Baseline summary
Introduction
The baseline for this assessment includes evidence on groups living, working, visiting or travelling through the area. Evidence from research, information gathered during consultation, and a range of relevant desk-based study data gathered from the Scotland’s 2022 Census, the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) and other referenced sources related to protected characteristics and socio-economically disadvantaged groups covered by this assessment has been used to identify the key issues.
Appendix A (Screening) provides a high-level summary that identifies the likely impacts, and relevant protected characteristics and vulnerable groups, associated with the design and development of the proposed scheme. This exercise has allowed impacts related to the protected characteristics of sexual orientation, gender reassignment, race and religion to be screened out from the assessment.
The following are considered within the baseline summary:
- Existing transport network.
- Pregnancy and maternity.
- Socio-economic disadvantage (FSD).
It is important to note that the pregnancy and maternity and sex protected characteristic groups are both covered within Section 4.6 due to the crossover in their baseline to avoid duplication of text. In addition, socio-economic disadvantage is discussed within each of the protected group characteristic sections (4.4 – 4.6) as a result of its interconnected nature. Evidence used under each of the protected group characteristic sections regarding socio-economic disadvantage will not be repeated in Section 4.7 to avoid duplication.
Study Area
The proposed scheme lies within the Perth and Kinross local authority. For analysis, a ‘study area’ has been used with a particular focus on the following communities which coincide with a 500m buffer of the proposed scheme: Birnam, Little Dunkeld, Dunkeld and Inver. The study area covers the Luncarty & Dunkeld Intermediate Zone which is comprised of the 2011 data zones of S01012007 and S01012008 (see Image 4.1). Data zones are composed of Census Output Areas large enough to present statistics accurately without fear of disclosure and small enough that they can be used to represent communities. The intermediate zone and the 2011 data zones were selected to ensure consistency and comparability of data with the SIMD which also uses the 2011 Data Zones.
Visitors and those travelling through the area, such as people from smaller settlements in the wider area e.g. Dalmarnock and Dalguise who may access facilities within Dunkeld, Little Dunkeld, Birnam and Inver, and tourists are considered in the assessment.
Existing Transport Network
There are 33 paths designated as core paths (Perth and Kinross Council, 2017), eight paths designated as Public Rights of Way (PRoW) (Scotways, 2024), and a designated National Cycle Route (NCR77) and Regional Cycle Route (RCR83) (Sustrans, 2025). There are also 20 undesignated local paths, and 170 mountain biking trails (Trailforks, 2021), with a high concentration of these trails around The Hermitage, Tay Forest Park and Inver. Traffic-free parts of the routes exist in small sections but for longer travel between settlements and towns, it is necessary to travel on-road.
Dunkeld and Birnam are well connected to Perth, Pitlochry, Edinburgh and Inverness by bus and train. Traveline Scotland (2024) shows that local bus services operate Monday to Sunday (approximately every hour to two hours) between Perth and Aberfeldy, with other services to Blairgowrie running four times daily (Monday to Friday). There are also two Megabus routes, one that operates one service toward Inverness and one service toward Perth/Glasgow/Edinburgh daily and the other that operates one service toward Inverness and one service toward Perth/ Edinburgh daily. There are also other long distance coach services operated by Fishers Tours running on a fortnightly basis during the tourist season (March to October).
The platforms at Dunkeld & Birnam Station were too low for the on train ramp and sat at a very steep angle which made it unsuitable for any mobility impaired passengers. This meant that passengers needed to be assisted off the train at Perth, if heading north, and Pitlochry, if heading south, and then get a taxi to Dunkeld. Network Rail undertook improvements at Dunkeld & Birnam Station include raising sections of Platform 1 and Platform 2 to provide step free train to platform access. These improvements commenced in January 2025 and were completed in May 2025. Network Rail are also developing associated proposals to provide step free access between Platform 1 and Platform 2 via ramps and footways linking to Birnam Glen Road.
Existing Scotrail services run hourly up until 10pm Monday to Saturday with irregular services on Sundays, with the latest service to Perth at 7pm (ScotRail, 2025).
