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 and core Scottish Government, and with external partners.
Our HR, Corporate Communications, Health and Safety, Facilities and Workplace teams were responsible for managing our approach to a continued move to hybrid working and the relocation to our temporary headquarters within George House in Glasgow city centre before we move to a permanent location at 177 Bothwell Street in 2024. We moved into George House in March 2023, and we started engaging with our 177 Project Team in January 2023. When we started engaging with our project team and looked at our project timeline, it became clear that to allow us to complete all necessary works we would need to remain in our interim office space within George House for a longer period. We expect practical completion of works in December 2024 and a move soon after.
As part of this interim move, we have been able to provide and test a range of more flexible working environments and approaches for our people including a range of collaborative working spaces, flexible furniture options and hybrid working technology.
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 and have developed a new Learning and Development Strategy to 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. We have also re-introduced our Corporate Induction programme to ensure our staff are supported at the outset of their career and have both skills to do their job and access to tools and resources to address their learning needs.
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. The increase in mobile services has also allowed us to move away entirely from desk-based telephony.
Information management and data protection
We comply with the overarching Scottish Government information governance strategy and the Records Management Plan. All information assets are 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 have also been appointed to support the IAOs.
Throughout 2023-24 we have continued to focus on ensuring compliance with key legislation and identifying actions for continuous improvement. This resulted in the delivery of the annual data protection and information governance check and report which included a number of recommendations to sustain existing good practice. This was supplemented by the ongoing 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 Roads Environment team 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.
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 has begun during 2023-24.
The Climate Change Branch also leads on climate change adaptation on behalf of Transport Scotland and is responsible for overseeing delivery of the allocated sub-outcomes associated with the second Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme (SCCAP2) as well as statutory annual reporting for adaptation.
This year, we published our Approach to Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience (ACCAR). It includes an ambitious Vision for “a transport system which is well adapted and prepared for current and future impacts of climate change, is safe for all users, reliable for everyday journeys, and resilient to weather-related impacts’. The ACCAR provides our current approach to adaptation and Strategic Outcomes for Road, Rail, Aviation and Maritime transport networks, to address the key climate risks affecting Scotland’s transport system.
The statistics
Throughout the last year, climate change has continued to be a primary focus for both Scotland and Transport Scotland. The nation is now seeing increasingly severe effects of climate change. Adaptation, alongside mitigation, therefore, continues to be a focus to ensure our transportation networks remain resilient.
In response to the Scottish Government’s updated Climate Change Plan and net zero targets, in March 2023 Transport Scotland published the next iteration of our Carbon Management Plan (CMP). This plan outlines a pathway to 2027 for the agency to meet net zero emissions by reducing the impact on the environment across our corporate functions. We aim to be zero direct emissions by 2025, net zero for Scope 2 emissions by 2025 and all indirect emissions net zero by 2045. Within the CMP, we have redefined our corporate boundary and widened the scope of data collection to include the ‘scope of influence.’ This is where we aim to identify areas where the agency can work with stakeholders to reduce emissions in our supply chain.
In 2023-24, we have progressed actions within the CMP, seeking to replace the gas boiler and improve energy efficiency at our Traffic Control Centre and the development of a Net Zero Route Map for Operation, Maintenance, and Improvement of the Trunk Road Network, assisting with emissions reduction in our ‘scope of influence’.
During 2023-24 we have seen a slight increase of 1.34% in our overall corporate emissions. This increase is predominantly associated with electricity use on the Trunk Road Network which can fluctuate from year to year and constitutes the largest area of our emission footprint. Overall emissions from electricity use have increased by 3.24%, however, we have also seen a reduction in emissions in several other areas within our footprint. Our emissions boundary does not cover bus or rail, these are captured and appropriately reported by service providers.
A hybrid approach to working has continued to operate and approximately 63% of staff are now working in our offices on average, our home working emissions have decreased by 35%. We have spent all of 2023-24 situated in our George House office and alongside usage in our Traffic Control Centre, overall gas usage has decreased by 33.7%. During 2023-24, emissions from electricity use in our buildings has seen a decrease of 20.9%.
Business travel has returned to pre-pandemic levels and under the CMP we aim to strengthen our business travel position statement and ensure that active and public transport is always considered as the first option. Overall, in 2023-24, we have reduced our business travel footprint by just under 25%. In 2023-24, as part of the CMP we have undertaken a new staff commute travel survey to gather data on staff commute travel modes, frequency and milage. Based on the results from this survey, emissions associated with staff commute travel have decreased by 29.7%, likely down to hybrid working arrangements as the last survey was undertaken before the pandemic.
Next year, we aim to continue building upon the commitments in our CMP to ensure we meet our ambitious net zero goals, continue to work closely with our colleagues and enhance relationships with stakeholders to facilitate climate action in our supply chain. We will also continue as a leading public sector body in Scotland to sequester carbon on our estate and prime ourselves for meeting net-zero emissions whilst supporting nature and local biodiversity.
| Corporate Carbon Emissions 2023-24 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Element | Metric | Baseline 2015-16 | Actual in 2022-23 | Actual in 2023-24 | % change compared to previous year |
| Total Emissions | tCO2e | 22,222 | 5,570 | 5,664 | +1.34% |
| Gas | tCO2e | 265 | 43.69 | 28.96 | -33.70% |
| Electricity | tCO2e | 20,137 | 5,257 | 5,424 | +3.17% |
| Water | tCO2e | 3.13 | 0.48 | 0.56 | +16.69% |
| Waste | tCO2e | 2.02 | 0.50 | 0.50 | +0.83% |
| Business Travel | tCO2e | 188 | 139.79 | 105.24 | -24.72% |
| Commuter Travel | tCO2e | 156 | 38.79 | 27.27 | -29.70% |
| Home Working | tCO2e | - | 90 | 58.11 | -35.43% |
Gas Reporting Conversion Factors – these are updated annually.
