5. SETTING THE TRANSPORT PLANNING OBJECTIVES

5.1 Introduction

The setting of appropriate objectives is key to the development and appraisal of any planning proposals. The transport planning objectives set for this study express the desired outcomes in the study area and the wider local area.

There are three distinct categories of objectives identified in STAG, namely Government, planning and external. Each of the three categories of objectives may have sub-objectives which can assist in establishing a monitoring framework and for formal evaluation at a later stage.

The guidance contained in STAG recommends that, as a matter of good practice, the extent to which planning objectives â€˜nestâ€™ within the most relevant Government objectives should be considered. This simplifies the comparison of the relative performance of transport proposals against the Governmentâ€™s objectives.

Based on the above, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timed) transport planning objectives for the study have been established. This method of defining objectives provides a transparency to the objective setting process and assists in focussing on the key aspects of the project. Therefore, to ensure that the established transport planning objectives are consistent with other transport policy objectives, the following hierarchy have been considered:

Government Objectives;
National Transport Strategy;
Regional Transport Strategy; and
Local Transport Strategies.

5.2 The Governmentâ€™s Objectives

The Governmentâ€™s objectives that relate directly to the Aberdeen to Inverness Transport Corridor Study reflect the five main areas to be considered when appraising transport proposals, namely:

Environment;
Safety;
Economy;
Integration; and
Accessibility and Social Inclusion.

These objectives, which were established in the White Paper â€˜Travel Choices for Scotlandâ€™, can assist in any planning exercise to ensure that all possible impact areas have been considered as part of any transport proposal. They also ensure that any transport proposals requiring Government funding are considered at a national level and reflect the responsibility of the Government to balance the requirements and resources of different areas and communities throughout Scotland.

The transport planning objectives relating to Environment are as follows:

to reduce noise;
to improve local air quality;
to reduce greenhouse gases;
to protect and enhance the landscape;
to protect and enhance the townscape;
to protect the heritage of historic resources;
to support biodiversity;
to protect the water environment;
to encourage physical fitness; and
to improve journey ambience.

The transport planning objectives relating to Safety are as follows:

to reduce accidents; and
to improve security.

The transport planning objectives relating to Economy are as follows:

to get good value for money in relation to impacts on public accounts;
to improve transport economic efficiency for business users and transport providers;
to improve transport economic efficiency for consumer users;
to improve reliability; and
to provide beneficial wider economic impacts.

The term Integration can specifically mean the following:

integration within and between different types of transport, so that each contributes its full potential and people can move easily between them;
integration with the environment, so that the transport choices available support a better environment;
integration with land-use planning, at national, regional and local level, so that transport and planning work together to support more sustainable travel choices and reduce the need for travel; and
integration with policies for education, health and wealth creation, so that transport helps make a fairer, more inclusive society.

The transport planning objectives relating to Integration are as follows:

to improve transport interchange;
to integrate transport policy with land-use policy; and
to integrate transport policy with other Government policies.

The transport planning objectives relating to Accessibility and Social Inclusion are as follows:

measurement of ease of access to the transport system itself in terms of, for example, the proportion of homes within x minutes of a bus stop or the proportion of buses which may be boarded by a wheel-chair user;
measurement of ease of access to facilities, with the emphasis being on the provision of the facilities necessary to meet peopleâ€™s needs within certain minimum travel times, distances or costs;
measurement of the value which people place on having an option available which they might use only under unusual circumstances (such as when the car breaks down) â€“ â€˜option valueâ€™ â€“ or even the value people place on simply the existence of an alternative which they have no real intention of using â€“ â€˜existence valueâ€™; and
measurement of ease of participation in activities (for personal travel) or delivery of goods to their final destination (for goods travel), provided by the interaction of the transport system, the geographical pattern of economic activities, and the pattern of land use as a whole.

The four uses of the term Accessibility and Social Inclusion have in the past overlapped but can be expressed more simply as:

to increase option values;
to reduce severance; and
to improve access to the transport system.

5.3 The National Transport Strategy

The Government set five high level objectives for transport in Scotlandâ€™s Transport Future. They are to:

Promote economic growth by building, enhancing, managing and maintaining transport services, infrastructure and networks to maximise their efficiency;
Promote social inclusion by connecting remote and disadvantaged communities and increasing the accessibility of the transport network;
Protect our environment and improve health by building and investing in public transport and other types of efficient and sustainable transport which minimise emissions and consumption of resources and energy;
Improve safety of journeys by reducing accidents and enhancing the personal safety of pedestrians, drivers, passengers and staff; and
Improve integration by making journey planning and ticketing easier and working to ensure smooth connection between different forms of transport.

