Environment and Sustainability

This section provides the following information:

• Highlights the key national environmental concerns
• Details the environmental risks and what we need to do
• Explains the progress we are making in reducing carbon and adapting our network to address climate change
• Demonstrates what Transport Scotland is doing to enhance biodiversity across the Trunk Road Network
• Our key areas of focus to support more sustainable travel

Scottish Government have identified the key environmental concerns that require us as a nation to address and have set ambitious timescales to change behaviours and undertake the appropriate actions to support a sustainable future.

These environmental issues are within four main areas:

• Adapting to the effects of climate change
• Reduction of carbon emissions
• Sustainable travel
• Improving biodiversity

The published strategies that provide the detail of the issues, timescales and commitments are detailed below:

• Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP) contains principles and objectives designed to prepare Scotland for the impacts of climate change, including specific commitments for public services and infrastructure.

See ‘Adapting to the Effects of Climate Change’ for more details on how we are responding to the impacts of climate change and addressing SNAP requirements.

• Climate Change Plan Update (CCPu) outlines Scotland’s strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving net-zero emissions by 2045.

See ‘Vulnerable Locations Operational Group’ for more details on how we support the reduction of greenhouse gasses through our operational and maintenance activities.

• Reducing car use for a healthier, fairer and greener Scotland – Sets out the changes needed to address climate change and improve public health.

See ‘Sustainable Travel’ for more details on how we are supporting this target.

• Scottish Biodiversity Strategy sets out a clear ambition for Scotland to be Nature Positive by 2030, and to have restored and regenerated biodiversity across the country by 2045.

See ‘Improving Biodiversity’ for more details on how we are tackling biodiversity loss through our maintenance activities and integrating the management of land, water and living resources.

How we plan, design, and deliver our operations and maintenance activities in a sustainable and positive way can have significant beneficial improvement on the environment. Through aligning our activities with our asset management objectives, we have integrated environmental factors into our procedures and processes. Our operations and maintenance contracts have defined contract requirements to support our environmental and sustainability targets, and they are measured against the required target performance.

We have a formalised approach to reviewing the way we work, our policies and procedures, the materials we use, and the targets we set, and make amendments and improvements when we identify additional environmental opportunities.

Adapting to the Effects of Climate Change

The Scottish Trunk Road Network regularly faces challenges from extreme weather events which are only exacerbated through the impacts of climate change. The Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3) has identified the main impacts to the Scottish Trunk Road Network resulting from the increase in extreme weather events as flooding, landslides, bridge scour, high winds, high temperatures, and coastal erosion. See ‘Risk Management’, for further details on how we manage risks across the Trunk Road Network.

In response to this and the legislative requirements set by the Scottish Government, we have produced The Approach to Climate Change Adaptation & Resilience (ACCAR). The ACCAR outlines the impacts to our network from climate change and sets out the mitigation actions against them. It plays an important role as the primary strategic driver to manage the risks posed by climate change and associated impacts.

In line with the primary risks identified in the CCRA3, and those relevant to Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road Network, ‘Climate Hazards and Their Impact on The Network’ sets out the actions to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Our Trunk Road Adaptation Plan includes an assessment of climate hazards and their impacts on the network, plus recommendations across six themes to support the necessary adaptation required:

Example Climate Adaptation Recommendations

Safety Enhancement

Implementation of climate-resilient road design standards, improvement of signage and road markings and integration of weather forecasting systems into current processes.

Reliability improvement

Improvements to diversion planning for the local roads network, update and maintenance of the disruption risk register and incidents database within amps, and engagement and communication with the supply chain.

Resilience building

Communication and evaluation of different management schemes for specific vulnerable locations, improvement of resilience incident response procedures and processes, and consideration of climate change risks within business cases for future investments.

Engagement and partnership

Collaboration with ACCAR governance group, vulnerable locations operational group, Scottish Road Research Board (SRRB), Scottish government global climate emergency board, and implementation of joint working with SEPA, Scottish water, Network rail, local authorities, landowners, and environmental organisations.

Research and understanding

Use of geospatial, hazard and asset data to provide more holistic insights into the problem areas of the trunk road, investigation into the wider impacts of climate change on Scotland’s economy and communities, and continued collaboration with university and research bodies.

Monitoring and evaluation

Regular monitoring of climate impacts through the disruption risk register and amps incident data, reporting on adaptation objectives, and development of a monitoring framework of climate impacts and adaptation investment

Vulnerable Locations Operational Group

The Vulnerable Locations Operational Group (VLOG) was established by Transport Scotland’s Roads Directorate in 2021 and plays a crucial role with mitigating the impacts from climate change. It is tasked with identifying the vulnerable locations on the Trunk Road Network, driving our strategic approach to climate change adaptation, and delivering robust improvement in the management of their vulnerability. It is also purposed with identifying gaps or limitations in processes, contracts and policies, and delivering strategic options to ensure the Trunk Road Network is well adapted going forward.

