Update on Deliverables over 2023/24

• We have undertaken comprehensive analysis of all types of speed management policies (including HGV speed limits) and initiatives in Scotland. We have also undertaken a review of what has been introduced in other countries throughout the world.

Transport Scotland: Road Safety Policy

Long-term Deliverable

Delayed/Ongoing

• We are increasing the number of speed indicator devices on the local road network which will enhance the data we are already collecting whilst also evidencing the link between speed and road casualties in areas of deprivation and ways to reduce road safety inequality.
• During 2023/24, we worked with local authorities to install 80 speed indicator devices across a range of local roads with a speed limit of 20 and 30 mph. These devices were installed in the 10% most deprived areas with comparison sites installed in the 10% least deprived areas across Scotland.

Transport Scotland: Road Safety Policy

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Following the Lord Advocate’s agreement in principle for the introduction of Road Traffic Diversionary Courses (RTDCs), including Speed Awareness Courses, in January 2019, these are being considered by a multi-agency steering group, which will report in due course to the Lord Advocate and the Chief Constable.
• Driver and Rider Improvement Scheme Diversionary Courses continue to be provided after a careless driving prosecution report is submitted to COPFS, who consider and refer the driver where appropriate.
• Two pre-requisites to facilitate Speed Awareness Courses, the roll-out of the PentiP back-office system and COS Unifi national crime recording system, were completed in 2022/23 and 2023/24 respectively.
• Police Scotland continues to experience significant resourcing and financial challenges that have resulted in projects being paused. This includes Speed Awareness. Police Scotland remains very much committed to this Criminal Justice project.

Police Scotland

Long-term Deliverable

Will not be delivered this reporting year

• Speeding remains a strong focus and is included within our 2023/24 National Calendar of Road Safety Activity, developed in consultation with partners and reviewed & ratified at the Tactical Options Working Group (TOWG). 2023/24 tactical plans developed by Roads Policing Area Commanders include a speed enforcement focus within the key area of influencing driver and road user behaviour.
• Police Scotland will undertake speed enforcement as a daily activity, supplemented by days/weeks of action within the campaigns calendar. Locations identified as speed complaint areas, through collision history or public information, will be investigated and addressed as appropriate, by both Road Policing and local police officers trained in speed enforcement. Activity will be measured and reported to partners via TOWG.
• In 2023/24 we undertook the following:
  • Deployment of high visibility patrols to target offenders and improve driver behaviours and attitudes on these routes. Detections recorded and reported upon throughout the year.
  • Police Scotland delivered a National Speeding Campaign, as part of the Road Safety Campaigns Calendar with activity tailored to suit local areas. Support from partners with appropriate social media strategies to deliver key messages.
  • Police Scotland worked closely with partners to consider new and innovative approaches to speed enforcement in order to improve driver behaviour and reduce casualties.
  • Safety camera deployments in accordance with the Scottish Safety Camera Programme policy and criteria. Safety Camera Unit continued enforcement of average speed cameras in each command area, with a view to reducing the instances of speeding and improve driver attitudes and behaviours. Detections recorded and reported upon throughout the year.

Police Scotland

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• During the 2023/24 period, Transport Scotland’s Vulnerable Locations Operational Group successfully achieved full spend of its £2M budget in developing and implementing schemes aimed at addressing live network issues at known sites, and in a manner which aligns to the requirement to address the challenges of Climate Change adaptation, not just mitigation.
• This follows the successfully delivery of the £2M budget in 2022/23 where the continuing ethos remains to explore and develop schemes for future years whilst delivering those which have been designed.
• Across 2022/23 and 2023/24, this has seen 6No and 17No of schemes completed at construction stages and includes measures to address flooding, drainage and landslide risk management. Collectively these works have helped to improve the resilience and safe operation of the trunk road network.
• The success of this workstream has seen similar budget levels confirmed for 2024/25 with programmes in place for the continued development of targeted schemes. Currently a total of 55 schemes are at either the investigation, design or construction stages for future years.

