Environmental and Social Matters
Environmental and Social Matters
Working collaboratively
Our corporate support teams continue to forge strong working relationships with colleagues across all business areas in Transport Scotland, core Scottish Government and with external partners.
Our HR, Corporate Communications, Health and Safety, Facilities and Workplace teams were responsible for managing our hybrid working and the relocation of our headquarters to 177 Bothwell Street. The project ensured inclusivity and wellbeing at the heart of its design, with colleague views taken at a very early stage and continued collaboration throughout across our workplace champions group to ensure important factors such as reducing our space requirement, ensuring choice within the workplace, reducing our carbon emissions and providing a better colleague experience were considered and checked where relevant as the project progressed.
We considered a number of important areas in delivering an office space that meets current needs while remaining adaptable for the future. Flexibility of space was key, with workplaces that enable colleagues to choose the most appropriate environment for their task. Equipping some spaces with technology and designating others as tech-free zones provides additional choice for maximizing productivity. In addition to boosting productivity, offering a range of choices accommodates neurodiverse staff who may need to minimise distraction and sensory stimulation, or who use an enabling technology.
The project and office space also offers flexible control over other important elements such as thermal comfort and lighting control to support an inclusive work environment. We have made use of recycled products where possible utilising recycled white goods for kitchen worktops, used biophilia where possible, to separate spaces and help with indoor air quality.
As a leader in sustainability, 177 Bothwell Street includes climate friendly technology and facilities throughout the property. It’s fully electric, using 2.52 GWH (Gigawatt-hours) of certified energy from Blantyre Muir Wind Farm and has excellent active travel facilities resulting in an energy performance certificate score of 50%.
Additionally, in line with the ongoing public service reform agenda, plans have been developed during the reporting period for Transport Scotland to sub-let the second of its leased floors in its 177 Bothwell Street premises to two other public sector bodies, providing opportunity for efficiencies, collaboration and continued sharing of services and resources.
Developing our people
Transport Scotland’s ambition is to be a supportive and inclusive employer, with learning at its heart. As part of our transformation work, we have introduced a Director level Learning Champion, led by Director of Major Projects, Lawrence Shackman, and have developed a Learning approach that aligns with the SG’s Learning Strategy. We continue to nurture a learning culture where we develop the right skills at the right time, to help us deliver to the best of our ability for the people of Scotland. Investing in the learning and development of our colleagues is crucial to our current and long-term performance. The aim of this workstream is to create a culture where learning is prioritised, celebrated and embedded as continuous practice in all we do. Through 2024-25 we have delivered:
1) Improved Day 1 and Corporate Induction programmes to ensure all our staff are supported at the outset of their career with Transport Scotland and have both the skills to do their job and access to tools and resources to address their learning needs.
2) Leading through Change events for C-band colleagues to develop their leadership skills, ensure all leaders are aware of the expectations and requirements of them and agreed a set of leadership behaviours that all colleagues should adhere to when leading and managing their teams.
3) A new bullying and harassment event to give our colleagues the confidence to identify negative behaviour, it’s impact and how to address it.
Additionally, we saw three engineering graduates progress successfully through our comprehensive graduate training programme to become Chartered Civil Engineers.
Corporate systems
Our information technology team has worked closely with colleagues within Scottish Government to ensure that we remain well placed to benefit from new and emerging technologies. This has included the continued exploitation of Office 365 services, which provide an up-to-date suite of Microsoft Office programmes which are also available from corporately owned mobile phones. In addition, we have invested in desktop and audio-visual hardware technology for our new office at 177 Bothwell St, Glasgow, which will complement the Scottish Government ICT service offerings.
Information management and data protection
We comply with the overarching Scottish Government information governance strategy and the Records Management Plan. We maintain a list of all information assets recorded on the Scottish Government Information Asset Register (IAR). Each of our Directors is the Information Asset Owner (IAO) for their business areas and has been provided with the associated guidance and mandatory IAO training. In line with the Scottish Government Information Governance Strategy, deputy IAOs are also in place to support the IAOs.
Throughout 2024-25 we have continued to focus on ensuring compliance with key legislation and continuous improvement. This resulted in the delivery of the annual data protection and information governance check and report which included on-going actions to sustain existing good practice. This was supplemented by the regular provision of advice, support and training on information handling policies and procedures.
All data subject rights requests were completed within the statutory timescales. We also continued to monitor correspondence response rates with weekly, monthly, and annual performance returns provided to our Chief Executive, Senior Management Team, and Business Managers.