Community transport services are operated in the area, such as the Craigvinean Surgery Hospital Cars service which offers transport to and from medical appointments at nominal cost for patients who cannot supply their own and are not easily able to use public transport (Perth and Kinross Council, 2025). However, coverage by community transport services is limited, with membership often required.
Age
According to the 2022 Scottish Census, the population of the study area (2011 data zones of S01012007 and S01012008) was 1,773 (Scotland’s Census, 2022a). The overall population of the study area is older than average for Scotland, with 27% of the population aged over 65 years, compared to the national average of 20%. The percentage of children under 16 years old is also lower than average for Scotland, with 14.3% of the population in the study area aged under 16 compared with the national average of 16.4%.
Older and younger people are often more dependent on public transport (Government Office for Science, 2019), particularly in rural areas and for those without access to a car, to access education, jobs, essential services, and social networks. Accessibility is particularly important for older people to access essential services such as medical appointments and social activities. Accessibility for children and young people and can also help improve educational outcomes and future prospects.
Lack of transport can reduce opportunities for independence and the ability to access social networks. Social isolation is linked to negative health outcomes, such as depression and other mental health issues. Graham et al (2018) highlight the necessity of older people in rural areas being able to travel – whether by car, public transport or on foot – and the impacts this can have on their quality of life
Affordable transport is essential for young people and older people (Shergold and Parkhurst, 2012; Government Office for Science, 2019) to be able to access transport. This is particularly important for those from low-income families or those on fixed incomes. Better affordability and accessibility of transport can help make opportunities more equitable regardless of someone’s socio-economic status.
According to the Scottish Public Health Observatory’s (ScotPHO) Profiles Tool (2025), for most of the health and socio-economic indicator scores within the children and young people profile for the study area, the scores are not statistically different to the national average. Additionally, in 2023, there were no young people (aged 0-25 years) living in the most income deprived quintile in the Luncarty and Dunkeld intermediate zone. This aligns with the SIMD data for the study area indicating that the percentage of the general population in the study area who are income deprived is also lower than the national average (Scottish Government, 2020).
However, there is one indicator within the children and young people profile for the study area which scores worse than the national average, this being the proportion of young people (aged 0-25) years living in the most access deprived quintile (ScotPHO, 2025). This also aligns with the geographic access domain SIMD data for the study area, which shows that the S01012007 data zone scores within the most deprived 10% and S01012008 scores within the most deprived 20% within Scotland overall (Scottish Government, 2020). The average drive time to a secondary school in minutes is the worst ranked indicator within the geographic access domain for both data zones. It should however be noted that the data zone covered for S01012008 covers an expansive area and contains small, isolated communities that are located some distance from Inver and Little Dunkeld and the location of the proposed scheme (see Image 4.1).
During consultation August to September 2024 with the Royal School of Dunkeld, Pitlochry High School and Breadalbane Academy it was identified that students use the A9 daily/frequently via bus, car, cycling or walking to visit friends and family, access the railway station, school, shops, clubs, after school activities and entertainment facilities (particularly in Perth at the weekend). However, students also voiced safety concerns around crossing the A9 due to witnessing accidents and concerns of dangerous driving. Safety is a key issue for children with regards to transport. In Scotland, children accounted for 10% of all road casualties overall and 28% of all pedestrian casualties in 2023 (Transport Scotland, 2024). Older people can also experience higher safety risks, with most pedestrians killed in Scotland in 2023 aged 60 or over.
Environmental impacts, particularly road noise and air quality impacts can disproportionately affect children and older people due to children’s developing systems and the higher likelihood of older adults having pre-existing health conditions. Traffic-related noise is associated with adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular and mental health issues (World Health Organization (WHO), 2024). There is strong evidence that long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution suppresses normal lung function growth in children (The Royal College of Physicians, 2016) and highly suggestive evidence that exposure to air pollution early in life might contribute to the development of asthma throughout childhood and adolescence (Gehring et al, 2015). Research has also shown that there is an association between nitrogen dioxide exposure and cognitive function which suggests that traffic-related air pollution may have an adverse effect on neurodevelopment, particularly when exposed early in life (Freire et al, 2010). There is also some evidence to suggest that noise exposure can be associated with behavioural problems in children (Hahad et al, 2025). Older people are more vulnerable to the effects of noise and air pollution compared to the overall population. Evidence suggests that increased air pollution exposure in older people is associated with increased mortality for cardio-pulmonary or respiratory causes and higher incidence of respiratory diseases (Simoni et al, 2015). Research also suggests that there is a strong association between daytime road traffic noise and an increased risk of stroke in older people (Halonen et al, 2015).