Transport Scotland: Maintenance

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Some examples of the schemes undertaken between 2023/24 that will continue into 2024/25:
  • M80 River Carron to Bannockburn Northbound Drainage Improvement Investigation, Design and Construction. Continuation of works progressed over previous financial years, to improve resilience of M80 to flood through appropriate enhancement of existing drainage features.
  • M9 Newline Bridge to Chartershall Road Bridge (Northbound) Continuation of works progressed over previous year to allow evaluation works to proceed. Commencement of design development in 2024/25.
  • M8 at Newhouses Road Bridge Further investigations to supplement those already completed to provide clear understanding of the extent of the problem that results in the M8 flooding westbound in proximity to the local road overbridge. Design development and construction to follow such that discharge, and surface water issues, are alleviated. Undertaking of further site inspection and survey work 2024/25.
  • A9 Scrabster – Following a landslide on 27 December 2023, budget is being re-distributed to the A9 Scrabster scheme to facilitate investigation of the failure area and the development of suitable remediation proposals that will enable the removal of temporary traffic management from the A9 approach to Scrabster Harbour. The design and construction of wider improvements will now likely take place in 2024/25.
  • A84 Anie Straight – Investigation work progressed over the last quarter of 23/24, with options to increase road level relative to various flood return periods assessed. Given the nature of the topography and the potential complexities associated with improvement options, further investigative work is required to inform scheme development, resulting in design work being re-programmed for 2024/25.
  • VMS Hardstandings and Traffic Management Boxes - Site Surveys and Investigatory works proposed to establish desirable locations for the stationing of equipment to complement known disruption risk sites and closure points associated with SIDRs.

Transport Scotland: Maintenance

Transport Scotland: Maintenance

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Presentations and consultations were held with local authorities and relevant contractors to discuss the impact and correct implementation of Low Emission Zone signs.
• This work will continue with the development of signage for Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh’s Low Emission Zones.

Transport Scotland: Environment & Sustainability

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• In 2023/24 we continued to support the uptake of EVs by providing interest free loan funding.
• The focus of this scheme remained used EVs, this included alternative zero emission fuel options such as hydrogen. This approach is designed to support more people and households on lower incomes to make the switch to electric. This loan also supported the taxi industry and other high mileage businesses assisting with reducing emissions from sectors that significantly contribute to emission levels. We also focused on a more Just Transition and continued to support our Plugged in Communities (PiC) scheme, this scheme supports usership over ownership of EVs by providing grant funding to community transport organisations to procure zero emission community transport vehicles. This will support rural communities and areas of higher deprivation where there is an unmet transport requirement. EV infrastructure funding continued to support the installation of chargepoints in domestic rural, remote and island locations and for recipients of the used electric vehicle loan. This fund also supported third sector organisations to install chargepoints and will provide funding to factored/flatted developments where not having access to a driveway to install a chargepoint is often seen as a barrier for people making the change to EVs.

Transport Scotland: Low Carbon Economy

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• The backbone provided for promoting smooth driving to business through the Road Safety Hour series, Road Safety Podcast Series 3 and the regular ScORSA member newsletter has continued to reinforce key messages around topics that influence smooth driving through the lens of managing driving and riding for work, set within the Safe System approach.
• The evaluation undertaken by Research Scotland reflects the value placed by listeners and readers alike reflected in the 25% membership growth during 2023/24.

ScORSA

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• In 2023/24, the Road Safety Improvement Fund had a capital budget of £9.5m (£7.5m road safety and £2m contribution from active travel).

Transport Scotland: Road Safety Policy

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• A call for framework and evaluation initiatives went live in February 2023 and closed in April. The fund is resource only, and applications which supported the Safe System were welcomed.
• A total of 9 applications were received, with 5 being successful following OPG and SPB scrutiny.
• Grant offer letters were developed and issued for the successful projects and the team has continued to support project managers to establish their projects.

