Description of local enviroment

Air quality

Properties within 300m of the scheme – refer to ‘Population and Human Health’.

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

The scheme lies within the boundary of Scottish Borders Council which has no Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) within its administrative boundary. The closest AQMA, ‘High Street, Musselburgh’, lies approx. 60.1km northwest of the scheme extents and is declared for nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

There are no sites registered on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) for pollutant releases to air within 10km of the scheme within the last 10 years.

Baseline air quality in the study area is mainly influenced by vehicles travelling along the trunk road. Secondary sources are derived from vehicles travelling along the local road network and day-to-day woodland and agricultural land management activities.

Cultural heritage

The PastMap and Historic Environment Scotland (HES) online mapping tools records that the scheme extents lie within Jedburgh Conservation Area (CA). Additionally, one scheduled monument and approx. 60 listed buildings lie within 300m, the closest of which is:

  • Bridge Street, Townfoot Bridge Listed Building (LB:35467) located approx. 6.7m north of the scheme.

Of lesser cultural heritage, many undesignated cultural heritage assets (UCHAs) lie within 300m of the scheme extents (i.e., in excess of 100), two of which are located within close proximity:

  • Jedburgh, General Historic Environment Record (HER) lies within the scheme extents.
  • Jedburgh, Bridge Street, Townfoot Bridge National Record of Historic Environment (NRHE) (ID: 231447) and HER lies approx. 6.7m north of the scheme.

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

Landscape and visual effects

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

The Landscape Character Type (LCT) within the study area is ‘Woodland Upland Fringe Valley’ (no. 119). The key characteristics of which are:

  • Small scale, intimate, enclosed character.
  • Strong visual containment.
  • Deeply-incised river channels with frequent cliffs and steep slopes.
  • Heavily wooded valley floors and lower valley sides.
  • Contrasting open rolling slopes at higher levels above rivers.
  • Generally tranquil, unspoilt character.

Land use within 300m of the scheme is categorised into the following:

  • Recreation area.
  • Urban area.
  • Medieval town.

The national scale land capability for agriculture classifies land surrounding the scheme as being:

  • ‘Class 3.1’ - Land capable of producing consistently high yields of a narrow range of crops and/ or moderate yields of a wider range. Short grass leys are common.

There are three areas of lowland mixed deciduous woodland recorded on the Native Woodland Survey of Scotland within 300m of the scheme extents:

  • 1.6ha lies approx. 44m northwest of the scheme.
  • 2ha lies approx. 218m west of the scheme.
  • 1.2ha lies approx. 272m south of the scheme.

There are no areas recorded on the Ancient Woodland Survey of Scotland database within 300m of the scheme extents and there are no trees covered individually by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) with connectivity to the scheme extents. However, all trees within the Jedburgh CA are protected.

The existing A68 Townfoot single carriageway bridge is a prominent linear landscape feature. The road corridor, for example, has a distinct character shaped by low-flowing traffic, road markings, safety barriers, signage, landscaping, etc.

Biodiversity

The NatureScot Sitelink online mapping tool identifies that the River Tweed Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is spanned by the A68 within the scheme extents.

In addition, the works fall within the buffer zone of the qualifying features of Din Moss – Hoselaw Loch Special Area of Protection. The site is located approx. 18.2km northeast of the scheme extents.

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

A search of the NBN online mapping tool records four invasive non-native species (INNS), as listed within the Network Management Contract, within 2km of the scheme extents (in the last 10-years):

  • Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica).
  • Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera).
  • Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum).
  • Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum).

The closest record pertains to Himalayan balsam, approx. 0.6km north of the scheme extents (recorded in 2015).

There are no records of injurious weeds or invasive native perennials listed in the Network Management Contract within 2km of the scheme extents (within the last 10-years).

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

Footpaths border the bridge within the scheme extents, and it is spanned by the River Tweed SAC with it lying directly south of the scheme. Habitats to the south of the scheme consist of managed grassland, trees and some ornamental planting. These habitats bordering the roadside tend to be of low intrinsic value because they are subject to cyclic maintenance e.g., grass cutting, weed control, tree, and shrub cut-back etc. Roadside vegetation generally offers low ecological habitat value due to its limited scale, fragmented nature and high potential for disturbance owing to cyclic trunk road landscape maintenance, and the proximity of the trunk road. The presence of the trunk road also restricts continuity of, and connectivity between, habitats either side of the trunk road boundary. Residential properties lie directly north of the scheme and beyond the habitats and waterbody to the south and west of the scheme.

Outwith the trunk road boundary, the scheme extents are largely surrounded by residential and business properties with a large area of grassland on a hill to the east of the scheme.

