Description of local environment

Air quality

For properties within 300m of the scheme refer to “Population and Human Health”.

A search of the Air Quality in Scotland online mapping tool records that air quality monitoring sites in the wider area record bandings to be within the ‘green zone’ (Low Index 1-3).

The scheme extents are located within the Scottish Borders council boundary which declares no Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) within its administrative boundary. The closest AQMA, ‘Musselburgh High Street’, is located approx. 36.2km northeast of the scheme extents and is declared for nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

There are seven sites registered on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) for air pollutant releases within 10km of the scheme extents, within the last 10 years (Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory):

  • Addistone Poultry Farm, Earlston – declared for Ammonia, particulate matter (PM10 and smaller), particulate matter (total).
  • Cottage Wood Poultry Farm, Earlston – declared for Ammonia.
  • Easter Langlee Landfill Site, Galashiels – declared for Chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, methane, methyl chloroform.
  • Galashiels STW, Winston Road, Galashiels – declared for Methane.
  • Springfield Poultry Farm - declared for Ammonia.
  • Standingstone Poultry Farm, Earlston - declared for Ammonia.
  • West Morriston Free Range Poultry, Earlston - declared for Ammonia.

The closest of these is Cottage Wood Poultry Farm, Earlston which is located approximately 3.65km east of the scheme extents.

Baseline air quality within the scheme extents is likely to be primarily influenced by traffic along the A68 carriageway. Secondary sources are most commonly derived from motor vehicles travelling along local network roads and day-to-day agricultural land management activities.

Cultural heritage

The PastMap and Historic Environment Scotland (HES) online mapping tools record one listed building within 300m of the scheme extents. The “Old Bridge, Galadean” is a Category B listed building located approximately 275m north of the scheme extents.

There are no other designated cultural heritage sites located within 300m of the scheme extents.

Twelve undesignated cultural heritage assets (UCHAs) are found within 300m of the scheme extents. The closest of these lies approximately 175m northeast of the scheme extents and relates to the “Galadean” National Record of Historic Environment (NRHE) and Historic Environment Record (HER) sites (ID: 110533).

Construction of the A68 is likely to have removed any archaeological remains that may have been present within the trunk road boundary. The potential for the presence of unknown archaeological remains in the study area has therefore been assessed to be low.

Given that the works will be restricted to the existing boundary and depth of the A68 carriageway they will not be at risk of impacting any unknown archaeological remains if present in the surrounding area. Therefore, there is no potential for impacts to cultural heritage from the proposed works and this topic has been scoped out of further environmental assessment.

Landscape and visual effects

The scheme is not located within a National Park (NP) or National Scenic Area (NSA) (SiteLink).

The Landscape Character Type (LCT) within the scheme extents is categorised as “Pastoral Upland Fringe Valley” (LCT 117) (Landscape Character Type Map), the key characteristics of which are:

  • Medium scale pastoral valley with flat floor enclosed by upland fringe pastures, often with rough grassland and moorland covered hills above.
  • Smooth large-scale landform modified in places by bluffs and moraine on valley floor, scree slopes or rock outcrops on valley sides.
  • Narrow, often wooded tributary side valleys.
  • Broadleaf woodlands and scrub on bluff slopes and scattered trees along riverbanks, occasional coniferous plantations and shelterbelts on valley sides.
  • Valley floor pastures enclosed by drystone dykes with occasional hedgerows, interspersed with occasional patches of scrub, coarse grass and rushes.
  • Scattered villages, farmsteads and mansion houses with policy woodlands.

The Historic Land-use Assessment (HLA) classifies the land-use surrounding the scheme as “Rectilinear Fields and Farms” in the immediate vicinity of the scheme, with the wider land use classified as Designed Landscape.

The national scale land capability for agriculture classifies land surrounding the scheme as being class 3.2 which indicates land capable of average production though high yields of barley, oats and grass can be obtained. Grass leys are common.

There is one area of native woodland (Native Woodland Survey) within 300m of the scheme extents. It is a 1ha area of mature lowland mixed deciduous woodland, which is located approximately 270m north of the scheme extents at its closest point. There is also an area of non-native woodland located approximately 35m west of the scheme extents. It is a 1.53ha area of mixed maturity wet woodland.

There are no areas of ancient woodland (Ancient Woodland Inventory), or any trees or areas of woodland with a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) (Scottish Borders Council) within 300m of, or that share connectivity with the scheme extents.

