Island Communities Impact Assessment

Step One - develop a clear understanding of your objectives

What are the objectives of the policy, strategy or service?
Do you need to consult?
How are islands identified for the purpose of the policy, strategy or service?
What are the intended impacts/outcomes and how do these potentially differ in the islands?
Is the policy, strategy or service new?

Transport Scotland’s Net Zero Route Map (NZRM) is a detailed timeline which outlines the actions required to reduce emissions associated with the operation, maintenance and improvement of the Scottish Trunk Road Network.

The NZRM provides an emissions baseline, key interventions with milestone targets at 5 yearly intervals and outlines a pathway to net zero for the operation, maintenance and improvement of Scotland’s Trunk Road Network by 2045. Key areas of focus include materials transport, materials, depots, plant and fleet and offsetting by continuing the carbon sequestration on Transport Scotland owned land.

The intended outcomes will not have an effect on island communities that differs significantly from other communities between islands and on the mainland. Additionally, the NZRM does not set out specific interventions or projects, it provides priority recommendations to reduce emissions on the Trunk Road Network relating to operation, maintenance and improvement works.

Step Two - gather your data and identify your stakeholders

What data is available about the current situation in the islands?
Who are your key Stakeholders?
How does any existing data differ between islands?
Are there any existing design features or mitigations in place?

National Transport Strategy (NTS2)

Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2)

Transport Scotland works closely with Operating Companies who are responsible for maintaining the Trunk Road Network on Transport Scotland’s behalf.

Step Three – Consultation

Is there are information already gathered through previous engagements?
How will you carry out your consultation and in what timescales? Public meetings/Local Authorities/key Stakeholders
What questions will you ask when considering how to address island realities?
Separate consultation events for Island communities/Local Authorities?
Is your consultation robust and meaningful and sufficient to comply with the Section 7 duty?

An ICIA was undertaken for the NTS2 Delivery Plan 2020-22, which sets out a number of strategic policies, including the development of a Carbon Management Plan, from which the Net Zero Route Map is a strategic outcome. A consultation was also undertaken to capture a combination of quantitative and qualitative information, allowing respondents to share their views on the ICIA and provide feedback. The results from this ICIA and the consultation report were also used to inform the National Transport Strategy - Fourth Delivery Plan, which commits to “demonstrating environmental sustainability, through the delivery of environmental protection, climate change mitigation/adaptation and air quality initiatives, across the full scope of our road activities (maintenance, improvement and operations).”

The consultation was open to the public and stakeholders from the 3^rd November 2021 to 5^th January 2022. The consultation was carried out over a two-month period to give respondents adequate time to review the impact assessment reports and consultation form and provide their responses. However, the majority of the questions received no responses.

The STPR2 Final Summary Report, sets out transport recommendations for the next 20 years. STPR2 is one of the mechanisms for delivering the Vision, Priorities and Outcomes of the NTS2.

A statutory consultation period of 12 weeks providing stakeholders, and members of the public, with the opportunity to comment, ran until 15 April 2022.

This included the following specific sessions in which the impacts on islands were specifically presented:

STPR2 EqIA and Fairer Scotland Duty Information Session - 23rd March 2022;
STPR2 Island Impact Assessments Information Session – 24th March 2022;
STPR2 SEA and EqIA Wider Information Session - 28th March 2022; and
STPR2 Impact Assessments Information Session - 31st March 2022

Feedback from this consultation has been used to finalise the STPR2 publications and its 45 recommendations. In parallel, a number of equality and environmental statutory impact assessments have been undertaken covering, amongst others, the ICIA.

Twenty-two regional workshops were held in May 2019 to identify problems and opportunities for each of the regions. A wide range of stakeholders were invited to these workshops including, for example, members from Local Authorities, Access Panels and Public Transport Providers. Ten national workshops were held throughout August and September 2019 as detailed above, with an Equalities Specific Workshop (including Island Communities) held on the 18th September 2019. Engagement included a range of online surveys, structured interviews, elected members engagement and business engagement events.

Step Four – Assessment

Does your assessment identify any unique impacts on island communities? (Further detail in the Guidance):
- Demographic
- Economic
- Gaelic
- Social
Does your assessment identify any potential barriers or wider impacts?
Are there mitigations already in place for these impacts raised?

It is not expected that the intended outcomes will have an effect on island communities which is significantly different from the effect on other communities, and the NZRM does not set out specific interventions or projects.

The Gaelic language is important to many island communities. However, this strategy will not have an impact on languages and the cultural heritage relevant to specific island communities.

Transport Scotland actively engages with operators, providing information and guidance where appropriate, on services and infrastructure projects through a variety of working and advisory groups.

If the increase in digital connection results in less journeys being required (such as to work, access healthcare, or other online services) then this could place less requirement on the islands’ infrastructure or reduce people’s environmental impact through journey reduction.

The impacts of climate change are already being felt across Scotland and Transport Scotland, as a responsible authority, already has reporting systems and targets in place for our Operating Companies to reduce their environmental impact. The NZRM has been developed to set out clear targets and interventions to meet the Scottish Governments net zero emissions by 2045 overall target.

The NZRM will be continuously reviewed through a governance group to include key stakeholders from Transport Scotland and our Operating Companies to monitor ongoing progress against the milestone targets.

Is a full Island Communities Impact Assessment required?

You should now determine whether, in your opinion, your policy, strategy or service is likely to have an effect on an island community which is significantly different from its effect on other communities (including other island communities). To form your opinion, the following questions should be considered:

Are there mitigations in place for the impacts identified and noted above from stakeholders and community consultations? (If further ICIA action is not required, complete the section below and publish).

Does the evidence show different circumstances or different expectations or needs, or different experiences or outcomes (such as levels of satisfaction, or different rates of participation)?
Are these different effects likely?
Are these effects significantly different?

Could the effect amount to a disadvantage for an island community compared to the mainland or between island groups?
If your answer is ‘no’ to the above questions, please complete the box below.
If the answer is ‘yes’, an ICIA must be prepared and you should proceed to Step 5.

No to all.

A full Islands Community Impact Assessment is NOT required

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