City and regional growth deals

Cities and regions are the engines of our economy. The Scottish Government is committed to working with our cities and regions to unlock investment, whether that is individually or collectively and whether that is through a City or Regional Growth Deal, one of the Scottish Government’s devolved initiatives to stimulate growth and deliver infrastructure investment, or a combination of measures.

Any deal must fit within the overall framework of Scotland’s Economic Strategy – making a clear and measurable significant long-term contribution to both prosperity and fairness. Any deal would not reduce the need for individual projects to be evaluated using established tools, including HM Treasury Green Book, Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance, Environmental Impact Assessment, as appropriate.

Transport Scotland has a key role to play in the consideration and delivery of City and Regional Growth Deals across the country. As each deal is bespoke, and as each area adopts its own approach to formulating and delivering deals we adapt our input and approach as appropriate.

Transport Scotland City and regional growth deals contacts:

• Alison Irvine – Head of Strategic Transport Planning
  Alison.Irvine@transport.gov.scot
• David Torrance – Senior Transport Planner
  David.Torrance@transport.gov.scot
  

There's more information on the Scottish Government City Region Deals web pages.

The Glasgow City Region Deal was signed by the Scottish and UK Governments in August 2014. The £1.13 billion infrastructure investment programme has been constructed by the 8 city deal authorities and contains 20 major projects, including a number of sub-projects.

Decisions on investment projects are made by the Glasgow City Region Cabinet and they decide priorities in line with the agreed assurance framework.

• Read more on the Glasgow City Region Deal website

Airport Access Project

An independent audit of the Airport Access Project has been undertaken on behalf of Scottish Ministers:

• Read the Audit of Outline Business Case - Executive summary
• Read the Audit of Outline Business Case - Final report

The £250 million Aberdeen City Region Deal was signed on 21 November 2016 and includes joint Scottish and UK Government commitments. It includes the Oil & Gas Technology Centre, Biotherapuetic Innovation Centre, Agri-Food & Nutrition Innovation Hub, Digital Infrastructure, Strategic Transport Appraisal and supporting infrastructure for Aberdeen Harbour Expansion.

We are part of the Transport Working Group taking forward the Strategic Transport Appraisal and considering the investment in improved access for the harbour expansion.

The transport related investment which the Scottish Government announced in addition to the Aberdeen CRD commitment included £24 million funding for the trunk roads programme to support improvements to junctions at Laurencekirk and £200 million to help improve journey times and increase capacity on key rail links between Aberdeen and the Central Belt.

• Read more on the Aberdeen City Region Deal website
• Read more about the A90/A937 Laurencekirk project

Scottish Government £200 million rail investment

The announcement of additional £200 million will help improve journey times and increase capacity on key rail links between Aberdeen and the Central Belt.

In March 2017 the Minister for Transport and the Islands, Humza Yousaf MSP, announced a dedicated Aberdeen to Central Belt – Reference Group. Drawing together regional and railway interests, members include representatives from Transport Scotland, Nestrans and Tactrans, as well as the ScotRail Alliance, Freight and passenger rail service operators. The team commenced its work in May 2017, with the inaugural meeting taking place on 22 May 2017 in Dundee.

The £315 million Inverness and Highlands City-Region Deal was signed in January 2017. As part of this the Scottish Government will commit up to £135m, including funding for trunk road improvements at Inshes to Smithton and Longman which will be delivered by Transport Scotland.

• Read more on the Inverness City Region Deal website
• Read more about the A9/A96 Connections Study (published in March 16)
• Read more about the Inshes to Smithton project
• Read more about the A9/A82 Longman Junction Improvement Scheme

The Heads of Terms for an Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal were signed in July 2017. Both Governments are committed to jointly investing up to £600m over the next 15 years subject to project business cases and agreement on a final Deal. As part of this the Scottish Government will invest up to £300 million, including £120 million for trunk road improvements on the A720 at Sherrifhall and £20 million for public transport infrastructure in West Edinburgh.

• Read more on the Edinburgh and SE Scotland City Region Deal website
• Read more about the Sheriffhall Roundabout project

We'll continue to work with authorities and partnerships across the country as they develop proposals for infrastructure investment and consider potential deal arrangements. We'll continue to provide appropriate advice to Ministers and colleagues in wider Scottish Government teams.