Description of local environment

Air quality

For baseline air quality information regarding residential, community and commercial receptors in the area, refer to ‘Population and Human Health’ section below.

West Dunbartonshire council has not declared any Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) (Air Quality Management Areas) within its area, and there are no AQMAs within 10km of the scheme.

An air quality monitoring station lies 6km south of the scheme and records air quality to be within the ‘green zone’ (Low Index 1-3).

One site registered on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) lies within 10km of the scheme. ‘Barr Environ, Auchencarroch L/F, Jamestown’ is a waste and wastewater management facility and lies 4.7km east of the scheme.

The baseline air quality within the scheme extents is primarily influenced by motor vehicles travelling along the A82 trunk road and local road network. Secondary sources are most commonly derived from urban activities associated with Balloch.

Cultural heritage

A search was undertaken using the Historic Environment Scotland (HES) mapping tool PastMap, and the following features of cultural heritage were recorded within 300m of each scheme:

  • Three Listed Buildings, the closest of these category B ‘Lower Stoneymollen Road, Drumkinnon Farm, Mill, Granary and Saw Mill’ (ID: LB43229) is located 35m northeast of the scheme.
  • Of lesser cultural heritage interest, several features listed on the Canmore and Historic Environment Record (HER) databases are located in proximity to the scheme. The closest of these is a HER ‘Lower Stoneymollan Road, Drumkinnon Farm, Mill, Granary & Sawmill’ and lies 20m northeast of the scheme.

There are no records of World Heritage Sites, Scheduled Monuments, Conservation Areas, Garden and Design Landscapes or Battlefields within 300m of the scheme extents (PastMap).

The works are confined to the carriageway surface with no verge works required. Furthermore, construction of the A82 is likely to have removed any archaeological remains that may have been present within the area and as such ‘cultural heritage’ is scoped out and is not discussed further within this RoD.

Landscape and visual effects

All schemes are situated within Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park (LLTNP) (NatureScot Site Code: 8621), which has the following General Qualities:

  • A world-renowned landscape famed for its rural beauty
  • Wild and rugged highlands contrasting with pastoral lowlands
  • Water in its many forms
  • The rich variety of woodlands
  • Settlements nestled within a vast natural backdrop
  • Famous through-routes
  • Tranquillity
  • The easily accessible landscape splendour

The scheme is not located within a Lomond National Scenic Area (NSA).

The scheme extent lies on the western periphery of Balloch immediately north of A82 Stoneymollan roundabout. Landscape surrounding the scheme is dominated by woodland and roadside tree shelterbelts which restricts views over nearby urban development.

NatureScot classifies the landscape within the scheme as “Urban - 0” (Scottish Landscape Character Types).

The A82 Trunk Road, within the North West, connects Alexandria with Crianlarich, Fort William and Inverness. It commences immediately north of Tullichewan Roundabout in Alexandria leading generally northwards for a distance of 243 kilometres to its junction with the A9 at (but excluding) Longman Roundabout in Inverness. The A82 is predominantly single carriageway along its length (including within all three scheme extents), with some lengths of ‘2+1’ carriageway.

Biodiversity

The scheme extent is not located within 2km and/or with connectivity to European sites (Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA), or Ramsar site) (SiteLink).

No locally or nationally designated sites (i.e. Sites of Special Interest (SSSI), National/Local Nature Reserves) are located within 300m of the scheme (SiteLink).

The NBN Atlas has the following records of invasive non-native species (INNS) as listed in the Network Management Contract (NMC) within 2km of the schemes (within the last 10 years):

  • Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica)
  • Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)

Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) holds one record of rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) 200m north of the scheme.

The habitat in proximity to the scheme is provided by mainly native woodland with and numerous minor tributaries. Areas of rough grassland and pastoral land dominate further to the west and north of the scheme.

Several areas of long-established woodland (as listed on the Ancient Woodland Inventory) are located within 300m of the scheme extents (Scotland’s Environment). No Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) are located within 300m of the scheme (West Dunbartonshire Council).

The scheme is restricted to the existing A82 trunk road boundary and relates to works of a localised nature over a short duration. As such the potential for impacts to the surrounding environment and protected/notable species identified within the desktop study are considered to be negligible and a site visit as part of this assessment has been deemed unnecessary.

Geology and soils

The scheme does not lie within a Geological Conservation Review Site (GCRS), or a geologically designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) (Sitelink).

The bedrock geology recorded on the British Geological Society (BGS) Geology Viewer comprises of Teith Sandstone Formation - Sandstone, which is sedimentary bedrock.

Superficial deposits at the scheme comprises of Till, Devensian – Diamicton, which is sedimentary superficial deposit.