Within the National Transport Strategy (NTS), the Government recognises that potential tensions exist between these high level objectives such as promoting economic growth while protecting our environment. However, great emphasis is placed on ensuring that synergy is achieved.

The strategy outlined in the NTS identifies 3 key strategic areas of focus to achieve this vision. They are to:

Improve journey times and connections, to tackle congestion and the lack of integration and connections in transport which impact on our high level objectives for economic growth, social inclusion, integration and safety;
Reduce emissions, to tackle the issues of climate change, air quality and health improvement which impact on our high level objective for protecting the environment and improving health; and
Improve quality, accessibility and affordability, to give people a choice of public transport, where availability means better quality transport services and value for money or an alternative to the car.

Action Plan for Buses in Scotland

The aims, objectives and actions address the different types of development that are required in different parts of Scotland. They recognise that there is no â€˜one size fits allâ€™ solution, and that all partners need to act in various ways, tailoring solutions to the specific problems. To improve bus services through effective transport planning we need:

a clear vision of how local bus services meet local needs;
greater use of bus plans with explicit actions to deliver vision;
close partnership working between transport authorities and bus operators; and
improved communication with all stakeholders.

Scotlandâ€™s Railways

The Rail has a central role in Scotlandâ€™s National Transport Strategy. The vision for the railway in Scotland is that it should provide a safe, reliable customer focused service that supports the economy and delivers wider social inclusion and environmental aspirations. Although the railway cannot be a solution for all of Scotlandâ€™s transport needs, the key strengths of the railway will be maximised to develop the rail network where that is the best long term solution to:

Offer world class train services which connect our city regions and major towns, providing journey times and quality of service that are competitive with car and air;
Provide access to inter-urban services through high quality interchange stations that link with feeder rail services from intermediate stations and offer easy transfer from car, bus, tram, subway, ferry, cycle and walking;
Make commuter train services attractive to passengers by ensuring that the journey to work is a high quality, reliable travel option and by ensuring that our rolling stock choices take account of environmental considerations, including air quality and noise emissions;
Support heavily loaded freight trains carrying an increasingly wide range of products with effective interchange to road and sea; and
Achieve a rail industry that delivers efficiently and effectively to support our aims and vision.

Freight Action Plan for Scotland

The Governmentâ€™s vision is for Scotland to be a place where the movement of freight, through the entire supply chain, is efficient and sustainable, on a transport infrastructure that is integrated and flexible thus allowing Scotland's businesses to compete and grow in a global economy. To achieve this vision, the Freight Action Plan focuses on the following aims and objectives for all key partners in the public and private sectors:

To enhance Scotland's Competitiveness:
To support the development of the freight Industry in Scotland:
To maintain and improve the Accessibility of rural and remote areas:
To minimise the adverse impact of freight movements on the Environment in particular through the reduction in emissions and noise:
To ensure freight transport policy Integration.

5.4 Regional Transport Strategies

The Aberdeen to Inverness transport corridor passes through two regional transport strategy areas, namely:

Hitrans, which includes the Highlands and Moray Council areas; and
Nestrans, which includes the Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City Council areas.

Hitrans

Hitrans Regional Transport Partnership prepared a draft regional transport strategy (RTS) for the region in November 2006. The Strategy identifies common issues, builds consensus on the ways to tackle these issues, and sets out the priorities for future investment in the region. The Strategy is considered a framework against which policy initiatives and projects can be developed across the region and beyond. The Strategy also seeks to promote the region's strategic priorities as policy develops at the national and local levels.

The development of the new Strategy is in keeping with the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005, which calls for the Strategy to plan how transport in the region will be provided, developed, improved and operated so as to:

Enhance social and economic well-being;
Promote public safety, including road safety and the safety of users of public transport;
Be consistent with the principle of sustainable development and to conserve and enhance the environment;
Promote social inclusion;
Encourage equal opportunities and, in particular, the observance of the equal opportunities requirements;
Facilitate access to hospitals, clinics, surgeries and other places where a health service is provided; and
Integrate with transport elsewhere.

The Strategy is intended to contribute to the overall vision, aim and objectives as set out in the White Paper - Scotlandâ€™s Transport Future, dated June 2004. The improvement proposals outlined in the RTS are also intended to feed into the Strategic Transport Projects Review, which is currently being undertaken.

