Improves our Health and Wellbeing
There are three outcomes under the improves our Health and Wellbeing priority:
- Will be safe and secure for all;
- Will enable us to make healthy travel choices; and
- Will help make our communities great places to live
Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030 fully embeds the Safe System approach, which is recognised as international best practice. It looks to improve the safety aspects of the road, its surrounding environment, vehicle technology, and provide education for all road users. As part of this programme, we delivered the following:
- A world’s first Safe System Manual, which outlines exactly how to deliver the Safe System to all road safety practitioners
- Extensive training & education programmes for over 500 road safety partners in Scotland
- Published a Cultural Maturity Playbook, which harnesses 40 case studies for growing a mature culture, which allows organisational leaders with road safety responsibility to take practical steps to enhance corporate understanding, embed expectations, and build mission-oriented approaches to safety
- An e-learning tool for road safety partners
We have funded over 120 road safety projects to help save lives. In 2024/25, £10 million from the Road Safety Improvement Fund supported local authorities to deliver targeted schemes such as junction upgrades, carriageway improvements, new signage, pedestrian crossings, traffic calming and vehicle restraint systems. In 2025/26, £14.25 million funded over 200 further schemes, including bend treatments and innovative measures like solar‑powered road studs. This investment supports Scotland’s casualty‑reduction targets and encourages safer, more sustainable travel.
We will continue to work with local authorities to understand the impact 20 mph speed restrictions are having on vehicle speed and casualty reduction and explore options where further measures may be required to assist with compliance levels. We will also complete delivery of Trunk Road 20 mph limits and continue to monitor, evaluate and refine these to ensure they have the most positive effect practically.
We will continue to roll out targeted casualty reduction and active travel measures on the Trunk Road network, building on the award-winning motorcycle PRIMEs initiative, our risk mapping tools and relevant data to best inform the delivery of a cost effective and outcome focused casualty reduction programme.
We invested £7.7 million in the Safety Camera Programme in 2025–26, rising to £8.2 million in 2026-27. Working with Police Scotland and all road authorities, the programme targeted enforcement at locations with speeding and collision risks. Temporary average‑speed cameras on the A836 and A82 improved compliance by 3–4 mph and saw no collisions while operating. A solar‑powered GATSO trial also proved successful. Although delays to new enforcement vehicles affected performance, a full programme review is underway to modernise technology, improve flexibility and strengthen outcome‑focused enforcement. Safety Cameras are being deployed on new routes using low emission safety camera vans, which now make up around half the fleet and new types of average speed camera which can be deployed seasonally where evidence indicates this would support targeted action on specific road user behaviours.
We will continue to modernise our national transport technology estate, including a new CCTV system and electronic roadside signing. We will continue to enhance the quality of information and customer service provided to the travelling public through a programme of upgrades to the Traffic Scotland website and the introduction of a new Customer Care Line contract.
We will continue to deliver a range of speed management measures to improve compliance and make roads safer. This includes delivering the outcomes flowing from the National Speed Management Review and taking the steps to increase speed limits on single carriageways from 40 mph to 50 mph and on dual carriageways from 50 mph to 60 mph for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs). We are also building on the introduction of 20 mph limits on appropriate roads in 2025–26. On the trunk road network, we have implemented urban speed reductions, new 20 mph zones, part‑time limits, and other measures to support casualty reduction and active travel. In 2026, rollout of trunk‑road 20 mph sites will continue through temporary or permanent orders. The trunk road casualty reduction programme will keep delivering speed‑management actions to improve safety and support safer travel across Scotland.
Between 2022 and 2024, we carried out a programme of research on women and girls experiences of safety on public transport. We continue to work across all modes of transport to ensure that specific actions to tackle antisocial behaviour on public transport are aligned with the recommendations arising from the research. We also continue to work with Violence Against Women and Girls colleagues across the Scottish Government to support the sharing of good practice in relation to progress on the principles.
We will take forward work to assess the feasibility, costs and timescales associated with key recommendations of the Rail Enforcement Powers Working Group’s final report.
We will continue to support Scotrail with their Travel Safe Team initiative targeting high risk locations, strengthening partnerships and promoting safeguarding through engagement, campaigns and education. Following the successful launch of the initiative in the West, the team has expanded into the East, with one supervisor and eight officers now based at Haymarket. From there, they support stations along the East Coast up to Arbroath, including Stirling, Perth and Dundee. All officers are trained in safeguarding, managing suicidal contacts (Samaritans) and White Ribbon Champion
Scotrail will complete the roll out of body-worn cameras, having concluded the procurement and preparatory activities for this during 2025.