Geology and soils

The A68 within the scheme extents is not located within a Geological Conservation Review Site (GCRS) and there are no Local Geodiversity Sites (LGS) within 300m of the scheme extents.

The National Soil Map of Scotland online mapping tool records that the scheme extents are of no generalised soil type or major soil group and are considered as ‘Built-up Land’.

The British Geological Survey online mapping tool records that the superficial deposits within the scheme extents are:

  • Alluvium – Silt, Sand and Gravel.

The bedrock geology within the scheme extents is recorded as:

  • Stratheden Group and Inverclyde Group (Undifferentiated) – Sandstone [Subequal/Subordinate] Argillaceous Rocks, Interbedded.

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

The works are not located within an area designated for geological features and will be restricted to the A68 Townfoot Bridge structure. As such there is no potential for impacts to geology and soils and this topic has been scoped out of further assessment.

Material assets and waste

The proposed works are required to refurbish the bridge deck.

Materials used for the deck refurbishment will consist of:

  • Bridge deck waterproofing.
  • Surfacing (binder and surface courses).
  • Bridge deck expansion joint material (APJ).

As the value of the scheme is less than £350,000, a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is not required for the deck refurbishment works.

The 32m scheme involves refurbishment of the bridge deck. Works are minor in nature and as such, there will be no change to the existing maintenance regime on the A68 trunk road.

Noise and vibration

Receptors – refer to ‘Population and Human Health’.

Works are not located within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) or Candidate Quiet Areas (CQA).

The day-time modelled noise level (Lday) within the scheme extents ranges between 60 and 65 decibels (dB) with levels remaining within this range at the nearest noise sensitive receptor (NSR) (residential property) (Scotland’s Noise Map).

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

Population and human health

The scheme lies within a highly residential area and is therefore surrounded by residential properties and some business properties, the closest of which (residential) lies approx. 20m east of the scheme extents. Additional residential areas also lie approx. 30m north of the scheme and 110m south. Properties closest to the scheme to the east, north and south are not screened from the bridge deck. However, properties not immediately visible (both residential and business) within 300m are at least partially screened from the scheme by intervening properties.

In addition, the following properties lie within 300m of the scheme extents:

  • Jedburgh Free Baptist Church lies approx. 40m east of the scheme.
  • Jedburgh Fire Station lies approx. 64m west of the scheme.
  • The Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church lies approx. 150m northwest of the scheme.
  • Spread Eagle Hotel lies approx. 292m southwest of the scheme.

Street lighting is not present directly on the A68 within the scheme extents but is continuous from the north and south of the scheme.

Core Path (CP1) is spanned by the A68 within the scheme extents following a path along Jed Water before crossing below the bridge and following the footpath alongside High Street and across Bridge Street. Core Path 1 connects to Core Path 107 to the south of the scheme extents, crossing Jed Water via Canongate Bridge. Footpaths also border both carriageways along the A68 within the scheme extents.

The A68, within the scheme extents is a single carriageway with a current speed limit of 30mph applying. The Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) flow is low (2,929 motor vehicles) (ID: 729, 2024)) (Road Traffic Statistics) and is comprised of:

  • Two pedal cycles.
  • 48 two wheeled motor vehicles.
  • 2,024 cars and taxis.
  • 44 buses and coaches.
  • 603 light goods vehicles.
  • 210 heavy goods vehicles.

Road drainage and the water environment

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) River Basin Management Plan online mapping tool records one classified waterbody within 300m of the scheme extents:

  • Jed Water / Raven Burn (Kaim Burn confluence to Teviot Water) is a river within the River Tweed catchment of the Solway Tweed river basin district (ID: 5231), which is spanned by the A68 within the scheme extents. The main stem is approximately 15.4km in length and it has been classified as being in ‘Moderate’ condition.

Two unclassified waterbodies lie within 300m of the scheme extents:

  • An issue lies approx. 220m west of the scheme and is separated from the scheme by residential properties.
  • Little Cleuch lies approx. 298m west of the scheme and is separated from the scheme by residential properties.

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’s Flood Map online mapping tool records that the Jed Water beneath the scheme extents is at a high risk of river flooding (i.e., each year this area has a 10% chance of flooding). The A68 itself however is not noted as being at risk of surface water flooding within the scheme extents.

A search of the Scotland’s Environment (SE) online mapping tool determined that the trunk road, within the scheme extents, lies on the ‘Jedburgh’ and ‘Teviotdale Sand and Gravel’ groundwaters, both of which have been classified as ‘Good’.

The scheme extents do 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).