Who we are

As an executive agency of the Scottish Government, and Scotland’s national transport agency, we focus our activities on delivering the priorities of Scottish Ministers through our National Transport Strategy (NTS2), the transport driven National Outcomes within the National Performance Framework (NPF) and the Programme for Government (PfG).

• Our purpose is to support and advise Scottish Ministers on strategy and policy options for Transport in Scotland, and to increase sustainable economic growth, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through the development of national transport projects.
• Our aim is to help create an accessible Scotland, with a safe, integrated, cost-effective and reliable transport network, helping to deliver a healthier, fairer, and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses, and visitors.
• Our Vision is outlined within our National Transport Strategy (NTS2), to have a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system, helping deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors.

Our Organisation

The Chief Executive is the Accountable Officer for the Agency, appointed by the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government. They are supported by a senior management team comprising nine Executive Directors. Each oversees one or more transport modes and/or policy/corporate areas and are in turn supported by a range of teams covering all aspects of business delivery within their respective areas. We also support Scottish Ministers in prioritising future transport policy, strategy and investments and the delivery of a low carbon economy.

Our Directorates

Aviation, Maritime, Freight and Canals

The Directorate helps grow Scotland’s direct international connectivity and supports transport links to Scotland’s remote and island communities. It is responsible for policy development, contract management and sponsorship of public bodies. Transport matters within AMFC’s remit include aviation, canals, maritime interests including ports and harbours, and freight. The sponsorship function looks after Scottish Ministers’ interests in Glasgow Prestwick Airport (until 25th Jan 2023), David MacBrayne Limited, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, and Scottish Canals.

Bus, Accessibility and Active Travel

The Directorate is responsible for the Scottish Government’s policy relating to bus, active travel, smart and integrated ticketing, and accessible travel. It supports local authorities, delivery partners and bus operators to deliver sustainable, accessible local transport solutions and improve bus services. It promotes walking, cycling, and wheeling, operates the concessionary bus travel scheme for disabled, older, and young people, and works with operators to ensure all journeys on Scotland’s bus, rail, ferry, subway and tram networks can be ticketed or paid for using smart technologies.

Ferries

The Directorate promotes the connectivity of our islands and remote communities through contract management, vessel and infrastructure replacement and development of the Islands Connectivity Plan. The Directorate manages the ferry contracts for the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles services as well as developing future procurement strategy and operational policy, such as related to fares, for these services. It also works with a range of partners to deliver a programme of vessel replacement and related harbour and port infrastructure.

Finance and Corporate Services

Finance and Corporate Services supports the operation and governance of Transport Scotland, which includes providing core services and advice areas such as finance, human resources, learning and development, information governance, IT, facilities, health and safety, secretariat, and communications. The Directorate also has a leading role on a range of corporate governance functions including risk management, the operation of the Audit and Risk Committee and corporate reporting requirements.

Low Carbon Economy

The Directorate’s purpose is to advise and support Ministers to deliver a Just Transition from a fossil fuelled transport system to a zero emission transport system, including leading the Scottish Government’s mission to remove the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, delivering strategically coordinated investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, promoting the uptake of electric vehicles across public and private fleets, encouraging skills development to support future net zero needs and supporting wider sustainable transport and economic outcomes.

Major Projects

Major Projects is responsible for design, development, procurement, and construction of major trunk road and other infrastructure projects across Scotland, alongside leading and advising on procurement and contract management matters for Transport Scotland and maintaining our status as a Centre of Excellence for the delivery of major projects.

Rail

The Rail Directorate is responsible for Scotland’s rail policy and delivery, including oversight of the services provided by Scotrail Trains Ltd and Caledonian Sleeper which are overseen by Scottish Government’s wholly owned and controlled arm’s length company Scottish Rail Holdings, developing rail policy and strategic planning, including aligning it with wider social and economic policy. It specifies and funds the operation, maintenance and renewal of Network Rail’s infrastructure in Scotland. It is also responsible for specifying and funding major rail projects alongside industry partners, promoting, and investing in the development of sustainable rail freight, managing economic regulation of the railways, and monitoring and advising on the affordability of the rail programme.

Roads

The Roads Directorate is responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of the Scottish trunk road network, roads policy, road safety, including oversight of progress towards national casualty reduction targets, Intelligent Transport Systems and lighting, resilience, winter maintenance and transport planning of major events, roads and bridges design standards and air quality and the environment including climate change adaptation and asset management.

Transport Strategy and Analysis

The Directorate has responsibility for the National Transport Strategy and all analytical services, providing the evidence basis for our policies and investment decisions affecting all of transport. It also coordinates and improves the effectiveness of our policy and investment delivery, ensuring the work of Transport Scotland and the transport system best contributes to the Government’s strategic objectives of addressing climate change, through our contribution to the Climate Change Plan, including our target to reduce car kilometres by 20% by 2030 and transport contribution to tackling inequalities and eradicating child poverty, through our work on the future of public transport.