Sherriffhall Roundabout traffic, shared use spaces and climate assessment: EIR release

Information requested

Provide details of assessments that have been carried out regarding:

1.The overall change in traffic (i.e. induced demand) on the A720 and surrounding roads.

a. Outputs from relevant modelling.

2. Details of emissions and air quality modelling that matches (1).

3.Whether the modelling in (1) & (2) has been re-assessed to consider the effect of COVID and significantly great number of people working from home?

4.Whether this will adversely affect the recently announced Transport Scotland “A route map to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in car kilometres by 2030”

a.Detail of this assessment

5.Any correspondence (post 2018) with the following parties regarding traffic modelling and the overall effect on traffic volume:

a.Scottish Ministers

b.Local Councils

Pedestrian and cycle lane designs:

The scheme contains mostly shared pedestrian and cycle space rather than segregated infrastructure. Cycling by Design (2021, plus predecessor guidance that was available during the design phases) notes that :

• “Cycles must be treated as Vehicles. People cycling travel at different speeds from those who walk and wheeling. In most circumstances these two users groups should be separated from each other.”
• “It should be clear which space is allocated to different users, including pedestrians and motor vehicles, and how interactions are managed”

6.Please can you confirm: Whether the shared-use pedestrian and cycle spaces that are proposed will meet the design requirements in the Cycle By Design (2021)?

a.If it does, please share this assessment.

b.If it does not please share any risk acceptance of this derogation (or derogation from any other standards)?

c.If it does not, please provide minutes of internal meetings or correspondence where this was proposed?

d.If it does not, please provide minutes of programme boards where decisions were taken to proceed with these designs.

Climate Change and Broader Policy assessments:

7.Please share any assessments of how this scheme aligns with the National Transport Strategy 2 (NTS2) both overall and for the following NTS2 Outcomes:

a.Reduce inequality

b.Take climate action

c.Help deliver inclusive economic growth

d.Improve our health and wellbeing

8.Details of any direction, provision, imposition from Ministers to Transport Scotland under Part 4 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 regarding this scheme.

9.Please confirm whether an assessment regarding this scheme has been carried out to discharge Transport Scotland’s obligations under the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction) (Scotland) Act 2019.

a.Please include any assessment of whether this scheme will contribute (positively or negatively) to the infrastructure investment plan emissions. If it has, please share this.

b.If not, please confirm why this assessment has not been carried out.

c.For 9 a & b, please consider this for the build and the post-scheme traffic emissions.

10.Please confirm whether an assessment has been carried out about whether or how scheme meets the ‘Just Transition principles’ in section 35 C of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019.

a.If it has, please share this.

b.If not, please confirm why.

Response

As all of the information you have requested is ‘environmental information’ for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA.

This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request.

Please find below response to requests for information you made in your email.

Response to your request

Please can you provide details of assessments that have been carried out regarding:
1. The overall change in traffic (i.e. induced demand) on the A720 and surrounding roads.
a. Outputs from relevant modelling
Answer:
The Traffic and Economic Assessment carried out for the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout Scheme are detailed in the DMRB Stage 3 Scheme Assessment Report, specifically Section 5 - Traffic and Economic Assessment. The report is available on the Transport Scotland website:
https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/47058/a720-sheriffhall-roundabout-dmrb-stage-3-report-volume-1-main-report.pdf

2. Details of emissions and air quality modelling that matches (1).
Answer:
The A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout Environmental Statement, Chapter 13 (https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/46466/a720-es-chapter-13-air-quality.pdf) provides information covering how the traffic modelling for the Scheme was used to inform the air quality assessment. Appendix 13 (https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/46484/a720-es-appendix-13-air-quality.pdf) accompanies the chapter and includes details on how the air quality model was verified.

3. Whether the modelling in (1) & (2) has been re-assessed to consider the effect of COVID and significantly great number of people working from home?
Answer:
We are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested because there has been no re-evaluation or appraisal of the route design proposals for the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout in relation to this request.

This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in the requested information, clearly, we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

4. Whether this will adversely affect the recently announced Transport Scotland “A route map to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in car kilometres by 2030”
a. Detail of this assessment
Answer:
We are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested because there has been no re evaluation or appraisal of the route design proposals for the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout in relation to this request.

This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in the requested information, clearly, we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

Further Information

The traffic modelling for the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout project was completed prior to publication of the draft Orders and Environmental Statement in December 2019. As such, the traffic modelling pre-dates the concept of 20% reduction in car kilometres being explicit in national and local policy, and has therefore not accounted for this.

