The Scope of the EQIA

The Transport Noise Action Plan is aimed at reducing the impact of transport noise from major roads, all trunk roads, all rail routes, and transport policy, and identifying potential areas of high noise levels. It sets out actions Transport Scotland and partners will take during the next 4 years, to reduce the impact of transport noise, building on the work taken forward in previous years.

As such, any reduction in noise levels will have the benefit to reducing disturbance regardless of protected characteristic.

The EQIA examines whether the TNAP 2024–2028 may differentially affect groups with protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
Because the plan’s measures focus on environmental noise exposure—determined by geographical location and proximity to transport sources—rather than on demographic characteristics, any benefits or impacts are expected to apply generally across all communities. Strategic noise mapping data does not include information on protected characteristics, and the identification of NMAs is based solely on exposure thresholds and population density.
The EQIA therefore centres on a high‑level assessment of whether any aspect of the TNAP could lead to unequal outcomes or unintended disadvantage. It also considers whether any groups may disproportionately benefit from improved noise reduction (for example, individuals with certain health conditions), though these effects arise indirectly rather than through targeted policy design.