With reference to the Aberdeen to Inverness corridor, the following improvement options have been identified in the Hitrans RTS:

Inverness Airport and flights
- Surface Access Strategy to deliver better integration
- Terminal building and runway extension
Inverness to Aberdeen Rail Line
- Commuter services Elgin-Inverness
- Dalcross Station at Inverness airport
- Journey time improvements and hourly departure Inverness to Aberdeen
A96 Corridor Road
- Dual carriageway Inverness to airport
- Fochabers bypass with demand management & provision of space for passenger transport / cycling through Fochabers, plus bus priority on approaches and P&R
- Elgin bypass with demand management & provision of space for passenger transport / cycling through Elgin, plus bus priority on approaches and P&R
- Other bypasses on route (including Nairn and Keith) with demand management & provision of space for passenger transport / cycling through settlements, plus bus priority on approaches and P&R
- Dual carriageway options on A96
- Variants of the above option would include providing dual carriageway sections only
Congestion & Urban Issues
- Enhance connectivity between Inverness Retail Park and the city centre

Nestrans

Nestrans Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) sets out the challenges facing Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire over the next fifteen years and how they will be addressed. The strategy includes a comprehensive appraisal of the problems and issues affecting transport in the north east, sets clear objectives and proposes a detailed plan of action for improving transport in the region between now and 2021.

Nestrans vision is for a transport system for the north east of Scotland which enables a more economically competitive, sustainable, and socially inclusive society.

Four strategic objectives containing twelve operational objectives were developed from the detailed analysis of problems and issues. The four key objectives are as follows:

Economy - To enhance and exploit the north eastâ€™s competitive economic advantages, and reduce the impacts of peripherality;
Accessibility and Social Inclusion - To enhance choice, accessibility and safety of transport, particularly for disadvantaged and vulnerable members of society and those living in areas where transport options are limited;
Environment - To conserve and enhance the north eastâ€™s natural and built environment and heritage and reduce the effects of transport on climate and air quality; and
Spatial Planning - To support a strong, vibrant and dynamic city centre and town centres across the north east.

The objectives set out in the Strategy guide the development of options and ensure that the final strategy meets the objectives.

The RTS has been developed based on the national objectives set out in the 2004 Transport White Paper and the NTS consultation document issued in July 2006. The final strategy will be updated to reflect the content of the final NTS and any schemes developed will also feed into the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

With reference to the Aberdeen to Inverness corridor, the following improvement options have been identified in the Nestrans RTS:

Capacity and journey time improvements on the A96 west of Inverurie;
Upgrading the A90/A96 Haudagain junction;
A96 west of Inverurie - junction, alignment and overtaking opportunities;
enhance frequency of rail services between Aberdeen and Inverness;
to improve bus services throughout the north east, to encourage modal shift and thereby reduce carbon emissions and other pollutants and utilise roadspace more effectively;
Bus priority measures on A96 â€“ approach to Dyce Drive;
Park and ride â€“ A96 Chapelbrae (Inverurie Road);
Transport Interchange â€“ Inverurie an integrated rail/bus/taxi interchange at Inverurie Station; there will also be cycle lockers and increased car parking to encourage the use of Park & Ride, as well as improved traffic, pedestrian and cycling connections within the town;
Enhancing the existing bus services that serve the airport along the A96 corridor;
Aberdeen Crossrail, including increased frequency of services and new stations in the City and Aberdeenshire;
In the longer term, explore a fixed link from the City to Aberdeen Airport, either as an addition to Crossrail or as a guided bus route;
Continued development of cycle routes on key routes within Aberdeenshire, into Aberdeen;
Investigate potential for measures to provide more reliable journey times for HGVs and identify a trial route for implementation of priority measures; and
Support the development of modern inter-modal freight terminals to provide future capacity for rail freight expansion.

It should be noted that the Nestrans RTS was published on 13 December 2006 and was not therefore available for discussion during either of the two stakeholder workshops.

5.5 Local Transport Strategies

The Aberdeen to Inverness transport corridor passes through four local transport strategy areas, as discussed in the following documents:

Local Transport Strategy for the Highlands â€“ October 2000
The Moray Local Transport Strategy
Aberdeenshire Council Local Transport Strategy Review 2006 â€“ Full Consultation Document
Local Transport Strategy for Aberdeen â€“ December 2000

Local Transport Strategy for the Highlands â€“ October 2000

The following strategies have been promoted within the LTS combining short-term objectives with long-term vision. The targets relate the strategies to timescales and present two alternative possibilities of what can be achieved with and without additional funding. A partnership approach has been adopted and facilitated by the introduction of Community Planning to ensure the LTS is consistent with other relevant plans. The strategies include:

Continue to fight for fair fuel prices in Highland Council Areas;
Reduce the number of accidents and improve safety on the road network;
Make the best use of existing roads for all users;
Restrain the demand for travel by private cars for commuting, particularly at peak hours, and provide alternatives to enable this; and
Work with operators to provide a high quality integrated public transport network appropriate to the needs of communities.

