Step Two – Gather your data and identify your stakeholders

Engagement with island communities was initially undertaken as part of the development of National Transport Strategy (NTS2), shortly prior to the initial development of the car use reduction route map. The engagement as part of NTS2 identified the following unique transport challenges relevant to island communities:

• Centralisation of public transport and limited provision in peripheral areas
• Poor journey connections, lack of seamlessness and lack of ticket integration
• Car dependencies due to poor public transport links
• Insufficient active travel infrastructure on islands
• Limited evening and weekend public transport services, resulting in difficulties accessing services and participating in social/community activities
• Incoherent, inconsistent and confusing public transport timetables across all modes
• The ability of public transport to meet the needs and expectations of tourists and visitors, especially to Scotland’s islands
• Higher costs of accessibility on islands and in rural areas
• Imbalance of service provision and demand to meet concessionary transport needs
• Call for more flexible and pro-active support needed for the berthing of cruise ships at ports.

Further details are reported in the NTS2 Delivery Plan – Island Communities Impact Assessment Screening Report.

Qualitative evidence from consultation feedback

Additional information was gathered through the statutory consultation on the draft route map and impact assessments. It was noted that many of the responses [to the question ‘do you think that the proposals set out in this plan could have a particular impact (positive or negative) on island communities] relate to concerns about the impact of potential policy changes hindering car travel in rural areas, rather than to the actual proposals in the route map, which are designed to support alternative travel behaviours and do not seek to prevent those who need to use cars from doing so.

Positive impacts cited in the consultation responses included benefits from improved active travel infrastructures and improvements to support multi-modal travel, including interchange with ferries and improved local facilities and amenities resulting from investment in 20 minute neighbourhoods. Benefits from reducing the level of car use by visitors, thereby preserving limited space on ferries and local roads for cars belonging to island residents were also cited. The benefit of improved quality of life on the islands, from better internet connectivity and sustainable transport options were identified as things that could reduce population losses or encourage people to relocate to the islands. Finally, the importance of tackling climate change, in the context of the vulnerability of island communities to the adverse impacts of climate change, such as sea level rises, was also acknowledged.

Negative impacts cited in the consultation response included the fact that any future car use disincentives could have a negative impact on island communities if alternatives were not in place, including potential impacts of increased isolation and reduced tourism to the islands. It was mentioned that there could be a particular impact amongst those living in island communities who were also disabled, elderly, or living on low incomes. There was also some concern about the potential environmental impacts of increasing public transport services on islands.

Mitigations proposed in the consultation included improvements in public transport, shared transport and active travel infrastructure, particularly in relation to improved timetabling to allow more efficient multi-modal interchange. There was suggestion that any alternative transport provision, including public transport and micro-mobility, should consist of electric vehicles, and a suggestion that local renewal energy sources could potentially be used to power electric transport locally. Responses suggested addressing the use of cars and other vehicles by tourists, including through a potential tourist tax or incentivisation of car-free travel to the islands. Other proposed mitigations included improvements in local services, digital connectivity and deliveries, to reduce the need for islanders to travel to the mainland.