Chamber and committees

Transport Scotland has not undertaken any assessment of the cost of improving the junctions on the A90 between Dundee and Stonehaven, other than at Laurencekirk, where design work is being taken forward to deliver a grade separated junction on the A90. It is therefore not possible to provide a cost estimate at this time.

Average speed cameras on the A90 are expected to improve road safety.

The cameras are already encouraging improved driver behaviour and better speed limit compliance, which will lead to fewer camera detections, fewer penalty points, fewer drivers fined, and ultimately reduce the number of people being killed or injured on Scotland’s roads.

Information provided by the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA) suggests there are around 60 staff and around 230 officers based in Scotland who would transfer to Police Scotland, with the details currently being refined as part of the work of the Joint Programme Board. We have no information on staff leaving as a result of the merger.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10921 on
12 September 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx'

In ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) we already have one of the most comprehensive EV networks in Europe with over 700 charge points, including over 175 rapid chargers. The ChargePlace Scotland website (www.chargeplacescotland.org) provides location and availability details of all these charge points. We do not hold a central record of non-CPS charge points.

We allocate funding to a range of initiatives to encourage electric car and van usage. Funding is provided to all 32 local authorities, distributed according to formulae approved by COSLA. Also all consumer and commercial incentives are available nationwide.

A more detailed update is available in ‘Switched On Scotland Phase Two: An Action Plan For Growth’ which is available at https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/switched-on-scotland-phase-two-an-action-plan-for-growth/

Phasing out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2032 is a vision for all of Scotland rural, island, urban for individuals and businesses to reap the benefits of this cleaner greener future.

As outlined in the Oil and Gas Production Statistics 2016-17 publication, 82 per cent of all oil and gas production in the UK across this period was produced in Scotland (including Scottish adjacent waters). Looking at gas production only, Scottish production represented 63 per cent of total gas production in the UK continental shelf. Hence, while it is the case that the UK as a whole has a significant dependency on imported gas, Scotland clearly has an abundance of natural gas resources. In fact in 2015, Scottish gas production represented roughly six times that of final consumption from within Scotland. To access this figure as well as view the level of gas imports over the last 10 years, please refer to the SNAP Commodity Balances and Trade 2015 statistical publication (see link).

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/oilgas

The draft Energy Strategy identifies that 75 per cent of total energy consumption in Scotland is currently supplied by oil and gas. Going forward, the Scottish Government recognises the important role that hydrocarbons will continue to play in our energy mix, especially as we transition to a low-carbon economy.

Salt supplies came under extreme pressure during the severe winters of 2008-09 and 2010-11. Despite this, no roads authority ran out of salt.

Scotland's 32 local authorities are responsible for the maintenance and safe operation of the local road network, including Winter Service Operations and its own salt management. This includes all footways, footpaths and cycle tracks not in private ownership.

Salt stocks are fundamental to a successful winter on our roads and we currently have more salt in stock than was used for the whole of last winter. National salt figures are published on Transport Scotland’s website: https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/salt-group-situation-report/.

The Scottish Salt Group was established during the severe winter conditions early in 2010. The group includes representatives of Transport Scotland (TS), the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS), the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE). The Scottish Salt Group monitored the restocking process throughout the summer and met with suppliers to confirm there is adequate salt production to meet the demand. Road authorities recognise the need to have good salt stocks in advance of the start of winter to increase resilience and reduce reliance on in-season restocking.

BEAR Scotland manages and maintains the North-East trunk roads on behalf of Transport Scotland and this includes the A90 and A92 within the Dundee City Council boundary.

This would only be considered if the current commercial service ceased to operate and no alternative operator chose to operate the route on a commercial basis. The cost of a PSO on the Benbecula to Glasgow air route would be dependent on the specification of the service in terms of elements such as frequency, capacity and fare level and would be subject to an open tender exercise so as to ensure that best value was achieved.

(a) The last quarter for which we hold the latest complete personal injury accident figures is 1 January 2017 to 31 March 2017.

In this period, there were 8 Fatal, 36 Serious and 178 Slight Injury accidents giving a total of 222 injury accidents across the trunk road network.

(b) Winter 2016-17 is being defined as 1 December 2016 to 31 March 2017.

In this period, there were 15 Fatal, 45 Serious and 260 Slight Injury accidents, giving a total of 320 injury accidents across the trunk road network.

Source: Transport Scotland Accident Manager System

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