The primary economic role of public transport over much of Highland is tourism. Although 82% of tourists travel by car, this leaves significant numbers who use trains and buses. With high fuel costs, the availability of reasonably priced public transport becomes increasingly vital for attracting tourists. The Inverness â€“ Aberdeen route has a role for both business and leisure travel, and there is scope for this to be developed further. An integrated transport policy will allow for the most appropriate mode or modes to be used for any journey, taking account of social exclusion and special needs, convenience and flexibility, economy and environmental factors such as avoidance of congestion and pollution.

Of the 962 kilometres of trunk road within Highland, only 40% has seen significant improvement within the last 30 years. The Council will press the Scottish Executive to improve the A82 and the A96 as well as to continue improvements of the A95, A86, and A87, which were being progressively improved by the Local Authority before trunking took place in 1996.

The Council adopted the following policy in regards to trunk road network improvements:

To recommend to the Secretary of State the level of service required on the trunk roads to meet the needs of the Highland area and assist in prioritisation of improvements to maximise benefits to the Highlands.

A desire to improve trunk roads must however be balanced against the need to meet road traffic reduction targets.

The Moray Local Transport Strategy

The Local Transport Strategy has been developed within the context of sustainable development and this encompasses economic, social and environmental considerations. It is clear that successful economic development depends upon efficient transport networks both within the Moray boundaries and linking it to the rest of the UK and Europe.

The present trunk road network consists of the A96 to Inverness and Aberdeen, linking the A9 and A90 respectively, and the A95 from Keith to Aviemore. The A96 forms part of the Trans European Road Network in the North East. The A96 currently suffers from slow speeds due to slow moving vehicles, therefore there is a clear need for its improvement to dual carriageway, although in the short term route action and the provision of additional overtaking opportunities should be taken forward. It is essential that key bottlenecks are removed by providing bypasses at Elgin, Fochabers and Keith to increase journey reliability, as well as safety and other environmental benefits to the communities involved.

The following actions have been identified in the LTS:

Upgrading the A96 to dual carriageway
Upgrading the A98 and A941 to trunk road quality
Provision of bypasses for Fochabers, Keith and Elgin
Upgrading the A95 to trunk road standards
Prioritising route improvements
Maintaining roads and infrastructure

The need to improve the capacity of the Aberdeen - Inverness rail line was seen as a prerequisite to improving services, timetables and connections on that route. The main requirement is seen as the construction of passing loops to allow an increase in the number of services on the route. The key actions identified in the LTS are:

Improving the speed, quality and frequency of rail services within and connecting to Moray;
Upgrading station staffing and facilities;
Improving the integration between rail and rail, and rail and bus services at Elgin, Forres, Keith, Inverness and Aberdeen; and
Promoting the increased use and reliability of rail freight.

In rural areas such as Moray, traditional bus services are often unviable. Therefore, there is a need to promote cost effective community initiatives which meet the transport needs of the population. A number of actions require to be considered further to improve the situation. These could include:

More flexible use of school buses
Relaxation of regulations regarding fare paying passengers on community buses
The potential for a community bus network
Maintaining and improving the existing bus network
Upgrading public transport facilities
Tackling rural accessibility

In addition, it will be necessary for traffic management measures to be formulated so that public transport movement is assisted. Traffic management measures include parking standards and provision, safety initiatives, physical and regulation measures, transport demand management, teleworking and development planning. All have an important role to play in reducing and improving traffic issues within Moray. The following actions are identified in the LTS:

Ensure that parking provision is appropriate to requirements
Provide car parking standards related to development appropriate to Moray
Continue to monitor and review the Road Safety Plan
Improvement of traffic, cyclist, and pedestrian environments
Promoting modern communications infrastructure
Ensuring the availability of high technology training
Focussing development in accessible areas
Using developer contributions to assist in the provision of facilities for cycling, walking and public transport
Promoting a reduction in car use

Aberdeenshire Council Local Transport Strategy Review 2006 â€“ Full Consultation Document

Aberdeenshireâ€™s Local Transport Strategy sets out the Transport Vision and objectives of the Council and provides a three-year Action Plan for meeting local challenges and needs. The key issues identified include the need to limit the environmental impact of transport; social exclusion; peripherality; lack of accessibility to employment, health, higher education and leisure facilities; and the availability and affordability of public transport, which were identified by the Councilâ€™s initial public consultation on updating the LTS. A series of objectives based around the over-riding principles of sustainability have been developed. These include:

To promote a sustainable economy by maximising the effectiveness and efficiency of transport services, infrastructure and networks;
To promote social inclusion by connecting communities to facilities and services, and increasing the accessibility of the transport network;
To reduce the environmental footprint of transport services, infrastructure and networks by reducing harmful emissions, and consumption of non-renewable resources and energy;
To improve safety and security of journeys by reducing casualties and enhancing the personal safety of all users of the transport network; and
To improve the integration of the transport system between different services and modes, and with other relevant local, regional, national and European policies.