Sustainability
The Climate Change Branch within the Environment, Climate and Sustainability directorate at Transport Scotland lead on corporate climate change mitigation, including the development and implementation of a Carbon Management Plan (CMP), associated targets and statutory annual reporting under the Public Bodies Climate Change Duties (PBCCD).
In March 2023, we published the fourth iteration of our Carbon Management Plan: Pathway to Net Zero 2022-27, which sets out Transport Scotland’s commitment to meeting the Scottish Government’s net zero targets. Implementation of this plan began during 2023-24 with several projects taking place during 2024-25, which support our efforts to meet net zero corporate emissions.
Progress towards achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2045
We are living in a global climate emergency where the impacts of climate change, caused by human influence, are already being felt in Scotland and across the globe. Climate Change is a primary focus of the Scottish Government, with one of the First Minister’s four priorities being ‘tackling the climate emergency.’
Scotland’s climate change legislation sets a target date for net zero emissions by 2045. In response to the targets, Transport Scotland published a Carbon Management Plan (CMP) which outlines a pathway for the agency to meet net zero for our corporate functions. We aim to be zero for scope 1 direct emissions by the end of 2025, net zero for scope 2 indirect emissions by the end of 2025 and identified scope 3 emissions will be net zero primed, with the support of insetting tree planting schemes by 2045. Within the CMP, we have included the scope of influence (scope i), whereby we aim to work with industry partners and stakeholders to reduce their own emissions and aid in meeting the 2045 target.
In 2024-25, we carried out carbon reduction projects at the Traffic Scotland National Control Centre (TSNCC). LED lighting was installed throughout the building; fossil fuel was replaced in the generator with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel and a detailed technical survey was carried out to identify further areas of focus in 2025-26 which will move us closer towards our net zero targets.
A key sub-outcome of the CMP was the development of a Net Zero Route Map for the Operation, Maintenance and Improvement of the Trunk Road Network which will provide an emissions baseline, key interventions and a pathway to net zero by 2045.
The impacts of climate change are placing increasing pressure on domestic and global transportation. Urgent adaptation action is required to protect Scotland from the repercussions of climate change. The Approach to Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience (ACCAR) outlines our current approach and strategic vision for our transport system. During 2024-25, the ACCAR membership and governance underwent a refresh to enhance and broaden the membership and to further embed adaptation across the agency.
To develop the work of our Vulnerable Locations Operations Group (VLOG), which has delivered defined schemes to effect adaptation and build resilience to the impacts of climate change, a Trunk Road Adaptation Plan (TRAP) will be published in 2025. The TRAP it will assess climate hazards and vulnerabilities, using the most up to date climate change projections, building on previous studies undertaken and present 45 recommendations to be actioned over the next 5 years.
Corporate Carbon Emissions
During 2024-25 we have seen a slight reduction of 3.43% in our overall corporate emissions. This is predominantly due to electricity reductions within our Traffic Scotland National Control Centre (TSNCC) where ongoing net zero improvements have taken place. There were further emission reductions within business travel with savings of 50%. This is primarily due to decreases in car hires and flight use.
A hybrid approach to working has continued to operate and home working emissions decreased by 14% during 2024-25. During this period, we saw an increase of 2.45% in our gas usage across both offices, however, emissions from electricity use decreased by 2.31% due to net zero projects at the TSNCC. There were emission reductions for waste and water use, though this was due to a change in the greenhouse gas conversion factors for company reporting from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and not from reductions in water use or waste disposal.
Following our headquarters move to 177 Bothwell Street in 2025-26, Transport Scotland’s energy emissions will reduce due to the sustainable credentials of the building, including an A rated energy performance, no gas and sourcing electricity from renewable energy. During 2025-26, we will continue a programme of projects to reduce our emissions with the aim of meeting our net zero targets.
| Element | Metric | Baseline 2015-16 | Actual in 2023-24 | Actual in 2024-25 | % change compared to previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Emissions | tCO2e | 22,222 | 5,770 | 5,572 | -3.43% |
| Gas | tCO2e | 265 | 28.15 | 28.84 | +2.45% |
| Electricity | tCO2e | 20,137 | 5,494 | 5,367 | -2.31% |
| Water | tCO2e | 3.13 | 0.57 | 0.50 | -11.20% |
| Waste | tCO2e | 2.02 | 0.50 | 0.15 | -69.88% |
| Business Travel | tCO2e | 188 | 114.06 | 57.11 | -49.93% |
| Commuter Travel | tCO2e | 156 | 27.27 | 27.39 | +0.44% |
| Home Working | tCO2e | - | 105.42 | 90.98 | -13.69% |
Social Inclusion and Community Benefits
Levenmouth Rail Project
This is a programme of investments to deliver social inclusion and sustainable economic growth, within which the rail project is the largest element. Through Scottish Government investment of over £116 million we re-opened the railway to Levenmouth, over 50 years after the last passenger service ran.