Transport Scotland: Road Safety Policy

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• New content and sharing of publications is continued, with news releases added to coincide with Police Scotland’s campaign calendar.
• The Info Hub and FAQs are kept up to date.
• The website is also open to partners for a platform to promote their campaigns/activity at both a local and national level.

Transport Scotland: Road Safety Policy

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• This work was subject to funding being available as this was not part of the original request when the budget was announced. Unfortunately, funding was not available to deliver this over 2023/24. However, both Road Safety Scotland and Transport Scotland are aware of the need to deliver on this action for everyone in Scotland, and will look to progress actions on this in 2024/25.

Road Safety Scotland

Long-term Deliverable

Will not be delivered this reporting year

• Give Cycle Space is an annual, national campaign to encourage drivers to give space to people cycling, informed by evidence and developed in partnership with Police Scotland, with funding from Transport Scotland. The campaign is supported by our partners highlighting the legal consequences to drivers of ‘close-passing’ of people cycling.
• The campaign launched on 4th May 2023, using new creative and running across TV, on-demand, radio, digital and bus back advertising and supported by Police Scotland. Key evaluation results include:
  • Recall: 86% drivers who had seen/heard advertising recalled one element of the campaign
  • Understanding: the importance of giving space was represented as a key message (45% drivers), with almost one in three (31%) specifically mentioning giving 1.5m space. There was a high understanding of and engagement with key campaign statements, resulting in a 91% campaign performance score.
  • Impact on attitude and behaviour: limited increase from pre- to post-campaign in drivers giving 1.5m time (54% to 56%), however 89% drivers who had seen the campaign had or were planning to take action, including 43% who were now more likely to wait behind until safe to pass.
  • The campaign is estimated to have reached 97% of all adults in Scotland (more than 4 million) an average of 13 times.

Cycling Scotland

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

Practical Cycle Awareness Training

• This training includes both theory and practical elements and is aimed at drivers of large goods vehicles or PSVs.
• A number of training providers throughout Scotland were granted funding to deliver Practical Cycle Awareness Training for HGV/bus drivers in 2023/24. McGills buses, T French and Sons, and McPhersons Ltd continue to work in partnership with Cycling Scotland to embed training within their driver CPC programme. In addition, we worked with East Lothian Council to schedule this training for their employees who drive large goods vehicles.
• 263 Large Goods Vehicle/Passenger Carrying Vehicle drivers have completed Joint Approvals Unit on Periodic Training (JAUPT) accredited Practical Cycle Awareness Training in the period as driver Certificate of Professional Competence.

Learner Driver Cycle Awareness Training

• In the first quarter of 2023, training providers delivered a pilot of this one-hour theory input in 27 secondary schools in 16 local authorities across Scotland. The target audience is pupils in S5/6 who are at the start of their driver journey. Feedback was positive and a further number of schools have expressed an interest in the training for delivery in the next school year.
• Cycling Scotland launched an orientation workshop for road safety practitioners to cascade the training to secondary school pupils. Five sessions have been delivered to 31 practitioners and instructors, including Lanark division campus police officers, and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service community officers.

Cycling Scotland

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• In addition to the Road Safety Hour, Road Safety Podcast Series 3 and regular communication with the membership, two face to face events focusing on the role of business linked to older drivers, including driver health, driver behaviour and enforcement, have provided the opportunity for business to understand how they can contribute to meeting the targets set within RSF 2030.

ScORSA

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• This work had been put on hold due to a pause on road safety spend in the governments direct response to the cost of living crisis.
• Road safety colleagues have engaged with analytical colleagues, who will be carrying out the research, to identify the scope of this work. However, this research has yet to conclude.