The principal road links in the north east are the trunk roads, namely the A90 south and north, and the A96 to Inverness. The A96 connects Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen to Inverness. Working with HITRANS (the Highland and Islands Regional Transport Partnership), NESTRANS is looking to secure ongoing improvements to tackle the routeâ€™s existing road safety problem and provide journey time reliability improvements.

The LTS notes that trunk road traffic growth over the last five years has generally been at low to medium growth levels (6.2% to 8.8%). However, growth on the A96 corridor has been at, or beyond, high growth forecasts (11.2%). The level of growth diminishes to low to medium levels outwith the Aberdeen City travel to work area.

The proposals for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route are supported as this new road, which will connect the current A90 south of Aberdeen with the A96 trunk road to the west of Aberdeen and the current A90 to the north of the city, will deliver significant benefits to the North-east of Scotland, reducing the impact of increasing congestion and improving accessibility compared with the existing trunk road network through Aberdeen City.

Local Transport Strategy for Aberdeen â€“ December 2000

The aims of the Transportation Strategy reflect the need to balance the requirement for a vibrant economy with a community in which everyone feels included, and at the same time minimising impacts on the environment. The City Councilâ€™s Interim Transportation Strategy contained five key objectives. These are:

To take full account of the environmental, social and economic implications of transport;
To maximise accessibility for all to services and job opportunities;
To campaign for improved external links to Aberdeen by rail, sea, road and air;
To improve safety in transportation matters; and
To ensure the efficient use of resources in accordance with the strategy.

These five objectives encompass the principles of sustainable transport in line with balancing community, economic and environmental considerations. Equally, they take full account of the Councilâ€™s corporate objectives of protecting the environment, ensuring the provision of quality services, enhancing democracy and enhancing the local economy. A comprehensive list of 28 sub-objectives has been defined, against which alternative scenarios can be tested.

The LTS notes that in Aberdeen, the level of capital expenditure on transport projects fell from Â£7m per year in 1993, to just Â£2.1m in 1997. This partly reflected a different attitude to accommodating the uncurtailed demand for use of the private car (that is a move away from the "predict and provide" style of projecting car demand and planning to cater for it). The purpose of the proposals identified in the LTS is to redress a situation where transport in the north east of Scotland is chronically underfunded, to one where expenditure is available to ensure that the area can have the transport infrastructure that it needs. The target set in the LTS is "by 2011, for expenditure on transport in the north east of Scotland to be at least double its present level, in real terms".

The Transportation Strategy has set a number of targets aimed at influencing travel demand within the City. Without continuing investment and enlightened attitudes to travel, many roads in the city will become heavily congested for most of the day. The following targets have been set aimed at addressing the Councilâ€™s overall objective of reducing traffic as a way of improving economic, social and environmental circumstances within the City:

By 2011, to reduce the modal share of travel to work in Aberdeen by car to less than 40% (a reduction of at least one quarter from 1991 figure of 53%);
By 2011, to reduce the modal share of travel to work into Aberdeen City Centre by car drivers to 25% (a reduction by almost half from 1991 figure of 44%);
By 2011, to reduce the total number of vehicle trips within the Aberdeen Area, consisting of the City and its main catchment area of 20 miles around, by 20% of 1997 levels (a reduction of 29% on projected "do nothing" figures); and
By 2011, to reduce the total mileage travelled within the built-up area of Aberdeen by 20% of 1997 levels (a reduction of 30% on projected "do nothing" figures).

The policies, proposals and targets for prioritising roadspace will seek to achieve the strategy objectives by making more efficient and effective use of roadspace thereby increasing accessibility to the City without the environmental effects of more road building. Encouraging buses assists in the shift towards safer modes of travel whilst being more socially inclusive. The proposals and targets identified in the LTS include:

To introduce measures which give greater priority to vulnerable road users;
To introduce measures which give greater priority to buses as efficient users of roadspace;
To give priority to goods vehicles in appropriate locations by 2003;
To adopt a criteria-based system within which to consider calls for roadspace priority, based on safety, environmental impact, economic contribution, community impact, accessibility, equity and public acceptability; and
To investigate opportunities for taxi-only routes in the City by 2005.

