Meeting minutes - Road Safety Framework Local Partnership Forum - East - 19 November 2025

Chair

  • Kieren Green – Transport Scotland (TS) Road Safety Policy

Attendees

  • Hannah Green – TS Road Safety Policy – Secretariat
  • James McCrum – TS Statistics
  • Lewis Bennett – TS Safety Camera Programme
  • Michelle Van der Stighelen – TS Safety Camera Programme
  • Vince Tait – TS Trunk Road, Road Safety
  • Angela McGibbon – Stirling Council
  • Kenneth Brown – West Lothian Council
  • Craig Russell – Falkirk Council
  • Caitlin Taylor – RoSPA
  • Clem Price – Scottish Ambulance Service
  • Gillian Bathgate – Midlothian Council
  • Gillian Kelly – Fife Council
  • Marshall Greenshields – East Lothian Council
  • Gary Haldane – Scottish Borders Council
  • Ian McCall – Walking Scotland
  • Jimmy McLean – BEAR Scotland
  • Ian King – East Lothian Council
  • Kos Papakyriakou – Police Scotland
  • Simon Bradshaw – Cycling Scotland
  • Suzanne Hunter – City of Edinburgh Council
  • Michael Grant – Police Scotland – Safety Camera Unit
  • Alasdair Sim – TS Trunk Road, Road Safety

Welcome and Introductions

The Chair welcomed all members to the meeting and proceeded with introductions. The minutes of the previous meeting on 2 July 2025 were previously agreed as an accurate record of discussion and since been published. All actions from the meeting were complete.

Feedback from the Strategic Partnership Board (SPB) was provided, with the Cabinet Secretary for Transport continuing to chair the Board and placing an emphasis on the importance of Road Safety. Public Health Scotland have joined the SPB, the mid-term review of the framework is underway and partners will be asked to contribute to this. Discussions with the Department for Transport on the development and publication of the UK Road Safety Strategy continues.

With an increase in the Road Safety budget for 2025/26 to £48 million, Transport Scotland would like to support stakeholder communication opportunities around all road safety projects.

Action: Secretariat to share mid-term review brief once cleared by OPG.

Outstanding Actions

Andrew Paterson to share postcode information and journey purpose analysis from the 2024 dataset. – Complete – Data was shared within the presentation.

Michelle to share the East Safety Camera Unit details with the group. – Complete – Details shared via teams during the meeting.

Local authorities to contact East Safety Camera Unity should they have locations on their network they would like considered for mobile camera deployment. – Ongoing – All members are asked to reach out to Michael Grant.

Knowledge and Data Analysis

James McCrum presented casualty statistics from Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2024 noting a 13% increase in fatalities and a 2% overall reduction in total casualties. Localised stats for the East showed fatalities have increased with serious, slight and total casualties reducing. It was noted that older road users continue to be prevalent in the stats.

Discussion following Reported Road Casualties 2024 presentation focused on:

  • The Road Safety Improvement Fund is predicated on engineering measures at known accident sites. Members raised the point that the RSIF could be used to invest in current infrastructure.
  • Fife continue to run projects with Police Scotland at garden centres regarding eyesight testing.
  • Edinburgh City Council continue to run the Younger Driver Event in partnership with Police Scotland and SFRS, with around 3000 pupils from S5 and S6 in attendance.

Action: Secretariat to share the casualty statistics presentation with all members.

Action: James McCrum to share LPF East fatality contributory factors with members.

Action: James McCrum to provide a comparison between the increase in 20 mph sites/ length of roads and the increase of casualties on 20 mph roads.

Action: Chair to discuss to the Road Safety Improvement Fund and the criteria used to inform engineering measures with Ben McKenna.

Safety Camera Programme

Michelle Van der stighelen provided an overview of the East Safety Camera Programme, all members are encouraged to use short term and flexible deployment in locations of concern, there is no requirement for speed surveys to be done beforehand. Due to the diminishing number of cluster sites, site selection is becoming an issue and in turn how this is impacting the programme.