Transport Scotland: Road Safety Policy

Long-term Deliverable

Will not be delivered this reporting year

• Transport Scotland and consortium partners delivered Project CAV Forth – a demonstration of autonomous bus capability on Scotland’s trunk road network – into operational service in May 2023.
• Given limitations on project funding, Transport Scotland’s active role in the project only consisted of around 12 weeks of trial service. Thereafter the project continued to operate on the trunk road for which Transport Scotland is responsible but not as a project partner. Through ongoing engagement with project partners though we will seek to learn and disseminate information on the experience gained from operating such a service and whether it has benefits for road safety.
• As part of the delivery the CAV Roadmap we will seek opportunities to explore how we can develop and harness the benefits that the deployment of connected vehicles offers to the Traffic Scotland Service. This will include scoping of an in-vehicle communication pilot to support the service in taking the steps needed to support road safety.

Transport Scotland: Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Ongoing delivery of service to inspect, maintain and develop systems and infrastructure to support safe operation of the network.
• A review and improvements to the mandatory signalling on the Queensferry Crossing Corridor to enhance its safe operation.
• Scoping of an in-vehicle communication pilot to support the service in taking the steps needed to support safety on areas of the network not covered by physical infrastructure.
• Transport Scotland will also develop our Future Vision and Strategy for The Traffic Scotland Service, which will set out our priorities for how the service should be developed to best take advantage of technology change to support SG/TS priorities including around road safety. This future vision was established during 2023/24.
• Contractors will progress with embedding innovation and development of the service within their delivery programmes in line with our Future Vision of the service to ensure that ongoing investment supports delivery priorities, including safety.

Transport Scotland: Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Undertook operational monitoring of the live CAVForth trial to enhance our understanding of the safe deployment of CAV technologies.
• Delivered a programme of engagement to ensure that our knowledge/learning of what it takes to bring CAV technologies to our network is shared and maximised.

Transport Scotland: Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• The Scottish Government made a commitment to implement 20 mph speed limits on those roads where it is appropriate to do so by 2025.
• A 20 mph task group explored the most effective way of achieving that commitment in Scotland, and has agreed to support local authorities to expand 20 mph speed limits where appropriate as the optimum route to implement at their November 2023 meeting. As a result work is now underway to establish a delivery sub group.
• A communication toolkit has been developed and circulated to road safety partners, to be used at the local level. The toolkit was launched alongside a news article and FAQ on the RSS and RSF2030 website.
• Highland Council as early adopters of the strategy has been implementing 20 mph where appropriate. The new speed limits will be monitored, evaluated and refined if necessary. The lessons learned from their experience will assist in the future roll-out in other local authority areas.

Transport Scotland: Road Safety Policy

Long-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• There are 1,034 trunk road locations where 30 mph limits are in place and 20 mph limits could be delivered over that period.
• Evaluation to date indicates differing levels of appropriateness, meaning a staged approach, with potential for engineering (which may include reallocation of road space), education and/or enforcement investment may be needed in some cases to achieve practical 20 mph delivery.
• As part of Highland Council’s ‘early adoption’ of the National 20mph Strategy, 21 trunk road locations in the Highlands had temporary 20mph speed limits introduced during autumn 2023. These are now being evaluated.
• Consultation is ongoing with other local authorities where sections of trunk road are being considered for the National 20mph Strategy.
• Potential strong synergies with active travel and public transport outcomes, car km reduction, parking and emissions in addition to safety.

Transport Scotland: Trunk Road Casualty Reduction

Long-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• The Scottish Parliament approved a further increase to the Active Travel budget for 2023/24, at £189.2m.

Transport Scotland: Active Travel

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• With a record Active Travel budget of £189.2m, Transport Scotland has continued to support its Places for Everyone, Cycle Walking & Safer Routes and National Cycling Network programmes, as well as the new Active Travel Transformation Fund to ensure delivery of high quality walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure can continue at pace and scale, and meet the ambitions of local authorities across Scotland.
• We have also distributed funding to: TS Road Safety as a contribution for the Road Safety Improvement Fund; TS Trunk Roads for their Trunk Road Casualty Reduction Schemes to support infrastructure delivery that improves safety for pedestrians and cyclists along the trunk road network and avoids severance of active travel routes where they meet the trunk road; and to TS Rail for the delivery of active travel infrastructure at the new station in Levenmouth.