The existing trunk road is a prominent linear landscape feature. The trunk road corridor, for example, has a distinct character shaped by fast-flowing traffic, road markings, safety barriers, signage, landscaping, etc. The scale of the trunk road detracts from the quality and character of the wider landscape

Biodiversity

The River Tweed Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (ID: 8369) is spanned by the A68 within the scheme extents.

There are no other European Sites designated for nature conservation i.e. Special Protection Areas (SPA), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), or Ramsar Sites, located within 2km of the scheme extents. However the scheme is located within the buffer zones of the qualifying species for Fala Flow SPA (ID: 8497) and Ramsar Site (ID: 8423) and Greenlaw Moor SPA (ID: 8509) and Ramsar site (ID: 8427).

There are no Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Local Nature Conservation Sites (LNCS), or Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) designated for biodiversity features within 300m of, or which share connectivity to the scheme.

The National Biodiversity Network Atlas (NBN Atlas) holds records of numerous bird species within 2km over a ten-year period. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), all wild birds and their active nests (typically active March to August inclusive) are protected. No other species of conservation importance were recorded within 2km of the scheme, in the last 10 years. Only records with open-use attributions (OGL, CCO, CC-BY) were included in the search criteria.

The NBN atlas holds the following records of invasive and injurious plants (as listed in the Network Management Contract (NMC)):

  • Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica).

This record is located approximately 235m south of the scheme extents.

A search of the Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) online mapping tool records no injurious weeds, invasive native perennials, or invasive non-native species (INNS) within the scheme extents.

The habitat immediately bordering the A68 carriageway within the scheme extents consists primarily of dense broadleaved riparian woodland, broadleaved trees bordering the A68 carriageway, rough grazing grassland, and managed grass verges. In addition, Leader Water is spanned by the A68 within the scheme extents which is likely to offer suitable habitat for a number of species.

An ecological constraints survey, inclusive of Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA) was conducted by the BEAR Scotland Environment Team at A68 Galadean Bridge on the 5th of February 2025. The area surrounding the scheme extents was investigated for any field signs of protected species, any invasive non-native species (INNS), invasive native perennial plants, or injurious weeds.

The habitat surrounding the scheme extents consists of rough grazing land and some dense woodland made up primarily of silver birch (Betula pendula), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), and semi-mature oak (Quercus sp.), with arable farmland in the wider vicinity of the scheme extents. Within the immediate vicinity of the bridge, several plant species of note were identified. A large stand of the INNS rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum) was identified at the southwest side of the bridge. Of lesser concern, the injurious weeds creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense), and invasive native perennial rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) were identified within the vicinity of the scheme extents.

Several birds’ nests were identified within the steelwork on the underside of Galadean Bridge. It is unknown if the nests are active. Additionally, the surrounding habitat (woodland) is highly suitable for nesting birds.

Geology and soils

There are no geological SSSIs or Geological Conservation Review Sites within 300m of the scheme extents (SiteLink). Additionally, there are no Local Geodiversity Sites (LGS) with connectivity to the scheme extents

The generalised and major soil groups in the scheme extents are classified as “mineral alluvial soils with peaty alluvial soils” (Scotland’s Soils). The Carbon and Peatland 2016 map shows soils in the scheme area have a carbon and peatland class of 0, indicating mineral soils in which peatland habitats are not typically found (Scotland’s Soils).

Bedrock within the scheme extents is classified as “Great Conglomerate Formation – Conglomerate and sandstone, interbedded” with superficial deposits of “alluvium – silt, sand, and gravel”.

There is no evidence of historical industrial processes or the storage of hazardous materials that could have given rise to significant land contamination.

Given the restriction of the works to the A68 carriageway boundary, and the lack of any earthworks, local geology and soils are unlikely to be affected by the proposed works. Therefore, geology and soils has been scoped out of further environmental assessment.

Material assets and waste

The proposed works are required due to the poor condition of the bridge deck. The materials used will consist of:

  • Bitumen,
  • Asphalt,
  • Aggregates,
  • Cover plates and caulking,
  • Concrete,
  • Backfill,
  • Kerbs,
  • Service Ducts,
  • Spray-applies seamless MMA waterproofing, and
  • Manhole covers.

The scheme is executed by the operating company as site operations e.g. ‘As-of-Right’ scheme value is less than £350,000. As a result, a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is not required.