5. Any correspondence (post 2018) with the following parties regarding traffic modelling and the overall effect on traffic volume:
a. Scottish Ministers
Answer:
Please refer to Annex A.
b. Local Councils
Answer:
Please refer to Annex B and C.

Pedestrian and cycle lane designs:
The scheme contains mostly shared pedestrian and cycle space rather than segregated infrastructure. Cycling by Design (2021, plus predecessor guidance that was available during the design phases) notes that :

• “Cycles must be treated as Vehicles. People cycling travel at different speeds from those who walk and wheeling. In most circumstances these two users groups should be separated from each other.”
• “It should be clear which space is allocated to different users, including pedestrians and motor vehicles, and how interactions are managed”

6. Please can you confirm: Whether the shared-use pedestrian and cycle spaces that are proposed will meet the design requirements in the Cycle By Design (2021)?
a. If it does, please share this assessment.
b. If it does not please share any risk acceptance of this derogation (or derogation from any other standards)?
c. If it does not, please provide minutes of internal meetings or correspondence where this was proposed?
d. If it does not, please provide minutes of programme boards where decisions were taken to proceed with these designs.
Answer:
We are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested because there has been no re-evaluation or appraisal of the route design proposals for the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout in relation to this request.

This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in the requested information, clearly, we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

Further Information
The non-motorised user facilities in the proposed Scheme were designed, developed and assessed in accordance with Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) standards and industry best practice guidance, including Cycling by Design (2010) which was the current version of this guidance at the time of scheme preparation and draft Order publication (December 2019), as stated in the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout DMRB Stage 3 Scheme Assessment Report specifically Section 4.5 – Non-Motorised Users (NMU), which is available on the Transport Scotland website (Report A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout 2018-10-04 (transport.gov.scot))

Climate Change and Broader Policy assessments:
7. Please share any assessments of how this scheme aligns with the National Transport Strategy 2 (NTS2) both overall and for the following NTS2 Outcomes:
a. Reduce inequality
b. Take climate action
c. Help deliver inclusive economic growth
d. Improve our health and wellbeing
Answer:
Please find enclosed in Annex D an extract of Appendix A from the Transport Scotland TN61 Wider Impacts Paper, which details the contributions from the proposed Scheme towards the NTS2 Priorities and Outcomes.

8. Details of any direction, provision, imposition from Ministers to Transport Scotland under Part 4 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 regarding this scheme.
Answer:
We are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested because there has been no details of any direction, provision, imposition from Ministers to Transport Scotland under Part 4 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 for the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout in relation to this request.

This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in the requested information, clearly, we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

9. Please confirm whether an assessment regarding this scheme has been carried out to discharge Transport Scotland’s obligations under the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction) (Scotland) Act 2019.
a. Please include any assessment of whether this scheme will contribute (positively or negatively) to the infrastructure investment plan emissions. If it has, please share this.
b. If not, please confirm why this assessment has not been carried out.
c. For 9 a & b, please consider this for the build and the post-scheme traffic emissions.
Answer:
We are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested because there has been no assessment carried out to discharge Transport Scotland’s obligations under the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction) (Scotland) Act 2019 for the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout in relation to this request.

This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in the requested information, clearly, we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

Further Information
The A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout Climate Change assessment, which is detailed in Chapter 18 of the Scheme Environmental Statement available on the Transport Scotland website (https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/46471/a720-es-chapter-18-climate-change.pdf), was prepared and audited for publication prior to the publication of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction)(Scotland) Act 2019. As such, the assessment of this Scheme was undertaken in accordance with the legislation current at that time, which was the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. This assessment includes details of emissions from the construction phase of the Scheme, and also post-scheme traffic emissions including a comparison to a scenario where the Scheme is not built.

10. Please confirm whether an assessment has been carried out about whether or how scheme meets the ‘Just Transition principles’ in section 35 C of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019.
a. If it has, please share this.
b. If not, please confirm why.
Answer:
We are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested because there has been no assessment carried out about whether or how scheme meets the ‘Just Transition principles’ in section 35 C of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 for the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout in relation to this request.

This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in the requested information, clearly, we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

Further Information
As stated in the above response to point 9, the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout Environmental Statement was undertaken in accordance with the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, which was the current legislation at that time – the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction)(Scotland) Act 2019 was not yet published at that time.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exception(s) under regulation(s) 11(2) of the EIRs applies to that information.

An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exception is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. This exception has been applied to Annexes B and C contained within this response.

Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. We have applied this regulation to meeting between Transport Scotland and City Region Deal partners and this information can be accessed via https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=277&Year=0

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202200278136 - Information released

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