Chamber and committees

There have been no specific studies undertaken over the last five years to access the environmental impact of the A90’s maintenance and usage. As part of the network management contract obligations, the Operating Companies that manage the Trunk Road Network on behalf of Transport Scotland and Scottish Ministers are required to report annually on the progress of landscape maintenance across the relevant units.

All potential schemes for maintenance and improvement works on the Trunk Road Network, including the A90, are robustly assessed for environmental effects by suitably qualified and experienced environmental specialists. The assessments will involve desk studies and ecological field surveys, where appropriate, and will include an understanding of the environmental baseline, potential impacts from the works and the identification of mitigations and best practice measures which are intended to avoid, reduce and where possible remedy adverse impacts.

The assessment of environmental effects is embedded into the design, planning and execution of schemes and throughout the assessment process, key stakeholders such as environmental statutory and non-statutory bodies, local authorities and members of the public are consulted, as appropriate, to inform the decision making and ensure legislative requirements are met.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33099 on 22 January 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33099 on 22 January 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

There has been approximately 175 flooding incidents recorded on the A90 between 1 Jan 2020 and 1 Jan 2025. Each flooding incident is assessed and appropriate action taken where required.

Transport Scotland’s Approach to Climate Change Adaptation & Resilience was published in August 2023 setting out a strategic framework to secure a well-adapted future for Scotland’s transport system. 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 disruption.

A key deliverable of this work is the development of a Trunk Road Adaptation Plan, based on a climate vulnerability and risk assessment using the latest UK climate projections. The Trunk Road Adaptation Plan will be published in early 2025. It includes key interventions and recommendations for further adapting the Trunk Road Network. There will be a focus on risks associated with increased surface water flooding, river flooding, river scour and landslides.

The Trunk Road Adaptation Plan will complement the work of our roads Vulnerable Locations Operational Group, which was established in 2021. This group has delivered a number of drainage improvement schemes across the Trunk Road Network and will continue to investigate, design and deliver improvements to support our wider Approach to Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience.

Our Operating Companies hold regular meetings with neighbouring Local Authorities to share knowledge and consult on matters that will affect the operation of each road network. For example, road works, winter maintenance, major events and instance of severe weather require a joined-up response or mutual aid. Our Operating Companies are required to consult a wide range of stakeholders to ensure the impacts of their planned works are properly managed and any negative impacts mitigated. Transport Scotland also maintains regular contact with Local Authority colleagues through a range of professional body engagements.

It is for each of Scotland’s 32 Local Authorities and the individual emergency services to allocate resources to areas of priority and need. Decisions on operational matters are for the individual services and Local Authorities to consider and action. You may wish to contact them directly to establish how incidents involving unexploded wartime military ordnance are managed.

It is for the Chief Constable, working with the working with the Scottish Police Authority, to determine how to allocate its budget to meet policing priorities including incidences involving unexploded wartime military ordnance.

You may wish to write directly to Police Scotland on this matter.

It is for the Chief Constable, working with the working with the Scottish Police Authority, to determine how to allocate its budget to meet policing priorities including incidences involving unexploded wartime military ordnance.

You may wish to write directly to Police Scotland on this matter.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33028 on 22 January 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Spectrum allocation and management, as with all aspects of telecommunications policy, is a reserved matter and one in which the Scottish Government has no formal role.

The Scottish Government, however, maintains an active interest in the spectrum policy agenda, in particular, as it relates to digital connectivity and digital infrastructure rollout in rural areas.

Responsibility for spectrum allocation and management falls under the remit of Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator. The Scottish Government has regular engagement with Ofcom at official and Ministerial levels. We also respond to any major consultations on spectrum strategy.

Our response to Ofcom’s 2022 discussion papers on mobile and spectrum policy can be found on Ofcom’s website at the following link:

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/consultations/category-3-4-weeks/232316-meeting-future-demand-for-mobile-data/responses/scottish-government/?v=200806.

This response outlines the Scottish Government’s priorities in relation to spectrum. We continue to encourage Ofcom to consider the specific needs and characteristics of Scotland, Scottish geographies and Scottish markets when making decisions on spectrum and how these decisions subsequently impact 4G and 5G coverage in rural and underserved areas; commercial investment in digital infrastructure in rural and underserved areas; and, the development of 5G and other advanced wireless technologies in Scotland.