The railway forms part of a multi-modal transport system (Rail, Bus, and Active Travel) that will improve connectivity in the Levenmouth area by creating new journey opportunities and economic benefits. The delivery scope consists of 19 single track kilometres of new/reinstated railway, two new modern accessible stations at Leven and Cameron Bridge, and circa 1 km of active travel routes.
The project strived to put forward proposals that would be impactful to the local community, with delivery through local investment, employment, training and community support. The Rail Skills Academy, delivered by Network Rail’s supplier QTS and supported by Fife Council equipped nine young people with the competencies, skills, qualifications and work experience required to thrive in the railway maintenance sector. As a result of this project many of the graduates started permanent employment in the railway industry.
Construction was successfully completed with Transport Scotland and Network Rail working closely with their partners to deliver this transformational project with commencement of passenger services on 2 June 2024.
Academy9
The Academy9 programme continues to deliver high-quality educational experiences for primary and secondary pupils. With a strong focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), the programme sparks curiosity and broadens pupils understanding of the wide range of careers connected to the A9 Dualling Programme.
Over the past year, 40 Academy9 events were delivered, resulting in more than 10,000 hours of pupil engagement with 1,812 pupils participating. In addition, the programme recorded 579 teacher engagement hours and 934 hours of input from STEM professionals, demonstrating a collaborative and cross-sector approach. Feedback of the programme’s impact found that 97% of participating young people reported an increase in their knowledge of STEM careers, up from 93% in 2023-24.
Partnerships with schools remain central to Academy9’s success. Engagement has remained strong, with high participation in the ‘Sustainable Solutions: Roads of the Future’ Challenge, which attracted 20 schools from beyond the A9 corridor to join the 10-week initiative. Year-on-year progress is strong across key performance indicators: the total number of events, pupil and teacher engagement, and professional contributions have all enhanced. The professional contributions help ensure resources remain current and relevant, while also providing relatable role models for the young people involved.
Looking ahead, Academy9 will continue to build on its success by evolving content in line with emerging curriculum priorities and skills needs. We are committed to maintaining a high-impact, inclusive, and forward-looking programme, ensuring that the educational social value delivered by the A9 Dualling Programme continues to benefit learners across Scotland.
A9 Dualling: Tomatin to Moy Project
As part of the delivery of the A9 Dualling: Tomatin to Moy project, the contractor for the project has already delivered a number of benefits that were outlined in their community benefits proposals. Since the contract was awarded in July 2024, they have engaged with over 100 students in school workshops including risk reduction, employability and routes into work; and employed several regional employees as part of the contract, including one locally based graduate. They have also provided health and safety training equipment to Barnardo’s Inverness, to allow for training for jobseekers at their Inverness site and committed to provide £8,000 towards a mobile training unit for Barnardo’s Works for provision of outward education in more remote areas.
Sustainable Procurement
Transport Scotland’s Corporate Procurement Strategy for 2024-2025, which was published in May 2024, detailed how procurement activity would support Transport Scotland in achieving our corporate objectives. Our procurement strategy for the reporting period is aligned with the Scottish Government’s Public Procurement Strategy for Scotland 2023-2028 and has a focus on implementing sustainable procurement throughout all our procurement activity. During the reporting period we spent almost £1 billion on our procured contracts. Details of our procurement activity including spend figures will be included in Transport Scotland’s Annual Procurement Report, published towards the end of 2025.
Each of our procurements requires a project procurement strategy, which ensures that project managers consider supported businesses, environmental impact, fair work, community benefits, accessibility and cyber security for all our regulated procurements.
We remain at the forefront of implementing community benefits into our contracts and a wide range of community benefits are delivered though our contracting activity. These include new job, training, and work placement opportunities as well as engagements with the communities in which we work, such as school visits, interaction with community groups, and donations to charities. A case study detailing some of the community benefits we have provided will be included within our Annual Procurement Report.
Bus Taskforce – Best Practice on Community Engagement Guidance
The Bus Taskforce was convened in October 2022 as a short life working group to address the immediate challenges facing the bus industry as it recovered from the challenges of Covid-19 and to support the sector to collectively adjust to changing travel patterns brought about by the pandemic.
