Chamber and committees

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0305-01.htm

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20202 on 9 February 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20203 on 9 February 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

To improve safety on the trunk road network Transport Scotland undertakes an annual review of its accident database to determine accident cluster sites or lengths of road which have recorded a high rate of accidents. Following the latest annual review Transport Scotland is planning to take forward a number of Accident Investigation and Prevention studies on the A1 in 2009. The locations to be investigated are:

Haddington Interchange

Dolphingstone

Thistly Cross Roundabout

Reston/Coldingham Junction.

In addition, safety studies are underway into the incidence of high wind accidents in the vicinity of Torness and the localised icing problems near Houndwood. Signing improvements are programmed for Burnmouth and a programme of safety barrier improvements is currently underway to reduce the risk from off-road accidents.

Measures to improve the road safety and route management of the A1 are also included in the Strategic Transport Projects Review which was announced to Parliament on 10 December 2008.

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0212-01.htm

The accident rates for the A1 trunk road between Dunbar (A1087 Junction) and the border with England are:

(a) 13.7 injury accidents per 100 million vehicle kilometres for all dual and single carriageway sections.

(b) 10.6 injury accidents per 100 million vehicle kilometres for dual carriageway sections.

(c) 15.1 injury accidents per 100 million vehicle kilometres for single carriageway sections.

The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published previously or elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates, e.g. due to late returns, corrections to earlier returns or changes to traffic volume data.

The corridor between Edinburgh and the Border currently enjoys relatively low traffic volumes and operates efficiently. Therefore there are few issues on this corridor and as such the potential benefits of dualling would be limited.

The needs of this transport corridor were considered as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review which recommended that our aim should be to optimise the operation of the route through active traffic management and targeted individual investments. This includes plans to ensure the road is safe and suitably maintained for the expected levels of traffic and may, for instance, include realigning sections of road, individual junction improvements and creating additional overtaking opportunities where appropriate.

The accident rates for A1 trunk road in East Lothian are:

(a) 8.4 injury accidents per 100 million vehicle kilometres for all dual and single carriageway sections.

(b) 6.9 injury accidents per 100 million vehicle kilometres for dual carriageway sections.

(c) 30.8 injury accidents per 100 million vehicle kilometres for single carriageway sections.

The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published previously or elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates, e.g. due to late returns, corrections to earlier returns or changes to traffic volume data.

The needs of this transport corridor were considered as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) which recommended that our aim should be to optimise the operation of the route through active traffic management and targeted individual investments. This may include plans to ensure the road is safe and suitably maintained for the expected levels of traffic and may, for instance, include realigning sections of road, individual junction improvements and creating additional overtaking opportunities where appropriate.

Prior to the STPR we had delivered on our route strategy to provide a dual two lane near motorway standard of road between Edinburgh and Dunbar, and further south where traffic volumes are significantly lower, to create unambiguous guaranteed overtaking opportunities along the route. The completion of this major £120 million package of improvements has resulted in two-thirds of the A1 having been upgraded by the provision of dualling and climbing lanes. We have no current plans for dualling the A1 from Dunbar to the Border.

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0205-01.htm