Introduction

Background

The National Transport Strategy 2 (NTS2) for Scotland published in February 2020 sets out “an ambitious vision for Scotland’s transport system for the next 20 years. The vision is underpinned by four priorities: Reduces Inequalities, Takes Climate Action, Helps Deliver Inclusive Economic Growth and Improves our Health and Wellbeing, each with three associated outcomes”. The delivery of road safety is fundamentally linked to these priorities.

Scotland’s Roads Safety Framework to 2030 (2030 Framework) was published in February 2021. The 2030 Framework sets out Scotland’s ambitious and compelling long-term goal for road safety where no-one dies or is seriously injured on our roads by 2050 (Vision Zero). It aims to achieve this by adopting a Safe System approach to road safety as shown in Figure 1-1. Safe Speeds is one of the five outcomes of the Safe System approach which aims to encourage road users to understand and travel at speeds appropriate to the conditions and within the posted speed limits (Scotland’s Road Safety Framework website expands on Safe Speeds).

Figure 1-1 - Safe System's approach to road safety, as described in text above
Figure 1-1 - Safe System's approach to road safety

The delivery of Safe Speeds can be significantly enhanced through the development of speed management. Global Road Safety Partnership describes Speed Management as an active approach that encourages drivers to adopt speeds that offer mobility without compromising safety. Elements of Speed Management are:

  • Speed Limits to reflect a safe speed;
  • Road engineering measures such as speed humps/road narrowing etc;
  • Enforcement; and

In summer 2022, Transport Scotland commissioned WSP UK Ltd (WSP) to commence a review to inform the development of a National Speed Management Plan (NSMP) for Scotland. The NSMP identifies a range of speed management initiatives aligned to the Safe System including alterations of speed limits.

Aligned to NTS2, the Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 (STPR2) was then published in December 2022 which includes the specific Recommendation 38 for “a national review to establish appropriate speed limits for different road types within Scotland.”

Report Purpose & Structure

Flowing from the NSMP and reflecting the STPR2 recommendation, this report has been prepared to consider options for the initiative of changing National Speed Limits on Scotland’s road network. Aimed at improving Scotland’s road safety performance, the options are primarily focused on rural roads. Consideration of urban roads is beyond the scope of this study, reflecting the ongoing implementation of 20mph Speed Limit on all appropriate urban roads.

The purpose of this report is, therefore, to present the appraisal of alterations that could be made to National Speed Limits in Scotland. This report is structured as follows:

  • Chapter 1 Introduction;
  • Chapter 2 Road Safety in Scotland;
  • Chapter 3 Transport Planning Objectives;
  • Chapter 4 Option Generation and Sifting;
  • Chapter 5 Option Appraisal Methodology;
  • Chapter 6 Detailed Option Appraisal;
  • Chapter 7 Option Appraisal Summary;
  • Chapter 8 Further Reflections; and
  • Chapter 9 Summary and Conclusions.

WSP has brought in Professor Adrian Davis from Edinburgh Napier University who has expertise in speed management with the Transport Research Institute for an independent review of this report.