Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance

1. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY

1.1 INTRODUCTION

1.1.1 The Scottish Government’s Purpose is ‘to focus the Government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth’. The Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) supports this Purpose by providing a clear and robust framework to identify potential transport interventions.

1.1.2 Commissioning authorities and their agents should be aware that only options which emerge from a STAG study will be considered where Government funding, support or approval is required for changes to the transport system. This will be reported in a STAG Report, which will include the rationale behind a potential transport intervention presented in a clear, evidence-led, manner. Such presentation provides the information required by a decision maker to make informed choices.

1.2 WHAT IS THIS GUIDANCE?

1.2.1 The Guidance represents best practice transport appraisal guidance. It sets out a structure and methodology drawn from UK and European sources and is supported by a Technical Database which provides detailed advice on the application of the individual elements of STAG. Both the Guidance and Technical Database are available at: http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/scot-tag.

1.2.2 STAG involves the appraisal of generated options which could potentially address identified problems and opportunities against a range of criteria, including value for money. As such, the STAG Report provides the Strategic Business Case for options taken forward.

1.2.3 The completion of a STAG study and production of the STAG Report should precede any application for planning consent or the production of development management Transport Assessments in support of developments. This ensures appropriate consideration and reporting of the transport issues relative to the options being developed. To this extent a STAG appraisal is complementary to a Transport Assessment.

1.3 WHO SHOULD USE THIS DOCUMENT?

1.3.1 The Guidance is directed at those who wish to effect changes to the transport system. This will include, but is not restricted to:

• The Scottish Government and agencies, including Transport Scotland;
• Local authorities and Regional Transport Partnerships;
• Transport infrastructure and service operators; and
• Developers and their consultants.

1.4 WHEN TO USE STAG

1.4.1 An appraisal using STAG is required when Government funding, support or approval is sought for justified proposals to change the transport system. Its use is encouraged in other circumstances when there is a need for changes to the transport system and may be applied to issues including:

• Considering public transport and road network coverage;
• Assessing measures to improve the reliability of the transport network;
• Assessing issues in relation to the safety of the transport network;
• Access to services; and
• Land-use development.

1.4.2 The Guidance can be used to identify transport options to address identified or perceived problems or opportunities relating to a range of transport planning scenarios. The transport options may include, but need not be limited to:

• Cycling and walking improvements;
• Public transport – rail, bus or other;
• Road schemes; and
• The development of transport and/or land-use plans, policies and strategies.

1.4.3 STAG should not be adopted when considering issues relating to maintenance or renewal which will not significantly change an existing asset or materially impact upon the operation of this asset. However, it must be adopted when there is likely to be:

• The creation of a new asset;
• A significant enhancement to an existing asset; or
• Any change to an existing asset which will materially impact upon the operation of this asset.

1.5 HELP AND ADVICE

1.5.1 All appraisals using STAG must encompass the principles of being objective-led rather than solution-led, present the appraisal of options against the Transport Planning Objectives, STAG Criteria and established policy directives and include proposals for Monitoring and Evaluation. STAG should, however, be applied proportionately to the impacts of the issue under consideration. Help and advice is available from Transport Scotland on this frequently misunderstood point to ensure that the appraisal presents the information required by the decision maker in a timely manner that also represents value for money.

1.5.2 Practitioners should establish the clear rationale for using STAG prior to starting a study: advice should be sought from Transport Scotland if practitioners require further clarity on the purpose for which they wish to use the Guidance.

1.5.3 For general enquiries contact: scot-tag@transportscotland.gsi.gov.uk.

1.6 BUSINESS AS USUAL UPDATES TO THE TECHNICAL DATABASE

1.6.1 Business as Usual Updates will be made to the core content in the Technical Database generally on a quarterly basis. The communication of Business as Usual Updates, and the effective date for the introduction of these changes, will be made directly to registered Scot-TAG users and will be available via the above web link. Registration for Scot-TAG users is available on the same link.