Given the inadequacy of the existing trunk road network, the Council believes that there is a need for a high quality route to dual carriageway standard with grade separated junctions as a key element of the Transportation Strategy to act both as bypass and as a distributor around the City (the Western Peripheral Route).

5.6 Draft Transport Planning Objectives â€“ Stakeholder Questionnaire

As part of the consultation process, a questionnaire was issued to all stakeholders to provide them with the opportunity to comment on existing conditions within the transport corridor, to identify key problems and to define draft transport planning objectives.

The draft objectives defined in the returned questionnaires are set out in Table 5.1.

Table 5.1 â€“ Draft Transport Planning Objectives Identified in Stakeholder Questionnaire

Ref.	Draft Transport Planning Objectives	Appraisal Criteria Objective
Ref.	Draft Transport Planning Objectives	Environment	Safety	Economy	Integration	Accessibility
	Stakeholder Questionnaire
Q1	Acceptable journey times			?
Q2	Increase journey time reliability			?
Q3	Enable and support economic growth			?
Q4	Enhance efficiency on the network			?
Q5	Reliable road and rail network			?	?
Q6	Ease the flow of traffic			?
Q7	Reduce carbon emissions	?
Q8	To reduce environmental intrusion	?
Q9	Safer, more environmentally friendly transportation	?	?
Q10	A safe infrastructure		?
Q11	Reduced conflict between different modes of transport				?
Q12	To reduce the accident rate on the A96		?
Q13	Increase public transport usage				?
Q14	Providing increased public transport opportunities					?
Q15	Increase multi-modal journey opportunities					?
Q16	Integration of transport services				?
Q17	A traffic free cycle corridor along the route					?
Q18	Improve the standard of the road			?
Q19	Better infrastructure provision			?
Q20	Build a road infrastructure that is fit for purpose			?
Q21	Enhanced safety, integration, accessibility and environment	?	?		?	?
Q22	Improve connections between communities in the NE and S of Scotland				?

5.7 Draft Transport Planning Objectives â€“ Stakeholder Workshops

The first Stakeholder Workshop was held on 26 October 2006 in Elgin. The stated objectives of the workshop were to:

inform all stakeholders of the purpose, extent and details of the Aberdeen to Inverness Transport Corridor Study;
involve stakeholders in reviewing existing/future conditions, identifying problems and opportunities, and setting transport planning objectives;
establish the views of stakeholders on the problems along the corridor, identifying what they consider to be the most serious; and
enable stakeholders to understand the position of others and that priorities and solutions can conflict with each other.

The second Stakeholder Workshop was held on 12 December 2006 in Elgin. The stated objectives of the workshop were to:

agree the SMART objectives developed for the Transport Corridor;
review and update the Do-Minimum / Reference Case for the corridor;
generate improvement options; and
sift the improvement options.

As an integral part of the workshop, a series of draft transport planning objectives were identified. These objectives were developed by three separate groups based on the information collected in response to the Stakeholder Questionnaire and through open debate during the course of the workshop.

The draft transport planning objectives developed at the first Stakeholder Workshop are set out in Table 5.2

These draft objectives have been considered further to distinguish between objectives and solutions, and to identify common themes, which has led to the development of SMART objectives for the study.

Workshop reports were produced to document the key outcomes of the workshops.

Table 5.2 â€“ Draft Transport Planning Objectives Developed at First Stakeholder Workshop