We will support the further delivery of infrastructure projects through our Active Travel Infrastructure Fund, which will see more direct funding available for local authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships and National Parks; and support for further development and improvement of the National Cycle Network in Scotland. Through our People and Place programme, we will also deliver a range of behaviour change interventions to support people with the skills, knowledge and access to use more sustainable forms of travel, and contribute to a reduction in car use.
We will progress the findings of the Transport Noise Action Plan (TNAP) 2024-2028 consultation, and continue to ensure noise management is integral to all transport related activities, across the spectrum of design, construction, and maintenance, collaborating with partner organisations to reduce noise levels in the most impacted areas through targeted action.
In 2025–26, we allocated Low Emission Zones (LEZ) Support Fund, removing over 300 high‑polluting vehicles and providing more than 170 Travel Better grants. Proposals for 2026–27 include expanding eligibility to residents within 40 kilometres of any LEZ, aiming to remove around 600 additional vehicles and deliver 400 grants. We continue to operate the Scottish LEZ website and vehicle checker, which has received over one million queries since 2023, and the LEZ Exemption System for Blue Badge holders, with around 34,000 registered. We will keep improving these services to support a fair transition. removing over 300 high‑polluting vehicles and providing more than 170 Travel Better grants. Proposals for 2026–27 include expanding eligibility to residents within 40 kilometres of any LEZ, aiming to remove around 600 additional vehicles and deliver 400 grants. We continue to operate the Scottish LEZ website and vehicle checker, which has received over one million queries since 2023, and the LEZ Exemption System for Blue Badge holders, with around 34,000 registered. We will keep improving these services to support a fair transition.
We will continue to work closely with stakeholders to support the transition to cleaner vehicles enabled by LEZ implementation. This transition is already delivering measurable reductions in emissions and is enabling cities to achieve statutory air quality objectives for the first time since their introduction under the Environment Act 1995. To support those most affected, the Scottish Government has provided almost £16 million in grant funding to help low‑income households and small businesses adapt to the requirements of LEZs.
Transport Scotland and operating companies will participate in a week of action on roadside litter as part of the Keep Scotland Beautiful Spring Clean Campaign 2026, alongside continuing to support wider delivery of the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy and work collaboratively to reduce litter and refuse on the road network.
The Scottish Government will continue to sponsor the Scottish Road Works Commissioner, including provision of the direct financial support required for via coordination and quality of road works throughout Scotland, and remain dedicated to the safe operation and maintenance of Scotland's trunk road and bridge network, using established and robust asset management and environmental principles, allowing it to contribute to Scotland's sustainable economic growth.
We will continue to progress the enabling powers to suspend the use of concessionary travel cards due to anti-social behaviour, providing a strong foundation for Transport Scotland to work with operators and partners to finalise the supporting administrative procedures during 2026.
Winter maintenance is part of our year-round investment in the trunk road network, which rises to over £714 million in 2025/26, an increase of 4.7%. The increased budget will support our resilience response to severe weather events and deliver on our commitment to maintain a safe and reliable trunk road network.
We are delivering the Transport to Health Delivery Plan, by working with Regional Transport Partnerships and NHS Boards, supported by the Mobility as a Service evaluation. Further progress will follow through commitments in the National Islands Plan and the Service Renewal Framework.
The Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework, published in 2025, guides sustainable, high‑quality health and social care, emphasising strategic needs assessment for planning and service redesign. It ensures accessibility, including transport, is central to NHS Boards’ decisions and promotes collaborative working with transport partners to address travel challenges.
Our new National Islands Plan, published in February 2026, promotes better alignment between transport and health needs, recognising the importance of reliable, accessible transport for island communities. The Plan includes a commitment to developing a Health and Transport Action Plan for the Highlands and Islands, including demand assessments and structured engagement between transport providers and Health Boards. In addition, the new Plan reaffirms the importance of Island Communities Impact Assessments and commits to strengthening this process to ensure islanders are meaningfully considered throughout decision‑making.
We have also introduced the Rural Assessment Toolkit, which helps officials to develop a greater understanding of, and focus on, the unique needs, challenges and opportunities of mainland rural communities and businesses.
We will use digital technology to modernise health services, including launching MyCare.scot across Scotland from April 2026. It will allow people to securely access their information and find services online, with features expanding in phases to 2030. This may reduce travel by removing the need for some appointments.
We will publish our Biodiversity Strategy and associated Delivery Plan, together with the preparation and submission of the three-yearly statutory Biodiversity Duty Report. The Strategy will ensure that biodiversity considerations are embedded across all of Transport Scotland’s activities and decision making, and will set out how we intend to use the opportunities presented by the strategic transport networks to align with, and contribute to, the Scottish Government’s goals of halting biodiversity loss by 2030 and reversing it by 2045.