Transport Scotland: Active Travel

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• £2m was allocated to the Road Safety Policy team to contribute to the Road Safety Improvement Fund budget, increasing the fund by £2m, from £7.5m to £9.5m. This additional £2m contributed to active travel infrastructure schemes on the local road network.

Transport Scotland: Active Travel

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Active Travel Transformation Programme Business Case has been developed and approved (December 2023).
• Tiered delivery model for Active Travel infrastructure was established and introduced. Projects were delivered through Active Travel Transformation Fund in 2023/24 , with this fund open to applications from January 2024.
• Resource was secured to manage active travel delivery and progress the recommendations from the Programme Business Case.

Transport Scotland: Active Travel

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• The Safety Camera Programme undertook robust analysis to explore any link between safety camera deployments, associated improvements in speed limit compliance and the impact on emissions and/or increases in active travel. In the instances that were considered, there was insufficient evidence to support any connection. However, desk-based research is currently underway to explore international sources to support further investigations.

Scottish Safety Camera Programme

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Officials collaborated with Police Scotland to scope and create a road traffic fatality database, with an analyst interrogating all road traffic fatalities on the Scottish road network for the years 2015/2020, with a report being created.
• This is an operational report, co-authored by Police Scotland and Transport Scotland. It contains 73 recommendations and countermeasures which, should they have been applied, could avoid fatal collisions occurring or reduce the severity of the injuries, focusing partnership efforts in the right places, leading to a more proactive/preventative approach.
• The report will assist to embed the “Safe Systems” key principle - people are fragile and make mistakes that can lead to collisions but it should not lead to death or serious injury and aligns to the strategic outcomes of the RSF2030 long-term goal where no one dies or is seriously injured by 2050.
• The final report was published on 25 October 2023.
• Transport Scotland has also committed to delivering this for the lifetime of the RSF2030.

Transport Scotland: Road Safety Policy

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• IAM RoadSmart ran UK wide campaigns this year to raise awareness of drug driving and motorcycling safety.
• You can view the campaigns here; https://www.iamroadsmart.com/about-us/research-and-policy/drug-driving/ https://www.iamroadsmart.com/research-and-policy/motorcycle-safety-campaigning-for-change
• Our local Groups in the North of Scotland will be providing observer and event support for the Police Scotland Rider Refinement North programme. We are also ready to assist Police Scotland as the programme is expanded across other areas of Scotland.
• IAM RoadSmart will continue to provide expert input to the Road Safety Framework OPG and Road Safety Scotland as well as contributing to the Motorcycle Focus Group, Older Road User Group and the 20mph Task Group.
• IAM RoadSmart Groups across Scotland will continue to deliver advanced driver and rider courses and work in partnership with local authorities and other organisations.

IAM Roadsmart

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• The originally proposed service design, whereby digital footage is submitted to Police Scotland ahead of consideration of circumstances, creates considerable storage overhead and generates demand for resource to review each submission within constrained timescales. The resource-intensive nature of this model cannot be supported by Police Scotland at this time due to the constraints and substantial budget challenges the organisation is facing.
• The technical architecture and service design that is being driven through our new Digital Evidence Sharing Capability Programme (DESC) will provide a modern, innovative and easy to use route for digital evidence submission into the organisation and Criminal Justice system as a whole.

Police Scotland

Long-term Deliverable

Will not be delivered this reporting year

• Deliver a range of new safety camera sites, including new fixed camera, mobile and redlight sites across the road network.
  • Ensured the site selection criteria is appropriately used to inform the annual site prioritisation processes;
  • Ensured the continued operation of the Scottish Safety Camera Programme;
  • Arranged for operational deployment of a range of ultra-low emission mobile camera vans;
  • Published Safety Camera Programme Annual Progress Report 2022/23 in winter 2023; and
  • Delivered a trial of distracted driver camera technology in winter 2023/24.

