Conclusions and Next Steps

Conclusions

This report sets out the approach undertaken in the assessment of equality impacts and demonstrates Transport Scotland’s due regard to the Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty throughout the A96 Corridor Review process. It identifies the potential equality impacts associated with Full Dualling and the A96 packages. The feedback received in relation to the SEqIA Scoping Report consultation has been reviewed and used to inform the EqIA Report.

This EqIA has outlined the key evidence and issues relating to protected characteristic groups. It has identified both positive and negative impacts relating to Full Dualling and the transport intervention packages assessed as part of the A96 Corridor Review. Overall, there is likely to be a minor or moderate positive impact on protected characteristic groups with Full Dualling and the transport intervention packages contributing to improving outcomes by increasing accessibility to a range of transport options and enabling improved access to key educational and other destinations along the corridor.

The EqIA process started at early stages of transport intervention development to ensure intervention options maximise positive outcomes and, where possible, include appropriate engagement with organisations representing protected characteristic groups to understand specific requirements.

There are a number of factors outside the scope of the A96 Corridor Review that could have an impact on protected characteristic groups with regards to the interventions. For example:

• Public transport fares and costs associated with bike ownership or hire could be a barrier for some protected groups who are disproportionally represented in low income households.
• Enhancing the benefits of community transport (CT) for socio-economically disadvantaged groups may require overcoming the technology barriers that some groups may face.
• There is a range of diverse needs which should be considered to ensure safety and accessibility across different protected characteristic groups with regards to walking and cycling infrastructure and activities.

Furthermore, it is important to recognise local circumstances within each settlement or rural community impacted by the transport intervention options. Therefore, while this impact assessment provides a high-level assessment of impacts for Full Dualling and the six proposed transport packages, further detailed assessment would be required for Full Dualling or any of the transport interventions that are taken forward. This should include engagement and consultation with those within protected characteristic groups to enhance positive impacts and reduce negative impacts.

More detailed EqIA work should also include appropriate mitigation measures to reduce negative health impacts associated with construction specifically considering the impacts on disabled people, pregnant women, children and older people.

Next Steps

The feedback received in relation to the EqIA Report consultation will be reviewed and used to inform the finalised version of the EqIA Report.

The key EqIA milestones are as follows:

• Consultation on the public consultation version of the EqIA; and
• Finalisation of the EqIA Report following consultation.