The Best Practice on Community Engagement Guidance was produced by the Community Engagement sub-group in April 2024 and provides bus operators, local authorities and communities with specific guidance on the active and positive role which local people and communities can and should play. This guide is for anyone with a personal or professional interest in, or responsibility for contributing to or making decisions in, the design or delivery of bus services in Scotland, especially those tasked with engaging with or empowering local people and communities. It recognises that community engagement is a mutually beneficial, two-way process which entails rights and responsibilities for all parties as part of an approach which is open, fair, and collaborative.
Public transport has a crucial role to play in achieving our government`s priorities on equality, opportunity, and community. The work conducted during the Bus Taskforce will form the basis of on-going collaborative work with the bus sector to help achieve a transport network that works for everyone.
Ferry Services
Subsidised ferry operators, CalMac Ferries Limited (CFL) and Serco NorthLink Ferries (SNF) engage regularly with relevant stakeholders and in the market when procuring goods and services so that community benefits reflect relevant community needs across their business. For example, this includes targeted employment and training such as modern apprenticeships and seafarer training; education support initiatives such as placements and school visits; enabling SMEs, third sector and supported businesses to compete for business as contractors or sub-contractors and other community initiatives. They also have a successful community fund to support local causes.
SNF endeavour where possible to ensure the supply chain is within a 50-mile radius of ports or are island based to allow Serco to support the island economies and mainland communities in which they operate. SNF also sponsor Shetland Junior Football Association for the next two years, and both are working together on designs for the home and away strips.
Onboard SNF promotes products made by the social enterprise COPE Ltd through their brand Shetland Soap, which enables those with learning or physical disabilities to gain employment in Shetland. They also promote food lines that have been produced in Shetland, Orkney, and Caithness. The team work closely with the island craft associations and host Meet the Buyer days on a regular basis.
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) provide a range of community benefits through provision and maintenance of infrastructure, including the use of locally based contractors and subcontractors for major and minor port projects across the west coast. As fleet owners, CMAL also work with the operators, CFL and SNF, on the provision of new and maintenance of current vessels, sourcing where appropriate locally based contractors and subcontractors. The majority of the winter maintenance and overhaul contracts are delivered at drydocks in Scotland and new build contracts include, where appropriate, opportunities for training and education links for local apprentices. CMAL also have a community fund and are involved in supporting local causes.
Plugged-in Communities
In 2024-25 we continued to fund the Plugged-in Communities grant fund. This fund is administered by Energy Saving Trust. This fund has supported a growing number of community transport schemes across the country make the switch to zero emission vehicles, including charities, local groups for the elderly, rural mobility initiatives and schools. As well as performing an important social mission, zero emission community transport plays a key role in local communities by providing access to a more sustainable form of mobility, contributing to improved air quality, and reducing polluting greenhouse gas emissions, while at the same time supporting the Scottish Government’s world leading car reduction and climate commitments.
These services are much valued by their users allowing them to play a greater part in their local community, helping them to remain independent with less reliance on social and health services. Through grant funding these community-led organisations have been able to purchase zero emission vehicles and the associated infrastructure that allows them to recharge the vehicles at their premises.
To date the Scottish Government has invested over £4.2 million supporting 55 community transport organisations procure 64 zero emission vehicles covering over 250,000 of zero emission miles.
Natural Capital and the Trunk Road Network
Scotland’s natural capital is considered vitally important by Scottish Government. The Trunk Road Network comprises the majority of the Transport Scotland estate and is the most valuable Scottish Government asset in monetary terms; therefore, developing a baseline to inform decision making is considered of strategic importance in terms of understanding and influencing Transport Scotland’s sum contribution to managing the natural environment.
Transport Scotland has already begun to incorporate natural capital within capital projects (for example the A9 Dualling Programme and the A83 Access to Argyll scheme). The recent development of a spatial natural capital baseline, with an interactive, geo-spatial/mapping tool provides the agency with the facility to identify and analyse the extent and (in some cases) the monetary values for different ecosystem services supported by the natural environment throughout the existing Trunk Road Estate. This will help ensure future decisions and projects will be able to incorporate natural capital considerations at an appropriate stage in their development.
The next stage will be to explore how the agency can embed the new tool into operational procedures and systems, helping to optimise approaches to support improved assessment and management of the habitats present along the roadside corridor and the ecosystem service benefits they provide.