Scottish Safety Camera Programme

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• In 2023/24 we delivered the following road policing operational/campaign activity:
  • Police Scotland delivered a National Calendar of Road Safety Activity covering April 2023-March 2024. Campaign activity focused on the Fatal Five (careless driving, drink/drug driving, mobile phones, seatbelts and speeding). Campaigns were national but locally delivered, supported by partners and with media support to ensure appropriate key messages are delivered.
  • Other areas of focus to include vulnerable road user groups included cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians. These were run alongside partners where appropriate to maximise effectiveness and highlighted via social media.
  • General road safety enforcement delivered on a daily basis by Police Scotland, including by Road Policing officers and the Safety Camera Unit, as part of their core roles, supported by Local Policing officers where appropriate. To improve driver attitudes and behaviours, deployment of resources were informed by intelligence and data analysis to identify routes where injury and fatal collisions occur and/or offending is prevalent.
  • Enforcement activity was measured with data captured by Police Scotland’s Analysis and Performance Unit (APU) throughout and published in quarterly performance reports.
  • Police Scotland worked with internal and external partners to consider new and innovative approaches to enforcement and campaign activity in order to improve driver behaviour and reduce casualties.

Police Scotland

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Nil update received.

Scottish Ambulance Service

Long-term Deliverable

Will not be delivered this reporting year

• Transport Scotland has strengthened our relation with health colleagues. Transport Scotland now sit on the Public Health and Sustainable Transport Partnership Group, and Public Health Scotland is now a member of the Road Safety Framework OPG.

Transport Scotland: Road Safety Policy

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• All stakeholders were asked to complete a survey to gauge the knowledge of road safety partners.
• Partners were also given the opportunity to attend workshops to explore the readiness of road safety organisations to deliver the Safe System, which ensures that Agilysis is using the right language for the training. A further workshop was held with partners in October which focused on data.
• The first two courses for the two day Safe System Training was held on 31 Oct-1 Nov and 22-23 Nov 2023 which was delivered to colleagues in Transport Scotland. We will look to deliver this to road safety partners in 2024.
• Workshops were held in early 2024 with international experts, with each workshop focusing on one of the five components of the Safe System. These sessions helped inform the manual, which will be rolled out to partners in 2024/25.

Transport Scotland: Road Safety Policy

Long-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Work on Road Safety Scotland (RSS) Learning Resources continued:
  • Promotion of the early years resource at educational events and roadshows throughout the country
  • Development of new resource to replace Your Call and Crash Magnets
  • Development of new resource for children with complex additional support needs
  • Review of RSS resources for children with mild-to-moderate additional support needs
  • Review and incorporation of JRSO (Junior Road Safety Officer) website into main RSS site

Road Safety Scotland

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Campaigns were run targeting:
  • Foreign Divers (throughout the tourist season)
  • Drug-Driving (during the Festive Season)
  • Fitness to Drive (January 2024)

Road Safety Scotland

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Advanced 2-day Child In-Car Safety Training Course:
  • 4 courses delivered in May, July, October & November 2023. A total of 46 delegates attended.

Road Safety Scotland

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• National Coach week ran 12-19 May 2023 which seen Road Haulage Association engage with many coach operators and MPs discussing topics such as Costs & Regulations, Abroad Travel, Conditions, Highways, Environment & skills.
• National Van Week ran 5-11 June 2023
• National Lorry Week ran 23-30 Oct 2023

Road Haulage Association

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Member seminar was held in October 2023 with Traffic Commissioner in attendance to discuss topics such as Operator compliance and safety on roads.

Road Haulage Association

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

National Monitoring Framework

• In August 2023, Cycling Scotland released the Annual Cycling Monitoring Report 2023. Insight in the report spans just over a decade, with data from January 2012 to March 2023, and provides a national picture of cycling behaviour, road safety, access to bikes and attitudes to cycling as well as snapshots of cycling at a local authority level.