Ref.	Draft Transport Planning Objectives	Appraisal Criteria Objective
Ref.	Draft Transport Planning Objectives	Environment	Safety	Economy	Integration	Accessibility
	Workshop Group 1
W1	Upgrade the standard of road fit for purpose due to too much traffic for the standard of road â€“ anything above 13,000 AADT upgrade to a dual carriageway within 5 years.			?
W2	Ensure average journey times donâ€™t exceed 2 hours for road through bypassing the urban areas due to long journey times.			?
W3	Reduce impact of agricultural traffic from current levels by 10% pa over 10 years due to agricultural traffic causing platoons.		?	?
W4	Separated / segregated lay-by every 10 miles in each direction, and overnight HGV facilities near or adjacent to transport interchanges due to lack of lay-by facilities.		?
W5	Ensure average journey times along the corridor do not vary by 10% due to burdens on firms using the corridor.			?
W6	Provide safe off route cycle facilities between communities that are within 10km along the A96 corridor due to no safe or practical route for commuting by bicycle.	?	?		?	?
W7	Reduce conflict between strategic and local traffic and between pedestrians and vehicles â€“ Bypassing urban areas and demand management due to perceived road safety problem.		?	?		?
W8	Increase the capacity of the rail line to accommodate an hourly service i.e. double tracking and passing loops due to rail services being not frequent enough.			?	?	?
	Workshop Group 2
W9	To provide increased overtaking opportunities along the route to address safety and reliability issues.		?	?
W10	To accommodate increased demand through improved transport infrastructure for all modes.					?
W11	Improve train frequency by introducing 2-hourly clock face service.				?	?
W12	To upgrade road geometry to current design standards.		?	?
	Workshop Group 3
W13	Increase modal share by sustainable modes of transport to meet identified targets.				?	?
W14	At least meet national and local accident targets along route.		?
W15	Improve journey time reliability for both road and rail.			?		?
W16	Integration of land-use planning, policies and plans to minimise the impact of travel generated.				?
W17	Address air quality issues at least in line with Govt and EU targets to contribute to the air quality action plans.	?
W18	Address climate change and emission targets at least in line with Govt policy.	?

5.8 SMART Transport Planning Objectives

Based on the above, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timed) transport planning objectives have been developed for the study. These study specific objectives have been nested within the Governmentâ€™s five main objectives to highlight synergies between objectives and to achieve a level of consistency in the reporting process. It should be noted that any improvement options considered in response to these objectives would be developed and assessed in accordance with standard procedures and would be required to satisfy prevailing statutory procedures.

Environment

Through the consultation and workshop process, some stakeholders identified a problem with environmental issues along the corridor.

Addressing air quality issues, at least in line with Government and EU targets, to contribute to the air quality action plans and addressing climate change and emission targets, again at least in line with Government policy, have been identified as transport planning objectives by the stakeholders. Although these over-arching objectives are part of the Governmentâ€™s national targets, local improvement schemes could make a positive contribution within the Aberdeen to Inverness corridor. Reducing congestion, particularly in urban areas, should improve local air quality.

It should also be noted that the environmental impact of any options being considered will also be assessed and appropriate mitigation measures will be introduced to maintain and enhance the environment along the route.

In addition to contributing to the national, regional and local transport planning policies, the SMART transport planning objective for the Corridor Study relating to the Environment is as follows:

a) To reduce congestion, particularly in urban areas, to make a positive contribution to improving local air quality.

Safety

Through the consultation and workshop process, stakeholders identified a problem with road safety issues along the corridor.

The feedback received through the consultation process regarding road safety issues has been investigated through examination of the local accident statistics taking into account local accident rates and severity ratios based on current traffic volumes and carriageway standards.

In addition to contributing to the national, regional and local transport planning policies, the SMART transport planning objectives for the Corridor Study relating to Safety are as follows:

b) In the immediate short term, improve road safety along the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness where the local accident rate AND the associated severity ratio for a cluster of accidents both exceed the corresponding national average values over the 5 year period (2001 to 2005) to reduce local values to less than the national values.

c) In the short term, improve road safety along the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness where the local accident rate OR the associated severity ratio for a cluster of accidents exceeds the corresponding national average values over the 5 year period (2001 to 2005) to reduce local values to less than the national values.

Economy

Through the consultation and workshop process, stakeholders identified a problem with platooning of traffic due to slow moving vehicles within the traffic stream and a lack of overtaking opportunities leading to unreliable journey times. It was also noted that the national speed limits for the rural single carriageway sections vary between 40 mph and 60 mph depending on the type of vehicle. In urban areas, the conflict between strategic and local traffic was also identified as a problem. The feedback received through the consultation process regarding variability of vehicle speeds on some sections of the A96 has been investigated through site observations and data collection surveys.

In addition to contributing to the national, regional and local planning transport policies, the SMART transport planning objectives for the Corridor Study relating to Economy are as follows:

d) In the medium term, to improve journey time reliability on rural sections of the A96 trunk road where the speed limit is 60 mph to achieve an average link speed which is more than 50 mph OR a minimum link speed which is less than 30% below the average link speed relative to the 2006 baseline conditions.

e) To reduce conflict in urban areas between strategic traffic and local traffic.

Integration

Through the consultation and workshop process, stakeholders identified a problem with integration along the corridor.

The key problems related to an infrequent rail service, constrained timetable and failure to maximise opportunities for commuters. Stakeholders also identified a problem with the capacity of the railway to accommodate an hourly service.

