Road Safety Strategic Partnership Board - meeting minutes - 10 December 2025

Attendance

Members

• Fiona Hyslop MSP (FH) Cabinet Secretary for Transport, and Chair
• Hugh Gillies (HG) - Transport Scotland (TS) - Director of Roads
• George Henry (GH) – TS – Head of Road Policy and Safety
• Scott McCarren (SC) – Police Scotland – Head of Roads Policing
• Andy Barcley (AB) – Police Scotland – Deputy Head of Roads Policing
• Robert Nicol (RN) – Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
• Councillor Gail MacGregor (GM) – Spokesperson for Environment and Economy - COSLA
• Colin Park (CP) - The Scottish Collaboration of Transportation Specialists (SCOTS)
• Oliver Harding (OH) – National Health Service (NHS)
• Margaret Douglas (MD) – Public Health Scotland

In Attendance

• Cathy Barlow (CB) – Scottish Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS)
• Stewart Leggett (SL) – TS - Head of Operations
• Michelle Van der stighelen (MVds) – TS – Safety Camera Programme
• James McCrum (JM) – TS – Statistics
• Ryan Gilbert (RG) – TS – Strategic Communications Manager (Roads)
• Steven Feeney (SF) – TS – Road Safety Policy
• Dan Campsall (DC) – Agilysis

Apologies

• Alan Waddell – Police Scotland – Assistance Chief Constable, Operational Support
• Kenneth Barbour – SFRS

Secretariat

• Kieren Green (KG) – TS – Road Safety Policy

Welcome and Introductions

The Cabinet Secretary welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked partners for their continued commitment to enhancing road safety. The recent publication of the Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2024 was highlighted together with the impact of these findings and efforts to reduce road casualties and ultimately achieve casualty reduction targets set out in the Road Safety Framework. Progress since the previous meeting was noted, with Transport Scotland having published the world’s first Safe System Manual – a landmark resource which sets out how practitioners can embed Safe System principles across road networks and partner organisations. This work was recognised with a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award which took place on 25 November 2025.

The Board also noted that local authorities had been continuing to deliver a range of projects through the Road Safety Improvement Fund. The Cabinet Secretary provided examples of where the record level of road safety investment had been making a real difference in communities.

The Cabinet Secretary also advised the Board that progress was being made with the National Speed Management Review. The Board noted that the findings flowing from the public consultation had been carefully considered and that an announcement was being scheduled.

Furthermore, the Board also noted that significant progress had been made by a number of authorities in the rollout of 20mph speed limits in efforts to meeting the Programme for Government commitment to ‘make our roads safer and reducing the numbers killed or injured, through delivery of 20mph speed limits on appropriate roads by the end 2025-26 and of road safety funding for road authorities’. The Board noted that positive data was coming through from those authority areas who had introduced 20 mph speed limits including in the Highlands and Scottish Borders. It was agreed that this data be circulated to Board members.

The Cabinet Secretary also advised that a number of authorities had been experiencing a range of delivery challenges and that Transport Scotland continued to engage directly with them to understand barriers, identify solutions, and offer additional support.

Previous Minutes and Actions

The previous minutes were circulated and no comments received, these have since been published.

Knowledge, Data and Analysis

Police Management Information Data

SM and AB provided the Board with an update on the latest management information data for 2025. 

The Board noted that Police Scotland continued to monitor the analytical data to identify trends in activity and investigate how casualties can be prevented.

Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2024

JM presented on the key finding flowing from Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2024 which was published on 30 October 2025. 

The Board noted the increase in road fatalities from 143 in 2023 to 161 in 2024, with serious injuries increasing by 1% and slight injuries decreased by 4%. It was noted that the overall rise in deaths was driven primarily by car occupant fatalities, which rose from 54 to 73. It was also noted that 23% of those fatalities were not wearing a seatbelt.

Members discussed the challenges of medical episodes occurring whilst using the road network, noting these continue to be a challenge. MD and OH agreed to look into this data further and explore what further messaging could be put in place by health colleagues to encourage all drivers to be fit to drive.

