Transport Scotland - Safety implications for cyclists arising from proposals to increase Heavy Goods Vehicle speed limits: FOI release

Information requested

1. Any risk assessments, analyses, modelling, or briefing papers that consider the impact of increased HGV speed limits on cyclist safety, including collision likelihood and/or collision severity, in the context of Safe System principles.

2. Any internal correspondence, submissions, ministerial briefings, or advice provided to Ministers that discuss the potential increased risk to cyclists associated with higher HGV speeds, including reference to the Road Safety Framework to 2030.

3. Any road safety, equality, or vulnerable road user impact assessments undertaken in relation to proposals to increase HGV speed limits that explicitly reference cyclists or the Safe System approach.

4. Any records of engagement with external stakeholders (for example, cycling organisations, road safety bodies, or local authorities) in which cyclist safety or Safe System considerations were discussed in relation to HGV speed limits.

5. If no cyclist-specific or vulnerable road user assessments were carried out in relation to increasedHGV speed limits, confirmation of this and any recorded justification for why such analysis was not undertaken, given the stated commitments of the Road Safety Framework to 2030.

Response

1. Some of the information you have requested is available from the Transport Scotland website; National Speed Management Review 2024 | Transport Scotland. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

2. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some the information you have requested. A review of records identified no ministerial submissions or internal briefings that explicitly focused on cyclist-specific risks arising from proposed changes to HGV speed limits. Therefore, this is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

3. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some the information you have requested. Details of assessments and analysis conducted as part of the review are published in the link referred to in response 1.

4. As part of Scotland's Road Safety Framework to 2030 governance structure, officials engage regularly with road safety and active travel stakeholders on a broad range of policy areas. Stakeholder discussions in relation to the National Speed Management Review can be viewed within the Operational Partnership Group meeting minutes on the Transport Scotland website; Road Safety | Road safety policy | Transport Scotland.

5. Please see response to this point contained in the answer to question (4).

About FOI

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