The 50m scheme involves full refurbishment of the bridge deck on the A68 Galadean Bridge. The main waste products will be old rail joint material (17 04 05 iron and steel), defective concrete and kerbs (17 01 01 concrete), and carriageway/footway planings (17 03 02 bituminous mixtures other than those mentioned in 17 03 01). None of which is considered hazardous.

Noise and vibration

There are residential properties within 300m of the scheme extents. For further details see “Population and Human Health”.

The works do not fall within a candidate noise management area (CNMA) as defined by the Transportation Noise Action Plan (TNAP).

The night-time noise levels (Lnight) modelled within the scheme extents ranges between 50 and 60 decibels (dB), dropping to between 35 and 45dB at the nearest sensitive receptor (residential) (Noise Map Viewer).

Baseline noise and vibration in the study area is mainly influenced by vehicles traveling along the A68 trunk road. Secondary sources are derived from vehicles travelling along nearby local network roads

Population and human health

There are two residential properties within 300m of the scheme extents. The closest property lies approximately 205m northwest of the scheme extents. It is well screened from the scheme extents due to the dense roadside treeline. The other property, located approximately 260m northeast of the scheme extents, receives partial screening from the scheme extents due to vegetation coverage and the topography of the land, however there are sightlines to the property from the scheme extents.

There are no footpaths, laybys, local access roads, or street lighting within the scheme extents.

There are no core paths within 300m of the scheme extents (Scottish Borders Council). There is one recognised “Right of Way” footpath which is located approximately 125m west of the scheme extents at its closest point.

The A68, within the scheme extents, is a single carriageway with a maximum speed limit of 60mph applying throughout. The Average Daily Traffic (ADT) is low (7,036 motor vehicles (ID: ATC07030, 2023 data)) (Drakewell Traffic) and is comprised of:

  • 66 Motorcycles
  • 5,826 Cars
  • 92 Cars with Trailers
  • 836 Rigid Lorries
  • 187 Articulated Lorries
  • 29 Buses and Coaches

Road drainage and the water environment

There is one classified waterbody within 300m of the scheme extents (SEPA). “Leader Water/Kelphope Burn (Cleekhimin Burn confluence to River Tweed) (ID: 5266) is a river in the River Tweed catchment area. It runs broadly north to south, passing below the scheme extents. It has a main stem approximately 23.2km in length and was classified as having “Moderate ecological potential” by SEPA in 2023.

Also within 300m of the scheme extents are three unclassified drainage waterbodies, the closest of which lies approximately 80m west of the scheme extents. These waterbodies are too small (in terms of catchment area) to be classified as a main stem waterbody by SEPA under the WFD.

A search of the SEPA Flood Map online mapping tool shows that there are no areas of increased flood risk within the scheme extents.

The scheme extents lie within the Lauder groundwater basin (ID:150539). It was rated as having a “Good” status by SEPA in 2023. It is a Drinking Water Protected Area. (SEPA).

A search of the Scotland's Environment (SE) determined that the trunk road, within the scheme extents, does not lie within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ)

Climate

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (‘The Act’), and its subsequent amendment under the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019, sets the framework for the Scottish Government to address climate change. The Act has an ambitious target to reach Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, with any residual emissions balanced by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This is five years earlier than the rest of the UK due to the greater potential for carbon sequestration in Scotland. 

The Act was amended to replace interim targets with carbon budgets. Carbon budgets are legally binding caps on greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland over five-year periods. In line with the Act, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published advice on the level of Scotland’s four carbon budgets, covering the period 2026 to 2045, recommending what the Scottish Government sets its carbon budgets at for annual average levels of emissions. These recommendations are based on an ambitious but credible route to Net Zero for Scotland by 2045. 

Emissions reductions from surface transport are the largest contribution to meeting the first two carbon budgets. The pathway for surface transport emission reduction is primarily driven by the uptake of electric vehicles, in addition to measures to enable a shift from car use to public transport and active travel, which all play a role in reducing emissions from fossil fuel cars. Ensuring efficiency of existing transport infrastructure and improving/providing new active travel facilities is therefore important to support these carbon reduction budgets. 

Transport is the largest contributor to harmful climate emissions in Scotland. In response to the climate emergency, Transport Scotland are committed to reducing their emissions by 75% by 2030 and to the above noted legally binding target of net-zero by 2045. Transport Scotland is committed to reducing carbon across Scotland’s transport network and this commitment is being enacted through the Mission Zero for Transport (Mission Zero for transport | Transport Scotland).