Correspondence Jan. 24 2024

Found: The Biocidal Products (Health and Safety) (Amendment and Transitional Provision etc.)

S6W-27241

Asked by: Ruskell, Mark (Scottish Green Party - Mid Scotland and Fife)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the impact of speed cameras in improving driver behaviour, in light of Safety Cameras Scotland’s reported decision to deactivate 119 speed cameras across Scotland’s transport authorities.

Answered by Hyslop, Fiona - Minister for Transport

The Scottish Government plans to investment £7.53m through the Scottish Safety Camera Programme (“the Programme”) in 2024/25. This is the highest level of investment in the Programme since 2007 and almost double the investment ten years ago in 2014. This acts to ensure safety camera technology continues to deliver its aim of reducing the number of casualties on Scotland’s roads by encouraging improved driver behaviour.

To maximise the casualty reduction potential of the Programme an annual safety camera site prioritisation exercise is undertaken. This robust exercise, which has been undertaken in collaboration between Police Scotland, Transport Scotland and all local road authorities, assessed the performance of approximately 500 existing safety camera sites. This process identified 13 new safety camera sites which are being progressed towards delivery, and that at 119 existing camera sites there had been a sustained positive impact on driver behaviour for a number of years and therefore no longer a priority for camera deployment and being placed into dormancy.

At each of these sites the camera infrastructure and signage will remain in place and a bag displayed over any fixed camera to indicate its non-operational status. This pause allows for a thorough assessment over a three-year period, after which decisions will be made regarding potential decommissioning or reactivation.

S6W-27056

Asked by: Grant, Rhoda (Scottish Labour - Highlands and Islands)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £5 million announced in December 2022 for extra road safety measures on the A9 has been spent to date, and for what purpose.

Answered by Hyslop, Fiona - Minister for Transport

Since December 2022 to 25 April 2024, £2.97 million has been spent on the A9 short term road safety measures announced by the then Minister for Transport in December 2022. The remaining amount is programmed to be spent by the end of March 2025 in line with the commitment.

Spend includes upgrades to road markings on single carriageways sections between Perth and Inverness to install a high performance product with greater reflectivity and acoustic feedback for drivers deviating from their lane. Additional overtaking restrictions have been included where feasible, as well as illuminated road studs at key junctions to improve clarity during darkness. Also on the Perth to Inverness section, the transitions between dual and single carriageways are being upgraded with illuminated studs and additional red surfacing to emphasise the change in carriageway type. In addition, two-way traffic signs and road markings are being installed on single carriageway sections, along with temporary variable message signs displaying key road safety messages. These engineering measures were complemented by two education campaigns on fatigue and ‘drive on the left’ deployed by Road Safety Scotland.

In addition to the £5 million announced in December 2022, approximately £83,000 has been spent on replacing the HGV 50mph speed limit signs on the A9. These new signs do not conflict with traffic sign recognition systems, which are becoming common in modern vehicles. This is also supplemented by over £90,000 spend on recent road safety improvements identified through Transport Scotland’s ongoing assessment of the safety performance of the trunk road network..

Correspondence Mar. 08 2024

Found: ORR submission to the Scottish Parliament's Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee For meeting