Infrastructure Strategy 2027-2037: consultation

Chapter 1 - Infrastructure for a Fairer, Greener, More Prosperous Nation

The Scottish Government has been delivering investment that transforms communities, strengthens public services, and supports a just transition to a net zero economy. These are not abstract achievements—they are tangible, visible, and rooted in the everyday lives of people across the country.

Transforming Infrastructure Across Scotland

Despite fiscal constraints and inflationary pressures, the Scottish Government has delivered a series of major infrastructure projects that are improving lives and supporting long-term prosperity. This Government remains resolute in its commitment to building a wellbeing economy—one that prioritises equality, sustainability, and shared prosperity.

Scotland has met its National Infrastructure Mission, delivering on our commitment to increase annual investment in infrastructure by £1.5 billion by the end of this Parliament. This milestone reflects the Government’s focus on using infrastructure as a catalyst for inclusive economic growth, improved public services, and climate resilience. From modern transport links and cutting-edge health facilities to digital connectivity and low-carbon energy systems, our infrastructure investment is transforming lives and communities across the country. Meeting this mission is not only a measure of delivery—it is a statement of intent about the kind of Scotland we are building fairer, greener, and better connected.

A Commitment to Regional Equity

Investment must reach every part of Scotland. That is why the Scottish Government continues to prioritise regional equity—ensuring that all communities, from the Borders to the Highlands and Islands, benefit from economic opportunity and public investment.

Our infrastructure programme is supporting local supply chains, creating apprenticeships, and delivering community benefits. Through initiatives such as Community Wealth Building, City Region and Growth Deals and Regional Partnerships, we are empowering local authorities and partners to shape investment in line with local priorities.

Transport Infrastructure that Directly Addresses People’s Needs

The publication ‘Connecting Scotland: The Value of Transport’^[4] articulates how improved transport provision benefits our economy and our lives. The transport sector itself supports almost £10 billion of economic activity in Scotland, with the effects of transport being far more wide reaching. Transport infrastructure is critical to boosting productivity as well as addressing inequality and climate change.

In transport, over the period of our last Infrastructure Investment Plan, we have delivered:

• The Levenmouth Rail Project, reconnecting communities in Fife to the national rail network for the first time in over 50 years, supporting regeneration and access to employment.
• Reston and East Linton Rail Stations, providing new, sustainable transport options for communities in the Scottish Borders and East Lothian.
• The Barrhead Rail Enhancement, improving capacity and reliability on a key commuter route into Glasgow.
• A9 Dualling: Luncarty to Pass of Birnam, improving road safety, journey times and journey reliability, and delivering far reaching benefits to the wider Scottish economy.
• A77 Maybole Bypass, improving road safety and air quality while offering more reliable journey times.
• The A92/A96 Haudagain Junction Improvement in Aberdeen, easing congestion and improving journey times in one of the city’s most complex traffic hotspots.
• Inverness Airport Station, enhancing connectivity to the Highlands and supporting the region’s growing tourism and business sectors.
• Markle Level Crossing Bridge Replacement, addressing safety concerns, improving access and enhancing road safety.

These projects are not only improving transport links—they are supporting our climate ambitions by encouraging modal shift and reducing emissions.

Investing in Health and Social Care Infrastructure

The Scottish Government is delivering an ambitious programme of health infrastructure. These projects are modernising our National Health Service (NHS) estate, expanding capacity, and ensuring that care is delivered in high-quality, fit-for-purpose environments. Recent successes include:

• The Elective Orthopaedic Centre in Fife, providing state-of-the-art surgical facilities and reducing waiting times for patients across the region.
• The National Treatment Centre in Inverness, expanding diagnostic and surgical capacity in the Highlands and Islands.
• The North East Health and Social Care Hub in Glasgow, bringing together primary care, community health, and social work services under one roof.
• The Golden Jubilee Surgical Centre in Clydebank, which continues to play a vital role in tackling elective backlogs and delivering specialist care.
• Oncology Enabling Projects at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, supporting the delivery of world-class cancer treatment and research.

These investments are delivering real benefits for patients and staff, while supporting the long-term sustainability of our health and care system.

Delivering Justice with Compassion

The Scottish Government is also investing in a justice system that is fair, effective, and trauma informed. The new National Facility for Women Offenders, HMP Young Offenders Institute Stirling, represents a transformative approach to custodial care—providing a therapeutic, rehabilitative environment that supports recovery and reduces reoffending. This facility reflects our commitment to a justice system that recognises the complex needs of women in custody and prioritises dignity, safety, and rehabilitation.

At this moment, we are also re-building HMP Glasgow and HMP Highland to renew and strengthen the prison estate.

Driving Inclusive Economic Growth Through Strategic Investment

Infrastructure investment is a cornerstone of our economic strategy. It is vital to driving Scotland’s economic growth because it underpins productivity, connects communities to opportunities, and supports long-term resilience in important areas like housing, energy, transport and digital connectivity.

Strategic infrastructure projects deliver immediate economic benefits by creating jobs, supporting apprenticeships, and strengthening local supply chains. These investments stimulate regional economies and help build community wealth through procurement practices that embed social value and fair work principles.

Beyond these short-term impacts, infrastructure delivers significant long-term efficiency gains. Modern transport links reduce travel times and improve journey reliability, lowering logistics costs for businesses and enabling faster, more predictable movement of goods and people. Enhanced connectivity—whether through rail electrification, broadband expansion, or active travel networks—unlocks workforce potential by widening access to employment and education opportunities.

Similarly, investment in resilient energy and digital systems improves business competitiveness and attracts inward investment, positioning Scotland as a leading destination for innovation and sustainable growth.

Infrastructure supports regeneration in disadvantaged areas while unlocking growth in strategic locations such as Green Freeports and city region zones. Connecting communities and regions to high-growth sectors will support inclusive, fairer growth, so that the whole of Scotland benefits.

By making the right infrastructure investment choices, Scotland unlocks workforce potential, make our businesses more competitive, attract inward investment, and support fairer and more prosperous growth.

Scotland continues to lead the UK in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In 2024, Scotland secured 135 FDI projects, maintaining its position as the UK’s top-performing nation or region outside London for the tenth consecutive year. This success reflects the strength of Scotland’s offer to global investors: a skilled workforce, world-class universities, and a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability.

The Scottish Government’s ‘Inward Investment Plan’^[5] has played a central role in this success, aligning investment with the priorities of the ‘National Strategy for Economic Transformation’^[6]. Key sectors such as renewable energy, life sciences, digital technology, and advanced manufacturing continue to attract international interest, creating high-quality jobs and supporting regional growth.

Over the next decade, our approach focuses on unlocking high-value sectors, leveraging private investment, and embedding regional equity to ensure growth benefits all communities. Scotland can leverage productivity gains from making smart choices about infrastructure, to drive inclusive economic growth, improve quality of life, and ensure that every community can thrive.