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 around £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. Creating new journey opportunities and economic benefits for the Levenmouth area.
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.
A number of community events have been undertaken with schools in the Levenmouth area, to raise awareness of rail safety. The Rail Skills Academy was launched by Network Rail in July 2023 on the Levenmouth project. Nine young people were recruited, and the Academy equipped the participants with competencies, skills, qualifications, and work experience over a nine-week period. Following the course all nine people successfully obtained permanent employment.
Construction was successfully completed with Transport Scotland and Network Rail working closely with their partners to deliver this transformational project with commencement of service on 2 June 2024.
Academy9
We continue to deliver the award-winning, Academy9 educational initiative to both Primary and High School pupils throughout the A9 Dualling corridor and beyond. In addition to promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) learning in schools, our annual programme of events increases pupils’ awareness of infrastructure and civil engineering-related careers.
Although the immediate effect of lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic was the cancellation of all our face-to-face events, the long-term effect for Academy9 is our ability to offer a more flexible delivery programme, better able to respond to requests from individual schools. We have reached this stage in our development by digitising some of our core events, where appropriate and practicable. The enforced restrictions placed on us by the pandemic also resulted in our creation of new online events, both further aligning with the Scottish Government’s digital e-learning and teaching strategy.
The events and activities we have delivered during the past year brings the total to date to over 8,200 pupil and 890 teacher engagements along the length of the A9 Dualling Corridor.
The most recent evaluation of the effectiveness of the Academy9 educational programme showed that 93% of young people felt their knowledge of STEM careers increased following Academy9 experiences.
Following an invitation from Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) towards the end of 2023 to attend a business breakfast and deliver a presentation with Academy9 billed as the ‘gold standard for employer-school engagement’, we will look to further develop this status.
Further evidence of the effectiveness of Academy9 as an award-winning initiative can be found in our success in winning the ‘Best Practice-Knowledge Sharing’ category at the CIEEM (Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management) Awards 2023 held in Birmingham in June last year. This achievement, following earlier award success, not only raises the profile of Academy9, but also demonstrates its recognition as a wide-ranging programme that impacts skills, promotes educational outreach, engenders innovation in young people and connects with communities, contributing to social value.
A9/A96 Inshes to Smithton and A9/A82 Longman junction improvement schemes
As part of the delivery of the A9/A82 Longman Junction Improvement and A9/A96 Inshes to Smithton schemes, Transport Scotland and its consultant, Jacobs, have engaged with several schools and local organisations to provide educational support, supply equipment, and facilitate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) activities. Engagement has been carried out with a number of schools
within Inverness and the surrounding areas, which has been well received by pupils and teachers alike. In addition to direct engagement with schools, the projects have also facilitated engagement at events or with local organisations, such as the Young Engineers and Science Clubs (YESC) Scotland’s Celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) Event, STEM Ambassadors and Teacher Drop-in Sessions, STEM after School Club Sessions, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Sessions and Career Fairs.
Sustainable procurement
Transport Scotland’s Corporate Procurement Strategy for 2023-24, which was published in July 2023, detailed how procurement activity would support Transport Scotland in achieving our corporate objectives. Our procurement strategy for the reporting period is aligned with the seven Public Procurement Priorities and has a focus on implementing sustainable procurement throughout all our procurement activity. During the reporting period we spent just over £770 million on our procured contracts. Details of our procurement activity including spend figures will be published in Transport Scotland’s Annual Procurement Report later in 2024.
Each of our procurements requires a project procurement strategy, which ensures that project managers consider supported businesses, environmental impact, fair work, and community benefits 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 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 ongoing 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 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 so 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. As fleet owners CMAL also work with the operators, CFL and SNF, on the provision and new and maintenance of current vessels, sourcing where appropriate locally based contractors and subcontractors. They also have a community fund and are involved in supporting local causes.
Plugged-in Communities
In 2023-24 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, making a contribution 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 £3.5 million supporting 38 community transport organisations procure 52 zero-emission vehicles covering over 250,000 of zero-emission miles.
Natural Capital and the Trunk Road Network
The application of Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services as a means of valuing and taking full account of the benefits we derive from the environment around us is a new and rapidly developing policy area across the UK and beyond. Despite society being fundamentally dependant on nature for our economy, health, and wellbeing, it has historically been overlooked, leading to our natural assets becoming damaged and degraded.
By understanding and recording the importance of nature, and nature-based solutions for climate change, the economy and biodiversity, we can ensure that natural capital can be properly considered alongside other factors to help support balanced and sustainable decision-making.
To support this approach, Transport Scotland has set out to create a means by which the Natural Capital of the linear trunk road estate can be assessed. Phase 2 of this challenging work is complete and has delivered a geo-spatial/mapping tool with an interactive function allowing the user to focus on any area around the network and analyse the extent and (in some cases) the monetary values for different ecosystem services supported by the natural environment.
The tool provides data related to habitat connectivity, wood production, carbon sequestration, flood regulation, water quality, recreation, noise reduction, pollination, and biodiversity. The development has been overseen by a steering group made up of representatives from across the Agency, bringing together colleagues from a number of directorates to ensure differing perspectives and requirements were considered. There was also development testing involving targeted staff from the Operating Companies.
The project is not yet complete and there is the potential to improve the functionality and integration of the tool with further phased development work.
This innovative Natural Capital tool has the potential to inform a range of actions to support the Agency’s efforts against the environmental crises we face through the sustainable development and management of the network, whilst allowing us to monitor our progress towards achieving the crucial net zero and biodiversity targets.