In addition to contributing to the national, regional and local transport planning policies, the SMART transport planning objective for the Corridor Study relating to Integration is as follows:

f) In the medium term, to achieve a 5% mode shift from private car commuting and inter-urban trips to more sustainable forms of transport, including bus, rail, walking and cycling, within the transport corridor and to contribute to the UK target for reducing carbon emissions.

The local objective includes a specific reference to reduce emissions in response to the Governmentâ€™s high level objectives to protect the environment.

Accessibility & Social Inclusion

Accessibility is defined as the relative ease with which individuals or groups can reach amenities or services of importance.

Through the consultation and workshop process, stakeholders identified a problem with Accessibility along the corridor.

The key problems related to the provision of safe cycle facilities between communities and the conflict between pedestrians and vehicles within the urban areas.

In addition to contributing to the national, regional and local transport planning policies, the SMART transport planning objective for the Corridor Study relating to Accessibility & Social Inclusion is as follows:

g) To encourage cycling and address pedestrian severance issues in support of sustainable forms of transport.

Based on the above, the potential synergies between the SMART transport planning objectives have been investigated. This has resulted in the three objectives â€˜aâ€™, â€˜eâ€™ and â€˜gâ€™ being combined into a single objective. The local objective was subsequently extended in recognition of the Governmentâ€™s high level objectives regarding economic growth.

The combined single objective is as follows:

a+e+g) In the long term, to reduce the conflict between strategic and local traffic in urban areas leading to improvements in local air quality, reduced severance for pedestrians and supporting economic growth and development within the corridor.

Based on feedback during the consultation process, an additional Transport Planning Objective was identified concerning the movement of freight by road and rail. Although this was not identified as a key problem during the workshop, the problems associated with the movement of freight was highlighted on the consultation questionnaires. The following additional objective has therefore been defined:

h) In the medium term, to improve the efficiency of freight movements along the transport corridor.

The final SMART objectives, including an implementation timeframe, are therefore as follows. For the purpose of these objectives, short, medium and long term has been taken as up to 5, 10 and 15 years respectively.

The relationship between the SMART Transport Planning Objectives developed for the Aberdeen to Inverness Transport Corridor Study and the Governmentâ€™s five main objectives for transport is shown in Table 5.3.

The established objectives are generally consistent with the three key strategic outcomes of Scotlandâ€™s National Transport Strategy, dated December 2006, namely:

improve journey times and connections;
reduce emissions; and
improve quality, accessibility and affordability.

Table 5.3 â€“ SMART Transport Planning Objectives

Ref.	SMART Transport Planning Objectives	Appraisal Criteria Objective
Ref.	SMART Transport Planning Objectives	Environment	Safety	Economy	Integration	Accessibility
1	In the immediate short term, improve road safety along the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness where the local accident rate AND the associated severity ratio for a cluster of accidents both exceed the corresponding national average values over the 5 year period (2001 to 2005) to reduce local values to less than the national values.		?
2	In the short term, improve road safety along the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness where the local accident rate OR the associated severity ratio for a cluster of accidents exceeds the corresponding national average values over the 5 year period (2001 to 2005) to reduce local values to less than the national values.		?
3	In the medium term, to improve journey time reliability on rural sections of the A96 trunk road where the speed limit is 60 mph to achieve an average link speed which is more than 50 mph OR a minimum link speed which is less than 30% below the average link speed relative to the 2006 baseline conditions.			?
4	In the medium term, to achieve a 5% mode shift from private car commuting and inter-urban trips to more sustainable forms of transport, including bus, rail, walking and cycling, within the transport corridor and to contribute to the UK target for reducing carbon emissions.	?		?	?	?
5	In the long term, to reduce the conflict between strategic and local traffic in urban areas leading to improvements in local air quality, reduced severance for pedestrians and supporting economic growth and development within the corridor.	?	?	?		?
6	In the medium term, to improve the efficiency of freight movements along the transport corridor.	?		?

Based on the SMART objectives developed during the consultation process, the sections of the A96 trunk road where improvements should be considered to achieve the transport planning objectives for journey time reliability are shown in Figure 5.7.1. This Figure highlights the six sections where the average speed is less than 50 mph and the minimum speed is more than 30% below the average speed. The geographical locations of these sections are shown in Figure 5.7.2.

The sections of the A96 trunk road where improvements should be considered to achieve the transport planning objectives for improved road safety are shown in Figure 5.7.3. This Figure highlights the seven 1-kilometre long sections where the local accident rate and the local severity ratios for a cluster of 5 or more accidents during the five-year period between 2001 and 2005 both exceed the equivalent national values. The geographical locations of these sections are shown in Figure 5.7.4.

Figure 5.7.1 Average Vehicle Speed by Direction