keen not to lose sight of this.

Ferries and Aviation

• Progressing a national accessibility standard for ferries will be a central focus, but timelines and scope are not yet defined by Transport Scotland.
• Western Isles aviation issues will be ongoing into 2025.

Public and Community Transport

• It would be helpful to get an updated on Smart and integrated ticketing.

Planning, Strategy and Engagement

• Develop the Communications and Engagement Strategy with key DPOs assigned to Leads to progress engagement.
• Social Media – BlueSky and LinkedIn profiles for MACS now set up.

Global Priorities

• Transport to Health and Social Care Delivery Plan has been published and MACS will continue to monitor.
• Transport Scotland’s Accessible Travel Framework and what comes after it will be crucial to delivering some of MACS objectives for this year and future planning.
• Developments in the Bus arena should have a greater focus.

Members had a more general discussion around recruitment and exit process.

Agenda Item 6: Presentation on TraveLine app and website

SS and SA provided an overview of the development that are ongoing with the TraveLine app and website. Discussed the complexity and scale of the project and expanded on future features in planning and development.

MT commented that he was unable to get full journey details when using a concessionary travel pass. SS will give MT access to the staging platform and will check issues raised and will feed back to MT.

SS advised that where fares data exists for concessionary travel this will be pulled through but is not happening yet but the architecture is in place but will take time for functionality to be live.

LM and SS discussed availability of local authority data for planning journeys that avoid inaccessible infrastructure. SS explained the reliance on LAs to provide data and the differences in how this data is gathered and managed, and that some data, such as bus stops, isn’t held. Reassurance given that there will be a working group established later in 2025 around available LA data.

SF questioned data concerning first and last mile, in particular where there are roadworks that would impact journeys. SS advised that disruption to service data should apply here and be visible.

LP asked about links with TS Monitoring and Evaluation Group and if data included details on operator staff training, i.e. Hidden disabilities, Hate Crime Charter? SS noted this is a TS group and there should be some overlap in identifying data gaps; on operator staff training, this information could be included in the free text field for stations/operators to add as additional information.

MACS Members thanked SS and SA for their time and detailed update and will look to invite back once further accessibility changes are live and more testing has been done. JD and MT offered to be involved with future iterations. LM expressed an interest in the accessibility information around first and last mile as provided by LAs and how this project is engaged with LAs. SA agreed to follow-up with her directly.

Agenda Item 7: Workstream Leads Update – SW

SW noted that quarterly reports from most Leads have been provided in the meeting papers pack, along with the Sponsor update. There were no pressing updates raised.

Agenda Item 8: Any Other Business – SW

SW noted the next Leads meeting will be 11 February at 9.30.

Agenda Item 8: Meeting Close – SW

SW thanked all for their attendance and input and closed the meeting.

Action Points

Action Point 1

DKA to update draft Work Plan for Leads meeting.

• Owner: DKA
• Action: Send draft Work Plan with Leads meeting papers.
• Status: Complete – papers sent 05 February 2025.

Action Point 2

LM and DKA to meet re Public and Community Transport workstream meeting and diarise next meeting in February.

• Owner: LM and DKA
• Action: LM to provide her availability over the coming weeks
• Status: Complete

Action Point 3

Secretariat to get an update from TS on Smart and Integrated Ticketing.

• Owner: DKA
• Action: To request and provide an update.
• Status: Complete
• Update: This team has recently launched a consultation. Details have been shared with AT&I and PC&T regarding the Scottish Bus Open Data Consultation. Kat Quane has also agreed to meet with the MACS committee to discuss this matter.

Action Point 4

SF and NA advised that they have been unable to access MACS email accounts. DKA to investigate.

• Owner: DKA
• Action: Investigate and resolve email issues.
• Status: Complete – DKA has updated backend and repointed the email accounts at a new server and reset passwords. SF and NA now have access to their accounts.

Action Point 5

SS to give MT access to staging platform and feed back on issues raised.

• Owner: SS and Secretariat.
• Action: SS to provide staging platform access. Secretariat will follow-up to confirm.
• Status: Complete – follow up needed in the coming months
• Update: Scott Allen: “Before she left, Sally and I were in contact with Michael about access to staging. However, unfortunately our staging site went down unexpectedly the weekend we’d had planned it in. I’ve still got a Michael’s details on hand, but in the absence of a User Research recently, we’ve not been able to progress this.”

Action Point 6

SA to follow up with LM on LA data and engagement.

• Owner: SA and Secretariat
• Action: SA to follow-up with LM.
• Status: Complete – follow up needed in the coming months