Road Safety Research

• Findings from research into road safety data (road safety and cycling – what the evidence shows - Cycling Scotland) were published in July 2023. The research has since been updated to include 2022 Contributory Factor data in killed or serious injury collisions involving people cycling and was presented to the three Local Partnership Forums in November 2023.
• The findings remain consistent:
  • In collisions between bikes and vehicles, the data indicates that the person driving the vehicle is more often at fault than the person riding the bike
  • 73% of the top 5 contributory factors are assigned to the driver of the vehicle in collision with the person cycling
  • Failing to look properly is the most common cause of a collision. The person driving failed to look properly more than twice as many times as the person riding the bike
  • Loss of control features as the 2nd most common contributory factor allocated to pedal cycles in the Scottish data, while this sits 7th in the GB data
  • Wearing dark clothing at night, Disobey ATS or not displaying lights at night are not frequently recorded as the cause of a collision
• Other data sources provide additional context and insight regarding road casualties involving people cycling, these include:
• The MAST online road safety data system, which provides a breakdown of serious injuries to people cycling, in 2020 and 2021:
  • 452 serious injuries in 2 years (2020 & 2021)
  • 16% - Very serious, 17% - Moderately serious, 66% - Less serious
  • Police data shows that 23% involved some form of head injury while 52% involved a fracture
• In addition, Public Health Scotland hospital admissions data provides additional insight into challenges around significant under-reporting of collisions:
  • In 2022/23 emergency hospital admissions in All Road Traffic incidents numbered 2,558 (in contrast, Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2022 reported 1,776 serious casualties across all modes)
  • In 2022/23 emergency hospital admissions in Pedal cyclist Road Traffic incidents numbered 435 (Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2022 reported 180 serious pedal cyclist casualties)
  • Further work is required to understand the reasons for this gap in the data.

Road Safety Framework Fund

• Cycling Scotland was awarded funding in 2023/24 to undertake research in relation to awareness of the changes to the Highway Code, particularly the Hierarchy of Road Users and rules designed to provide additional protection for vulnerable road users. This work was delivered in 2 parts. A public survey of drivers across Scotland to gauge understanding of the changes was completed. In addition, video survey work was undertaken at 4 junctions (in Glasgow and Edinburgh) with a view to analysing interactions and behaviours between people driving and people walking or cycling.
• Analysis of the data gathered revealed the following headline results:
  • 3 in 4 drivers say they know the Highway Code well, but only half are aware of changes introduced in 2022
  • 40% of drivers have not looked at the Highway Code since passing their test – the majority of those surveyed passed their test 20 years ago
  • In questions relating to the Highway Code, drivers scored an average 63% (the pass rate for the theory test is 86%)
  • Younger drivers achieved a lower score than older drivers
  • Knowledge of the Highway Code for people walking and cycling is particularly weak, and only half of drivers could correctly prioritise road users in the hierarchy of responsibility
  • 36% of drivers also cycle, but more than 10% of drivers surveyed do not agree it is important to prioritise the safety of people cycling (equivalent to ~300,000 vehicle drivers nationally)
• Data has been shared with Transport Scotland, and a summary report with links to other relevant road safety data prepared for wider publication.

Work-related Road Risk

• A presentation delivered at the Cycling Scotland conference in October highlighted research undertaken to understand the risks posed to vulnerable road users by goods vehicles. This research has informed a Road Safety Framework Fund application to undertake work to identify opportunities to incentivise relevant education and training to improve road safety in 2024/25

Cycling Scotland

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• 1,301 adults have been recorded as completing training this year.

Cycling Scotland

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Bikeability Scotland, the national cycle training programme for school children, helps to increase road safety awareness in young people, equipping them with the skills and confidence to make everyday trips by bike more safely. The programme is free for pupils and is funded by Cycling Scotland through grant funding from Transport Scotland.
• Results from the 2022/23 academic year were extremely successful:
  • 60% of schools delivered on-road, Level 2 cycle training (the historic performance measure) – up from 50% last year
  • 67% of primary schools delivered at least one level of training – up from 59% last year
  • 60,228 children have participated in Bikeability Scotland training – up from 52,604 last year
• Other notable results during 2022-23:
  • 28,946 pupils participated in Level 1 training – a record rate
  • 9 local authorities delivered Level 2 on-road training in all primary schools
  • All participating local authorities, with the exception of Glasgow, increased or maintained their Level 2 delivery rates
• With funding received from Transport Scotland, Cycling Scotland is working with local authorities to maintain record delivery rates at current levels. Full data for 2023/24 will be published in September 2024.
• When Bikeability Scotland was introduced in 2010 only 31.5% of primary schools delivered on-road cycle training. Since then, the programme has grown significantly, with the last academic year seeing a 20% increase in participation from the previous year.