Disability
According to the 2022 Scottish Census, the proportion of people who have a long-term illness, disease or condition in the study area (2011 data zones of S01012007 and S01012008) was 21.2% (Scotland’s Census, 2022c). This proportion is around the average for Scotland (21.4%) overall. Looking at the breakdown of conditions the study area has a higher proportion of people who are deaf or partially hearing impaired (8.7%) and blind or partially vision impaired (3.1%) when compared to the national average of 7.1% and 2.5% respectively. This is not unexpected since age is a risk factor for these conditions and there is a higher proportion of older people in the study area (Fuller-Thomson et al, 2022).
The proportion of people within the study area who have their day-to-day activities limited in some capacity by a disability (24.0%) is around the average for Scotland (24.1%) (Scotland’s Census, 2022b). Although the proportion of people whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot (9.9%) is lower than the national average (10.8%), the proportion of people whose day-to-day activities are limited a little (14.2%) is higher than Scotland’s average (13.3%).
Disabled people are more likely to rely on public transport to access education, jobs, essential services, and social networks (International Transport Forum, 2017). Currently, road access to the Dunkeld & Birnam Station is directly off the A9 and a car park (30 spaces – no blue badge spaces) are available. Pedestrian access is via Birnam Glen, which is part of National Cycle Network Route (NCR) 77. This route crosses the A9 via an underpass and access from Birnam Glen to the station itself involves steps and is not suitable for users of wheelchairs or some people with mobility impairment. During consultation, there were several comments regarding disabled accessibility to and around the station. In addition, the station had low platforms, making it unsuitable for any mobility impaired passengers, as the platforms were too low for the on train ramp and sits at a very steep angle. As a result, passengers needed to be assisted off the train at Perth and/or Pitlochry and get a taxi to Dunkeld. This has been addressed through platform raising works undertaken by Network Rail and completed in May 2025.
Individuals who live in households with a disabled person are more likely to experience income poverty than those without (Department for Work and Pensions, 2025) and face a higher risk of poverty, related with increased costs associated with disability and barriers to travel, work and education (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2025). Although the study area is not considered to be income deprived, it is considered to be access deprived (how well individuals in an area can access essential services, including but not limited to, healthcare, education, and transportation) (Scottish Government, 2020) (see Section 4.7) which can disproportionately affect disabled people due to them already facing barriers to travel. This is particularly relevant to rural areas which tend to have reduced public transport availability and reliability and disabled people who are less likely to live in a household with a car available for private use (Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, 2021). Additionally, people who have disabilities are more likely to experience road traffic injuries (WHO, 2022).
Environmental impacts, particularly road noise and air quality impacts can disproportionately affect disabled people. Traffic-related noise is associated with adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular and mental health issues (WHO, 2024). Research shows that individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular and respiratory conditions are at increased risk of some cardiovascular diseases after exposure to air pollution (Public Health England, 2018). There is also evidence that both noise annoyance and noise levels are associated with exacerbation of asthma in adults (Eze et al, 2018).
Pregnancy and Maternity and Sex
According to the 2022 Scottish Census, 53.0% of the population in the study area is female and 46.9% is male. Compared to the national average (51.4% female) there is a slightly higher proportion of females in the study area.
Women typically experience a disproportionate burden of care work and lower incomes and employment opportunities (Transform Scotland, 2024). As a result, women are more likely to rely on walking and buses. However, for many women in Scotland, particularly in rural areas, car travel is viewed as the only viable option due to lack of public transport, lower reliability and increased time required to travel by public transport, work patterns and multiple stops between work and/or caring responsibilities, or public transport costing more than driving (Scottish Women’s Budget Group, 2023). Currently, pedestrian access to Dunkeld & Birnam Station involves steps and is not suitable for people using pushchairs which presents access issues.