Soils within the scheme extent are recorded as brown soils (Scotland’s Soils). Additionally, local soils are recorded as being of ‘Class 0’ and ‘Class -2’, as displayed on Scotland’s Peat Map. Peatland habitats are not typically found on such soils (SE Map).

This receptor has no constraints (as identified in Environmental Baseline) that are likely to be impacted by the proposed works, which are restricted to the man-made surface of the A82 carriageway and will not entail groundworks outside of the carriageway boundary. As such, ‘geology and soils’ is scoped out and is not discussed further within this RoD.

Material assets and waste

The proposed scheme is required to replace section of worn surface on the A82 carriageway, and will comprise removal of the surface course and repair of structural defects. Materials used will consist of:

  • Asphaltic materials
  • Bituminous emulsion bond coat
  • Milled in road studs
  • Thermoplastic road marking paint
  • Pre-cast concrete kerbing (as required).

Road planings will be reused under SEPA approved methods in accordance with the Paragraph 13 exemption, described in Schedule 3 of the Waste Management Licensing Regulations.

No site compound is required for these works. Storage of plant and equipment will be within TM on the A82 carriageway. Coal Tar has not been highlighted as likely to be present within any scheme extents.

The value of the scheme does not exceed £350,000; therefore, a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is not required.

Noise and vibration

For residential and community receptors, refer to the ‘Population and Human Health’ section below.

The scheme is not located within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) as defined by the Transportation Noise Action Plan (TNAP).

Noise modelled data from Environmental Noise Directive (END) Round 4 Noise Mapping indicates 24 hour annual average noise level (Lden) between 55 and 75dB on the A82 at all scheme locations (SpatialData).

Baseline noise levels are likely to be primarily influenced by traffic travelling along the A82 carriageway and local road network. Secondary sources are likely derived from recreational and agricultural activities within the area.

Population and human health

The scheme is located on the western periphery of Balloch with a number of residential and commercial premises within 300m.

Properties are set-back at least 30m from the scheme and screened by 20m dense roadside tree belts.

A82 Stoneymollan roundabout lies immediately south of the scheme and connects the A82 with A811 and Upper Stoneymollan Road.

There are no core paths within the scheme extents, however core path ID: 3LW utilises the pedestrian footbridge over the A82 and lies 100m north of the scheme (SE Map).

There are no National Cycle Network routes (OS Maps) or walking routes as listed on WalkHighlands within the scheme extents and within 300m of the scheme.

No other pedestrian facilities, such footpath, are present within the scheme extents.

TM will entail lane closures during daytime hours, facilitated by a 10mph convoy and 4-way temporary traffic lights (TTLs). TM will be removed during the nighttime hours.

Road drainage and the water environment

There are no waterbodies classified by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) within 300m of the scheme.

Several minor and unclassified watercourses lie within 300m of the scheme extents. These minor watercourses likely discharge into Loch Lomond (ID: 100257) which lies 760m northeast of the scheme extents.

The scheme is underlain by the ‘Balloch’ groundwater body, which was classified by SEPA in 2023 as having an overall status of ‘good’ (SEPA Water Classification Hub). This groundwater body is also recorded as a Drinking Water Protected Area (DWPA) (Ground) (Scotland’s Environment).

The SEPA indicative surface water online flood mapping tool records numerous sections of the carriageway within the scheme extents having a medium to high likelihood of road surface flooding. Each year these sections have 0.5% to 10% likelihood of road flooding (SEPA Flood Maps).

Climate

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 sets out the target and vision set by the Scottish Government for tackling and responding to climate change (The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009). The Act includes a target of reducing CO2 emissions by 80% before 2050 (from the baseline year 1990). The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 amended the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 to bring the target of reaching net-zero emissions in Scotland forward to 2045 (Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019).

The Scottish Government has since published its indicative Nationally Determined Contribution (iNDC) to set out how it will reach net-zero emissions by 2045, working to reduce emissions of all major greenhouse gases by at least 75% by 2030 (Scotland's contribution to the Paris Agreement: indicative Nationally Determined Contribution - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)). By 2040, the Scottish Government is committed to reducing emissions by 90%, with the aim of reaching net-zero by 2045 at the latest.

Transport Scotland is committed to reducing carbon across Scotland’s transport network and this commitment is being enacted through the Mission Zero for Transport (Mission Zero for transport | Transport Scotland). Transport is the largest contributor to harmful climate emissions in Scotland. In response to the climate emergency, Transport Scotland are committed to reducing their emissions by 75% by 2030 and to a legally binding target of net-zero by 2045.