The Annual Report for the Safety Camera Programme is due to be published shortly, additionally a survey is going to be issued to all road authorities.

Distracted Driver Enforcement – 23% of fatalities recorded in 2024 were not wearing a seatbelt, there will be a pilot of distracted driver cameras which will detect the use of handheld devices and failure to wear a seatbelt while driving.

There is an ongoing trail of the TomTom data in relation to speed compliance and driver behaviour.

Action: Secretariat to share the Safety Camera Programme Annual Report with member when it is published.

Action: Members looking for speed data should reach out to the Safety Programme team/ Road Safety Policy team, who will assist where possible.

Action: Secretariat to share Michael Grant East Safety Camera Unit contact details with members.

Road Safety Framework Fund

The Road Safety Framework Fund is supporting five projects this year, including one by Cycling Scotland on reducing work-related road risk for Vulnerable Road Users. The next round of funding is due to launch in December, focusing on Safe System aligned projects. Further information on the Framework Fund can be found via the following link: Road Safety Framework Fund. Support is available for helping to shape application, although projects are subject to budgetary approval.

Partner Updates/Discussions

A mix of verbal and written updates were provided. During the verbal updates the following key points were noted;

  • City of Edinburgh Council – Continuing to work through their delivery programme. Noted work is underway with the design and installation of a number of pedestrian crossings. Working to update a number of processes to align with the Safe System.
  • Midlothian Council – Work is progressing on 20 mph implementation and Tier 1 projects and the RSIF.
  • East Lothian Council – Concentrating on a footway project in Dirleton, safety barrier improvements, and the implementation of 20 mph speed limits.
  • West Lothian Council – Continuing to progress the 20 mph implementation, AIP work and RSIF works.
  • Scottish Borders Council – Installing speed indicator signs, RSIF evaluation of the trial 50 mph speed limits, also continuing with a scheme of relining and carriageway road studs on the A703.
  • Stirling Council – Almost completed the 20mph implementation. The Tier 1 projects and RSIF route action plan also continue to progress.
  • Falkirk Council – Focusing on RSIF junction improvements and 20 mph implementation.
  • RoSPA – Funded to undertake two RSFF projects (ScORSA & Preventing Future Fatalities By Optimising Road Crash Data). Next in person event will be held on 12th May 26, in Edinburgh, this event will contain a mock trial on occupation road risk.
  • Cycling Scotland – Bikeability results from last year have now been published. Have been able to deliver the Road User Awareness training, with more training events scheduled for the remainder of the financial year.
  • Police Scotland – New Chief Inspector for the East and representative on this group may change. Police Scotland continue to focus on the Fatal Five, there is a notable increase in drug driving offences. The Drink & Drug Drive campaign will start at the beginning of December.
  • Scottish Ambulance Service – Working to update their current speed safety policies.
  • BEAR Scotland – Recent KSI reduction studies have resulted in verge improvement schemes and continuing with roll out of all 20 mph implementation.
  • TS Road Safety Policy – The Safety System Manual will be launched in the coming weeks. NSMR analysis is now complete and advice is currently with Ministers, TS hope to publish the outcomes in due course.

Action: City of Edinburgh Council to share their assessment process on pedestrian crossings with LPF East Group.

Action: Road Safety Policy to reach out to Standards regarding any updates to the pedestrian crossings guidance.

Action: Gillian Bathgate to contact Chair regarding monitoring and looking to install temporary loops and the possibility of additional funding.

Action: All LAs to share successes and difficulties with regards to implementing 20 mph and gaining compliance with Secretariat who will collate and share with the group as a whole.

Action: Secretariat to share the outcome of the Highland Council pilot of the speed humps with members in due course (approx. Feb/March 26).

Action: Secretariat to ask other LPFs what are their successes and difficulties with regards to the implementation of 20 mph and gaining compliance.

AOB & Date of Next Meeting

The date for the next meeting of the LPF East will be confirmed early in the New Year.

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Published Date 19 Nov 2025 Type Mode of transport Topic