Chamber and committees

Scotland level figures are available from the Scottish Household Survey. Figures are published online as part of the SHS Transport: Local Area Analysis web tables. Table 16 includes a breakdown by Local Authority and Regional Transport Partnership, as well as Scotland level figures. This can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Transport-Travel/PubTranAcrScot.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on bus service registrations. All local bus services must be registered with the Traffic Commissioner. The Traffic Commissioner can be contacted at Office of the Traffic Commissioner, The Stamp Office, 10 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3EG.

We believe that the current regulatory regime covering the provision of local bus services is adequate for its intended purpose and as such we have no plans at present to make changes to it.

It is the responsibility of drivers to ensure that their vehicles do not exceed their carrying capacity. The Public Service Vehicles (Carrying Capacity) Regulations 1984 state that nobody should drive, or permit to be driven, a vehicle if the number of seated or standing passengers exceeds the number permitted.

Bus companies are not required to undertake any consultation before withdrawing a route. However, they are required to notify relevant local authorities of service changes 14 days prior to submitting their application to the Traffic Commissioner. Bus companies are required to submit applications for service changes to the Traffic Commissioner 56 days prior to the date on which the changes are due to take place.

Anyone who contravenes, or fails to comply with, the provisions of the Public Service Vehicles (Carrying Capacity) Regulations 1984 they shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 of the standard scale.

As a reserved matter, this information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government but collected by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

As a reserved matter, this information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government but collected by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

We considered that the transfer of 60% to 70% of the traffic from the existing A80 onto the new Moodiesburn Bypass would deliver significant environmental and safety benefits for the people of Moodiesburn and surrounding communities.

Information about the condition of the motorway network was provided to motorists via the Traffic Scotland website, Variable Message Signs (VMS) and the media as follows:

(1) Pre-trip Advice

On the advice of the police the following Traffic Scotland News stories were displayed on the website:

-   Police in the Strathclyde area are advising drivers to exercise extra caution and determine whether their journey could be postponed until weather conditions improve. If you do have to travel, then ensure you and your vehicle are adequately prepared.

-   HIGH RISK OF DISRUPTION: Conditions for travel are extremely poor and deteriorating significantly. Police advise you to avoid travelling and consider postponing your journey until the weather conditions improve.

-   Central Scotland strategic road network is affected by freezing conditions, only travel if absolutely necessary.

-   Drivers should be aware that the M8 Westbound between Junction 1 and Junction 5 will likely remain closed until Wednesday. Further updates will be posted here.

-   Transport Scotland is reissuing communication from the Police that motorists continue to only make essential journeys. The Police advice highlights that continued low temperatures are forecast

The following incidents were highlighted on the Traffic Scotland website:

-   Multiple Breakdowns and Incidents have caused Major Congestion, Motorists are advised to avoid the route. (M8 between Glasgow & Edinburgh “ both directions)

-   The Westbound M8 is currently closed between J1 (Hermiston Gate) and J4 (East Whitburn) due to adverse weather. The Westbound onslip at J2 and J3 are also closed.

-   M80 Southbound closed from Crowwood Roundabout. Long Delays.

Severe weather warnings received from the Met Office, images from CCTV cameras, details of Variable Message Sugn messages deployed on the network and details of network incidents (e.g. closures, queues and accidents) were also displayed.

2) In Trip Advice

The following messages were also displayed on Variable Message Signs across the network throughout the period:

-     AVOID ROAD TRAVEL

-     SEVERE WEATHER NETWORK CONGESTED SIGNIFICANT DELAYS

-     MAJOR CONGESTION M8 WESTBOUND AVOID ROUTE

-     MAJOR CONGESTION M8 EASTBOUND AVOID ROUTE

-     MAJOR CONGESTION M80 SOUTHBOUND AVOID ROUTE

-     MAJOR CONGESTION M80 NORTHBOUND AVOID ROUTE

-     SEVERE CONDITIONS AVOID M876 AND M8 J1-J5

-     SEVERE CONDITIONS AVOID M9 J11 - J10 AND M876

-     M73(N) CLOSED AFTER M74 J4 MARYVILLE

-     M73(S) CLOSED AFTER J2 BAILLIESTON LONG DELAYS

-     M73(S) CLOSED AFTER J2 BAILLIESTON USE DIVERSION

In addition, throughout the period, Trafficlink (an independent travel news broadcaster who are located in the Traffic Scotland Control Centre) were kept fully up to date by the Traffic Scotland Control Room staff and the police and were broadcasting the message for motorists not to travel. Extra broadcasts were also issued on all radio stations to re-enforce this message.

We have acknowledged that the flow of information between operational partners and communication to members of the public during the severe weather conditions on 6 and 7 December 2010 could have been better. We have established a multi agency response team approach to co-ordinate the flow of information into the Traffic Scotland Control Centre, to ensure that timely and accurate messages are issued to the public through our Variable Message Signs, the website, the Traffic Scotland Customer Care line and operational partners such as Traveline Scotland and Trafficlink.

We also identified the need to provide high level warning messages to help guide the decisions of the travelling public. These messages have been agreed between the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and Transport Scotland to provide a nationally agreed context for the detail of the warning messages to be used by local Police forces when they issue travel warnings for roads. The decision on when travel warnings are issued remains the responsibility of the Police forces. Transport Scotland (via the Traffic Scotland system of VMS, media broadcasts and website updates) will provide operational support to the police forces in disseminating these messages and providing operational response support.