Transport for Scotland has published their second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to help deliver the vision, priorities and outcomes for transport set out in the National Transport Strategy (NTS2).
Phase One has been released which, together with the conclusion of Phase Two in autumn this year, will set out the Scottish Government’s investment priorities for the next 20 years.
Phase One recommendations for national investment priorities in the short-term include:
- Improving public transport, with the reorganisation of road space for buses and improved accessibility at train stations
- Supporting the transition to low carbon transport, with investment in alternative fuels and the progression of decarbonisation of rail
- Enabling larger loads to be carried by our railway network, encouraging freight to shift from road to rail transport.
Other recommendations include the basis for investment in Glasgow Metro, an innovative mass transit system of Scotland’s largest urban area.
These priorities reinforce the 2021-22 Draft Budget set out last week, which pledges to deliver a clean, efficient, and connected transport network with an investment of £3.2 billion and including £1.6 billion for rail and bus services.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson said: “As we continue to navigate our way through an unprecedented global health emergency, the investment decisions we make have never been so important.
“We want to lock in the changes to the healthy, green travel options we’ve seen during the pandemic while supporting interventions that will aid and help accelerate economic recovery.
“We are conducting a thorough, evidence-based review of the performance of Scotland’s strategic transport network across active travel, bus, ferry, rail and the trunk road network and my thanks go to everyone who is engaged in that process, particularly our Regional Transport Working Groups.
“Phase One set out some of our transport investment priorities for the next few years, which will support a fair and sustainable economic recovery from the pandemic while working towards our longer-term goals of making Scotland more accessible for residents, visitors and businesses; improving connectivity and highlighting the vital contribution that transport investment can play in enabling and sustaining Scotland’s economic growth.
“STPR2 will help us to deliver the vision, priorities and outcomes set out in our National Transport Strategy as well as aligning with other important national plans such as the Climate Change Plan, Infrastructure Investment Plan and National Planning Framework.”
Alex Hynes, Managing Director of Scotland’s Railway said: “Rail is one of the greenest forms of public transport and we, alongside the Scottish Government, are working hard to decarbonise Scotland’s Railway by 2035.
“The rail industry is also ready to play its part in boosting the economy as we emerge from the pandemic, encouraging the public onto greener forms of transport and helping take lorries off Scotland’s roads by improving freight services on our railway.”
Images: Transport for Scotland