Active travel casualties have seen a reduction, however Board members were interested to compare this to data around casualties per kilometre travel. It was agreed this data will be included in the stats presentation going forward.

Road Safety Framework to 2030

Mid-Term Review

DC presented on the Mid-Term Review into the Road Safety Framework to 2030.

The Board noted that the review would consist of four stages: reviewing evidence, exploring implementation, analysing the effect of delivery; and reporting the findings. As part of this DC advised that the first stage would include will include interviews with SPB members which will take place early in the new year. The Board asked if the economic impact would be considered through this work. In response, DC advised that the work would explore a a range of key interventions and their Cost-Benefit Analysis.

HMICS Recommendations Progress

AB updated the Board on the work Police Scotland had been undertaking on the recommendation flowing from the HMICS report.

The Board noted that of the 13 recommendations a total of 143 actions had been identified and 93 had been completed to date.

The Board further noted that work continues to progress all recommendation and Police Scotland will continue to provide updates to the Board on this.

DfT Road Safety Strategy

GH provided an update on the development of the UK Government’s Road Safety Strategy.

The Board noted that the strategy is expected to be published before the end of 2025. GH further advised that engagement continued to take place through the Road Safety Four Nations Group.

It was agreed that Transport Scotland would circulate a copy of the strategy to Board members for comment and collate any comments that could assist in on-going discussions with the UK Government.

Partner Updates

CoSLA

CoSLA confirmed that road safety is now part of the community planning partnership board meetings and expressed willingness to collaborate further to ensure road safety is embedded in local planning and decision-making.

SCOTS

CP shared findings from the SCOTS road safety survey. Responses were received from 24 local authorities. This highlighted that there is strong multi-partnership working, with serval areas adopting or piloting Safe System approach. Funding and resource was highlighted as the main challenge, especially when it comes to education, training and publicity.

NHS

OH advised engagement is being made with NHS Directors around how road safety is prioritised in their Boards and the Chair offered support for these with Cabinet colleagues.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS)

CB outlined SFRS continued commitment to road safety through education and prevention-focused activities, with over 180 activities being conducted. The Board noted that SFRS aligning its road safety work with the national framework and has recently published SFRS prevention framework containing a focus on road safety.

Safety Camera Programme

The most recent quarterly performance report has seen a substantial improvement in mobile enforcement across all three units, with all new mobile enforcement vehicles now in active deployment. Work continues on the procurement of the distracted driver trial. Board members will be kept informed of progress.

Trunk Road Casualty Reduction

Work continues on progressing 20mph implementation. A total of 75 sites were identified as suitable for 20mph, 39 locations now have the limit in place and it is envisaged that all of the trunk road sites will be in place, through a combination of temporary or permanent orders, by the end of March 2026.

Road Safety Progress and Commitments

Public Health Scotland Road Safety Evidence Review

A presentation providing the findings of the Public Health Scotland umbrella review of road safety interventions was delivered. The conclusions of this highlighted that there is good evidence for lower speeds, especially if supported with infrastructure and enforcement measures. Infrastructure is effective, especially if it reduces speeds or provides segregated cycle paths and awareness and education on their own are generally not effective. However, it is difficult to associate campaigns to casualty reduction, but all SG campaigns undergo a rigorous evaluation to ensure they are targeting the correct areas.

SM advised that Police Scotland are currently undertaking a review exercise of their campaign and road safety resource material and extended an invite to MD to input to this work.

Board members recommended that these findings also be shared with OPG members.

Risk Register

Members reviewed the risk register in advance of the meeting with Board members confirming that they were all content with the current risks and scoring.

Comms Handling Plan

RG updated members on activity that had been delivered to promote road safety investment since the last meeting. It is key this plan should have an emphasis on road safety at all levels, with arrangements being finalised for a comms group, with SCOTS assisting to ensure local authorities actions are captured.

AOB and Next Meeting

A proposal for funding was raise to target motorcycle casualties, this includes a multi-agency motorcycle skills day and rollout of Rider Refinement courses. Board members agreed this should be considered as part of the Road Safety Framework Fund once open for applications.