Access issues and other barriers such as safety concerns around inadequate infrastructure (Sustrans, 2018) i.e. lack of separation between paths/cycleways and roads, and fear of violence or harassment with public transport can impact the way in which, and ability of, women to travel (Scottish Women’s Budget Group, 2023). Safety concerns can also impact uptake of active travel, with women and people travelling with young children or whilst pregnant more vulnerable to road accidents (Transport Scotland, 2024).
Environmental impacts, particularly road noise and air quality impacts can disproportionately affect people who are pregnant. Research suggests that exposure to both air pollution and noise may affect birth weight (Gehring et al, 2014; Nyadanu et al, 2022). There is also research that suggests that exposure to higher levels of ozone and primary traffic non-exhaust related particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or smaller (PM2.5) could increase the risk of preterm birth and stillbirth. The research also suggests a possible relationship between long-term traffic noise and increased risk of preterm birth (Smith et al, 2020).
Socio-economic Disadvantage
Socio-economic disadvantage may be observed in groups of people who share a common experience, known as communities of interest, including those with protected characteristics as described in Section 4.4 - 4.6.
Regarding communities of place, the study area is not considered to be income deprived, with the S01012007 and S01012008 data zones ranking within the 40% and 30% least income deprived in Scotland respectively (Scottish Government, 2020). However, it is important to recognise that there could still be some deprived people living in the least income deprived areas.
Although the area is not considered income deprived, wealth inequality is known to be more severe than income inequality. However, statistics show that people who are nearing retirement, retired and/or are highly qualified are more likely to be the wealthiest (Scottish Government, 2022b). These considerations make low wealth an unlikely issue for the majority of people in the study area. However, as with low income, it is important to recognise that there could still be some wealth deprived people living in the area.
The study area is considered to be access deprived according to the SIMD ranking, which considers factors like distance to essential services (e.g. healthcare, shopping, public transport) and the availability of those services. The S01012007 and S01012008 data zones rank within the 40% and 20% most access deprived in Scotland respectively. Reduced access to opportunities for employment, training or education may inhibit more deprived households from improving their situation.
According to ‘Transport’s Role in Creating a Fairer, Healthier Country’ (Marmot et al, 2024) and ‘Inequalities in Mobility and Access in the UK Transport System’ (Lucas et al, 2019), there are key challenges associated with transport and inequality. This is particularly important for more vulnerable groups.
- Accessibility – For those without access to a car, particularly for vulnerable groups and for those in rural areas, an accessible transport network is essential to access education, jobs, essential services, and social networks. Where there is poor transport accessibility, people can be prevented from accessing employment and education opportunities, which can negatively impact their quality of life. Lack of accessible transport options can also prevent people accessing essential services, which can lead to reduced quality of life and negative health outcomes.
- Social isolation – lack of transport options can reduce opportunities for independence and the ability to access social networks. Social isolation is linked to negative health outcomes, such as depression and other mental health issues.
- Air and noise pollution – Air and noise pollution is linked to negative health outcomes, such as increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and respiratory problems (European Environment Agency, 2018), and increased health inequalities in more deprived areas.
- Active travel – increased active travel opportunities can have positive physical and mental health outcomes and offer more affordable alternatives to other forms of transport.
- Affordability – affordable transport is essential for people to be able to access transport for the reasons outlined above. This is particularly important for those from low-income families or those on fixed incomes. Better affordability and accessibility of transport can help make opportunities more equitable regardless of someone’s socio-economic status.
According to the 2022 census, of those who work, most people work from home (41.1%), with the second most common method of travel to work being driving a car or van (40.4%), followed by travelling on foot (10%) (Scotland’s census, 2022h). In rural areas, car travel is often viewed as the most viable option due to lack of public transport, lower reliability and increased time required to travel by public transport, or public transport costing more than driving. This can result in ‘forced car ownership’, resulting in some households stretching their budgets to retain a car (Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, 2021). This can also disproportionately impact those who face barriers to car access, such as disabled people, women, people who are pregnant or have just given birth, older people and those who are unemployed.