Vulnerable location climate change adaptation is identified and planned using factors including the disruption risk register, flooding risk information and network disruption, as well as the recommendations of the Trunk Road Adaptation Plan.

Key Climate Risks and Our Actions to Mitigate them

Flooding:

Increased risks of river, surface water, and groundwater flooding.

Mitigations Through Our Activities:

Our Operating Companies regularly inspect and maintain drainage assets, including gully cleansing. When flooding hotspots are identified, we investigate the need for drainage upgrades, including sustainable drainage system implementation. We help develop and implement Local Flood Risk Management Plans for trunk roads.

Landslides:

The ongoing effects of climate change have increased the frequency and magnitude of landslides, and the number of locations.

Mitigations Through Our Activities:

We mitigate landslide risks through engineering solutions like slope stabilisation, drainage improvements, and debris flow barriers. We incorporate nature-based solutions, such as the use of native woodland planting which helps to reduce landslides. Regular inspections, maintenance, continuous monitoring, and early warning systems enhance these measures’ effectiveness. We conduct risk assessments and post-event analyses, using remote sensing, drones, weather forecasting, and patrols during high rainfall.

Bridge Scour:

Increased rainfall and flooding exacerbate the frequency and extent of scour on bridges, culverts and walls, where sediment from around foundations is removed by fast-moving water. This reduces structural capacity which can cause travel disruption, significant repair costs, and isolation of communities.

Mitigations Through Our Activities:

We are updating the standard CS 469 to better assess bridge substructures, retaining structures and culverts, and help mitigate the risk of structural failure due to scour. We require all Operating Companies to implement the TS Scour Management Strategy and Flood Emergency Plan. This ensures consistent inspection, monitoring, and recording of scour and bed-level changes, improving interventions and mitigations.

High Winds:

Create dangerous driving conditions, particularly on exposed roads and bridges, leading to safety risks or severe traffic disruption and congestion. As well as damage to vulnerable infrastructure.

Mitigations Through Our Activities:

Our High Wind Strategy and National Wind Management Guidelines provide detailed plans for managing high-risk areas like the Erskine Bridge. These plans include steps for pre-planning, incident management, and information dissemination before, during, and after wind incidents.

Temperature Variations:

Accelerate degradation of surface condition through expansions and contraction. It can also destabilise slopes and embankments, increasing the risk of landslides.

Mitigations Through Our Activities:

We use standardised specifications to specify temperature-resistant material to create durable road surfaces. We understand which areas of our network are vulnerable to temperature variations and regular inspections help us identify and quickly repair defects caused by temperature fluctuations.

Supporting Net Zero

Transport Scotland plays a pivotal role in supporting the Scottish Government’s ambitious goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2045, since transport is Scotland’s highest carbon-emitting sector. We are integrating sustainable practices into our operations and maintenance activities which contribute to a greener future.

AMPS Note: AMPS utilises combined asset datasets to assess carbon 'scores' and impact for planned maintenance schemes supports a more sustainable network and service.

Our commitment to Net Zero is reflected in our Carbon Management Plans and Network Management Contracts as described in this section. This demonstrates how we deliver efficient upkeep of the trunk road network and work to significantly reduce our carbon footprint.

Carbon Management Through Maintenance

We have created a series of Carbon Management Plans (CMPs) that outlines the key initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and achieve net zero across our own operations and that of the supply chain.

CMPs set out a series of “Scopes” which define the boundaries of different emissions sources, both direct and indirect. Direct emissions originate from activities owned or controlled by Transport Scotland, whereas indirect emissions do not originate from Transport Scotland but are related to our activities.

For the Roads Directorate, “Scope i” emissions are those that we have the greatest impact over. “Scope i” emissions are defined as emissions associated with service providers, partners, supply chain and stakeholders, which do not form part of our corporate function. Although we do not directly control these, and they are not quantified as part of our carbon footprint, we do have the capacity to influence associated processes and actions.

Our performance measures within our operations and maintenance contracts (see Appendix F) contains measures to target reduction of carbon emissions and promote the use of sustainable materials and practices, contributing to our Net Zero objectives.

Our Net Zero Route Map for the Trunk Road Network

Without major changes to the way we and our operating companies plan and carry out our activities, we will not achieve our Net Zero goal. To help unlock the scale of reductions in carbon that are required in our route map, we have identified a range of improvement activities:

Net Zero Improvement Activities

Policy

Review of our policies, processes and specifications to better integrate management of emissions, identify potential implementation challenges, and understand our required actions in line with the standard pas 2080:2023 ‘carbon management in buildings and infrastructure’.

Asset management

Review and update of our asset management approaches to support the extension of asset life, reduction in maintenance and improvement requirements, and improved efficiency of delivering our work through better planning.

Data

Improvement of our carbon data and evidence base to help us track our progress, give greater confidence in our data, and strengthen how it is assured and reported.

Depots

Review of our current approach to depot ownership and use, to inform potential relocation or consolidation of sites, help quantify and manage the emissions from our facilities and enhance our control over the decarbonisation measures we wish to put in place.

