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Community Needs Assessment Methodology

Transport Scotland is currently developing the Islands Connectivity Plan, which will replace the Ferries Plan 2013-2022. Central to this will be a set of Community Needs Assessments. This paper shows the approach to conducting these Community Needs Assessments.

Contents

  • Overview
  • What is the purpose of this guidance paper?
  • Who should use this guidance paper?
  • Background and Context
  • Step 1: Route Service Level
  • Step 2: Analysis of connectivity provided by the current timetabled service
  • Step 3: Analysis of the performance of the current service
  • Route performance - reliability and punctuality
  • Route carryings and capacity utilisation
  • Step 4: Narrative and indicators around travel by island residents, visitors and the island supply-chain
  • Island Context
  • Ferry Service Role(s)
  • Island resident regular day-to-day travel
  • Evening Services
  • Island resident more occasional travel
  • Island supply-chain
  • Tourism
  • Through Traffic
  • Output of Step 4
  • Step 5: Gap analysis
  • Step 6: Option generation and appraisal/business case scoping
  • Option Generation
  • Options Summary
  • When should communities and stakeholders be engaged?
  • Reporting

Next >


PDF version

  • View Community Needs Assessment Methodology

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Published Date 24 Sep 2025 Type
  • Guidance
Mode of transport
  • Buses
  • Ferries
Topic
  • Accessible transport
  • Public transport
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  • Freedom Of Information
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