Cycling Scotland

Cycling Scotland

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• RoSPA has continued to support the work of the OPG, being a proactive participant, and provided a range of opportunities for partner messaging to be shared through the Road Safety Hour series, and also through the production of an e-book and short video series on priority road safety topics linked to the ScORSA project.

ScORSA

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• This course was delivered in Ayrshire and on the Shetland Isles.
• We have educated children on road safety and raising awareness of the increasing number of reported incidents involving horses and vehicles, in Primary Schools. A member of the safety team at The British Horse Society would attend schools, once they sign up, to deliver the road safety awareness course to school pupils, which will include acting out scenes while using hobby horses, as all part of the fun while learning! https://www.bhs.org.uk/about-us/our-safety-work/henry-the-horse/

British Horse Society

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Lose the Blinkers Action days held in 2023 with the mounted branch doing close pass undercover.

British Horse Society

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• As of 2023/24, we currently have 14 equestrian safety advisors across Scotland. We hope to grow this number.

British Horse Society

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• We liaised with all local authorities on the installation of temporary information posters on how to pass horses on the public highway.

British Horse Society

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Our Dead Slow campaign was regularly promoted nationally on social media. We delivered: https://www.bhs.org.uk/support-us/our-campaigns/dead-slow/
• The BHS collates statistics each year to understand the rate of incidents involving horses and riders on UK roads. All statistics shown below are from 01.01.2023 – 31.12.2023. This includes our ‘horse i’ incident reporting app: https://www.bhs.org.uk/go-riding/record-an-incident/incident-report-form/

British Horse Society

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• We worked with vehicle manufacturers and sales points and other partner like Vosa and Police Scotland, to raise awareness of good transportation including vehicle checks, maintenance, tyres, preparations to travel.
• We worked with logistics companies to raise awareness of the needs of vulnerable road users among delivery drivers.
• National event was held on 9 March 2024

British Horse Society

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• We deliver cycle safety information to relevant groups.

Scottish Fire & Rescue Service

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• It was considered beneficial to delay the Strategic Road Safety Plan in order to incorporate the findings/outcomes of the National Speed Management Review and the In-Depth Road Traffic Fatalities Report for the years 2015-2020.
• The Trunk Road Casualty Reduction Programme continues to be delivered against the Strategic Actions set out in the RSF2030.

Transport Scotland: Trunk Road Casualty Reduction

Long-term Deliverable

Delayed/Ongoing

• Publication of full findings of phase 1 of the project (2020/2022).
• Planning and commencement of phase 2 (2023/2025).
• Preparation of installation guidance for road authorities.

Transport Scotland: Trunk Road Casualty Reduction

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• The first version of the trunk road risk map was completed in 2022 and supplied to our Trunk Road operating companies to help inform their consideration of the annual road safety programme.
• This risk map will be updated going forward at appropriate intervals (TBC).
• Going forward, the risk map is expected to continue to inform casualty reduction investment, support our speed management outcomes and consequentially, the promotion of active travel and climate change outcomes.

Transport Scotland: Trunk Road Casualty Reduction

Short-term Deliverable

On track or complete

• Transport Scotland will begin to monitor the data from these sites and report to the OPG.
• Transport Scotland has agreed the basis of speed reporting with partners. A database has been established where all data from speed indicator devices will be displayed and monitored.

Transport Scotland: Trunk Road Casualty Reduction

Long-term Deliverable

Delayed/Ongoing