Supply chain & procurement

Enhance how carbon is considered within our operating company contracts, whilst collaborating with supply chain to understand the potential impacts of any proposed changes.

Behaviour change

Training and ongoing engagement of our people within Transport Scotland and supply chain partners, to improve their understanding of the impacts of their actions and decisions and help them feel empowered to make informed low-carbon choices.

Collaboration & innovation

Collaboration with supply chain, industry bodies and manufacturers to guide research and development, support and incubate innovation, and give confidence that there is demand for net zero products and services.

Plans to Decarbonise Our Activities

As well as changes to our organisation and behaviours, achieving Net Zero will require substantive changes to the way we operate, maintain, and improve the trunk road network. To support this, we have developed theme-based action plans to transform how we decarbonise our activities:

Materials transport

Logistic improvements to reduce transport movements and emissions and supporting our supply chain with the adoption of innovative technologies that will provide zero-carbon materials transport, e.g. vehicles powered by renewably generated electricity and green hydrogen.

Materials

Increased use of warm-mix asphalt, recycled asphalt planings and aggregates, alternative lower-carbon asphalt binders, lower carbon green steel alternatives. And biogenic products for our road markings.

Depots

Improvement of energy efficiency through measures such as insulation, occupancy sensors and thermostats, installation of air-source heat pumps and solar PV to generate renewable energy, and purchase of certified renewable electricity to meet any demand we cannot generate at our depot sites.

Streetlighting

Powering of our electrical roadside assets, e.g. streetlighting and signage, by certified renewable electricity.

Plant & fleet

Transition of our small vehicle fleet to fully electric power and our construction plant and site compounds to low- and zero-carbon alternative fuels, plus increased use of drones and other innovative technologies to reduce the miles driven to carry out inspections.

Offsetting

Maximising the amount of carbon our land sequesters from the atmosphere, with responsible offsetting of residual emissions which cannot be avoided

Looking to the future

Continuing to seek new opportunities to further reduce our emissions as technology and society evolves beyond 2045, aiming for as close to absolute zero as we can.

Sustainable Travel

Our systematic approach to delivering our activities though asset management (see ‘Our Approach to Asset Management') is aligned with the aims and outcomes in NTS2 which includes reduction in car usage and a greater emphasis on maximising opportunities for active travel.

We are supporting sustainable travel in two key main areas:

• Through investment in active travel infrastructure to plan for the most appropriate locations to support safety and accessibility (see ‘Maintenance’). This includes considering the maintenance required, so the infrastructure can continue to be usable throughout our operating contracts
• Implementation of our Road Safety Framework which provides focus and emphasis on pedestrians and cyclists

Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Framework details strategic objectives that be realised through our commitment to active travel:

• Environmental benefits, through cutting carbon emission and other pollution
• Better health and safer travel to all
• Supporting delivery of sustainable economic growth through active travel

Improving Biodiversity

We have integrated our biodiversity requirements within our operations and maintenance contracts. These support our biodiversity reporting, which is a legislative requirement, as we can demonstrate how we are delivering our responsibilities to protect and enhance biodiversity across the trunk road network. This is achieved through various projects that have been completed to limit the decline of biodiversity and maintain habitat for wildlife to thrive in.

To further support the drive to improve the natural heritage of the trunk road network we are preparing a comprehensive sectoral Biodiversity Strategy for Transport Scotland that supports the national strategy and the Scottish Government's goal of halting biodiversity loss by 2030 and reversing it by 2045, while aligning with broader climate change initiatives. The strategy will integrate biodiversity considerations across Transport Scotland activities and promote sustainable land management practices.

Some of the key focus areas, as highlighted in our Biodiversity Duty Reports, are summarised below:

Habitat Connectivity and Enhancement

We install green bridges and culverts to mitigate habitat fragmentation and support wildlife movement across the road. We also look to secure areas of land for compensatory planting sites for woodland loss. Integrated woodland planting and habitat restoration has also been included into our contracts.

Biodiversity Integration

We design our schemes with the aim of integrating with surrounding environment. For example, when implementing sustainable drainage systems, we ensure designs support local habitats, implement native vegetation and align with natural watercourses.

Species Protection

We implement measures to protect wildlife located across our network that could be impacted by our maintenance activities. For example, on the A887 Bridge Replacement we installed bat boxes and designed culverts to ensure safe passage for surrounding otter populations.

Habitat Creation

We adjust our maintenance requirements to improve habitats across our network. For example, we have reduced grass cutting to promote wildflower growth and support pollinator biodiversity.

Verge Enhancements

We have been enhancing biodiversity through successfully establishing extensive species-rich seeding and wildflower swards across the network.

We are currently developing a natural capital baseline assessment across our network to record habitats and the ecosystem services they support, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and pollination so we can understand the interconnectivity of the elements that make up the environment, and the benefits they provide. This will provide us with opportunities to further enhance the habitats of the network and a means of measuring how our activities will create positive change for Nature.