Question reference: S6W-08241
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 28 April 2022
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Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 12 May 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline the circumstances in which a Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) appraisal must take place.
Answer
As set out in the STAG Managers Guide , an appraisal using Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) is required whenever Scottish Government funding, support or approval is needed to change the transport system. It may also offer a suitable framework for other funders.
STAG is applicable to all transport interventions. Option generation as part of STAG should be unconstrained and should fully reflect the range of multi-modal options available. Typically, the STAG process is not used for developing and comparing alternative designs for the same mode-specific option, for example alternative corridors for a new road project, however the principles for appraisal and evaluation are similar and the basis of determining socio-economic impacts derive from HM Treasury Green Book.
A transport appraisal in accordance with STAG aligns with the Strategic Business Case (SBC) stage, the initial stage of business case development in line with Transport Scotland’s Guidance on the development of Business Cases , where a decision is taken to progress any option to the next stage.
Certain transport options which emerge from the STAG process may then require further consideration using mode-specific guidance at the next stages of business case development, for example:
- Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE) – for rail projects; and
- Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) – for roads schemes.
STAG is not usually adopted when considering maintenance issues of an existing asset which will not significantly change or affect the operation of the transport system.