Transport Scotland is being told to commit to timelines for publishing a Trunk Roads Adaptation Plan related to climate change, a Scour Management Strategy, Flood Emergency Plan and High Wind Strategy.
The Scottish Climate Change Committee has published its report “Adapting to climate change – Progress in Scotland” and says Transport Scotland should develop guidance for local authorities on developing climate change risk assessments, based on UK Climate Projections 2018, and climate change resilience
and adaptation plans for local roads.
The report says there is mixed progress in indicators of road and rail resilience, and evidence of worsening resilience for ferries. It says further details and timelines for achieving climate resilience for these transport modes are needed, as well as guidance to inform plans for local roads. It adds Transport Scotland’s Approach to climate change and resilience is a welcome step, setting out a vision for a well-adapted trunk roads, rail, aviation and maritime networks.
It also says Transport Scotland should develop guidance for local authorities on developing climate change risk assessments (based on UK Climate Projections 2018) and climate change resilience and adaptation plans for local roads.
The report notes that there has been an improvement in the condition of motorways in the latest data, but slightly worsened conditions for dual and single carriageways. Transport Scotland has identified sites at risk of landslides along the trunk road network and taken action to mitigate risks.
Researchers found the proportion of local roads which may need repair has seen an improvement in the latest data, but is still more than a third of the network. It says the Scottish Government should provide guidance to local areas on how to consider climate adaptation and resilience in their transport strategies and plans.