Minutes – 1 November 2023 - NTS Delivery Board

Board Attendees

  • Fiona Hyslop MSP: Minister for Transport - Chair
  • Cllr Gail Macgregor: Elected Member, COSLA - Co-chair
  • Bruce Kiloh: Head of Transport Planning, SPT
  • Derek Crichton: Director for Communities, Dumfries and Galloway Council, SOLACE
  • Anne Martin: Head of Transport Strategy and Co-ordination, Transport Scotland
  • Margaret Roy, ATCO Board Chair, ATCO

Supporting Officials

  • Michelle Little, Road Safety Framework Policy and Delivery Manager, Transport Scotland
  • Carole Stewart, Head of Bus Strategy and Funding Policy, Transport Scotland
  • Luke Macauley, Active Travel Transformation Project and Policy Manager, Transport Scotland
  • Sharon Dickson, Stakeholder Engagement Policy Officer, Transport Scotland
  • Bethany Sharp, Head of Stakeholder Engagement, Transport Scotland
  • Robert Nicol, Chief Officer, COSLA
  • Meg Robertson, Policy Officer, COSLA

1. This meeting was the eighth meeting of the NTS Delivery Board.

2. The Chair led a discussion on Demand Management and the 20% reduction in car kilometres commitment as an addition to the formal agenda.

3. The board was unanimous in its support of the 20% reduction in car kilometres commitment and discussed the importance of promoting choice in active travel and public transport over anti-car messaging.

4. CoSLA highlighted the importance of behavioural change and maintaining the focus on the 20% car km commitment applying to all vehicle types.

Bus Update

5. An update was provided on Transport Scotland activities across bus including the Bus Taskforce Group and its subgroups, and local authority bus powers. Grant offer letters for the Community Bus Fund are being distributed in the coming weeks.

6. Research has been carried out on the Under 22s scheme with focus groups and stakeholders. The report will be published in the coming weeks.

Active Travel Transformation

7. A report on the first phase of the Transformation Project has recently been published, and will be shared with Board members.

8. A Programme Business Case is now under development, intended for consideration by Transport Scotland Investment Decision Making (IDM) Board by the end of the year. While funding criteria and distribution methodology are yet to be confirmed, members’ consideration in the development of the model was acknowledged, and a meeting to discuss it further is scheduled with CoSLA and LA Directors of Finance.

9. The completion of the first projects supported through the 2023/24 £20m Transformation Fund is imminent. Design funding to support the pipeline of future projects is also now being provided (to both LAs and RTPs).

10. Board members expressed their support for the direction the Transformation Project is taking, and acknowledged the significant progress that has already taken place. COSLA indicated that the Environment and Economy Board was supportive of the proposed delivery model however more budgetary detail is needed before it can be taken to Leaders. Further budgetary details will be shared once this is confirmed.

20MPH Speed Limits Progress

11. The Scottish Government is committed to implement 20 mph speed limits on those roads where it is appropriate to do so by 2025. A task group for 20mph has been set up to help determine the most effective route to implement lower speed limits. The group will meet on 2 November and an update will be provided following this.

NTS Strategy Update

12. A brief update was provided on the third NTS Delivery Plan; Programme for Government 2023-2024 and the NTS Business Group. The third NTS Delivery Plan will outline actions being taken forward to deliver the NTS vision, priorities and outcomes from spring 2023 to end 2024. This will be published alongside a Report to Parliament.

Next Steps

13. Next meeting will be in early 2024 and chaired by Councillor Macgregor. Papers will be issued in advance. Reference Action Owner DB8-01 Active Travel Transformation Project report to be shared with Board members. Luke Macauley DB8-02 Details on funding model to be shared with members after December’s budget announcement. Private Office

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Published Date 14 Dec 2023 Type Topic