Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34097 on 12 February 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 question S6W-34097 on 12 February 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 question S6W-34097 on 12 February 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

We support a just transition for Scotland’s valued oil and gas sector. The judgements and issues our view on future licencing of oil and gas are informed and influenced by recent developments in the UK Government’s energy policy and court decisions. This is a rapidly changing landscape, and we are taking time to reflect on those developments before drawing any conclusions and publishing a final strategy.

We continue to call on UK Government to also listen carefully to the concerns being expressed by businesses around risks to jobs and investment in the transition. We also continue to monitor evidence and information on the energy transition and fuel security from a range of sources.

There are currently 36 operational Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in Scotland. A full list can be found on the Scotland’s Improvement Districts (SIDs) website - Who they are - Scotland's Improvement Districts

Information on the amount raised through Business Improvement District (BID) levies are not held by the Scottish Government.

Local authorities are responsible for administering and collecting the levy on behalf of the BID and would be responsible for providing this information.

Scotland’s Improvement District (SIDs) have estimated that the annual levy for the combined 36 BIDs in Scotland is £6.4m. This figure is based on data from operational Scottish BID surveys and information provided in the BIDs Business Plans. The amount collected may, however, be lower depending on collection rates.

The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 introduced a national ban on pavement parking, double parking, and parking at dropped kerbs, which came into effect on 11 December 2023. Enforcement of these prohibitions is the responsibility of local authorities.

Transport Scotland collates the number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued annually, now including those for pavement parking. The most recent figures were published in December 2024 and can be accessed at the following link:
https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/decriminalised-parking-enforcement-dpe-report-2023-2024

Figures for the current year (2024-25) will be published in December 2025.

Transport Scotland has developed an Approach to Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience (ACCAR), which provides a strategic overview of our approach primarily on infrastructure and services directly under Transport Scotland control. 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 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 (VLOG), which was established in 2021 in line with the commitments set out in the National Transport Strategy Delivery Plan 2020 – 2022 with an initial focus on delivering short-term cost-effective actions, whilst developing a move to a long-term proactive approach, including a dedicated budget for climate change adaptation.

The VLOG has targeted resource on early flood level warning systems around A90 river crossings and undertaken specific bridge scour assessments and inspections to national standards to enable resources to be focused on potential future risk areas

Scottish Ministers have a duty of care to ensure its structures are safe for public use. Our maintenance, strengthening and replacement programmes ensure that all structures and their elements are routinely inspected to determine they are fit for use as well as to implement measures to mitigate any impact to the network.

The prioritisation of bridges and structures maintenance follows a Value Management Risk Approach using the following four criteria:

1.Safety – the overall effects on the end user, including fatalities and injuries that would be caused by a failure.

2.Functionality – the impact of a loss or reduction in service. This may be considered at route, structure or component level.

3.Environment – Environmental impacts, such as pollution caused through traffic delay, the sensitivity of the route/area, etc.

4.Sustainability – of both expenditure and workload, where the aim is to reach a state of steady expenditure and workload, avoiding the build-up of a backlog of unavoidable, essential work by doing effective, targeted preventative maintenance.

Our Operating Companies develop a 1 and 3 year programmes of bridge maintenance works, which are reviewed by Transport Scotland. Maintenance works are programmed based on priority . Structural Reviews are also carried out in accordance with the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges standard CS 451, which determines the requirement for any structure assessment, and these are included in the 1 and 3 year programmes.

Refurbishment and upgrades to the A90 Kingsway, Dundee Strathmartine and Old Glamis footbridges are planned for the 2025-26 financial year.

These works are currently at the tendering stage so a detailed construction programme is unavailable. Preparatory works have commenced on site with temporary pedestrian crossings being installed prior to the footbridges being removed from site for refurbishment/upgrade.