Chamber and committees

As the trunk road authority in Scotland, legislation requires Transport Scotland to take such steps as it considers reasonable to prevent snow and ice endangering the safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles over public roads. We discharge this duty by having contracts in place with Operating Companies who ensure the trunk road network is safe, efficient and well managed.

Please see winter trunk road spend per annum for the past 10 years and for
‎ 2018-19:

• 2008-09 - £7,775,462
• 2009-10 – £8,061,622
• 2010-11 - £8,733,204
• 2011-12 - £12,126,669
• 2012-13 - £10,541,521
• 2013-14 - £12,388,641
• 2014-15 - £12,045,715
• 2015-16 - £13,552,112
• 2016-17 - £12,962,222
• 2017-18 - £13,667,053
• 2018-19 - £13,418,382

In addition to Roads, Transport Scotland also provide funding to other organisations to provide services in all weathers for other transport modes but do not specify how much funding is allocated for winter resilience.

As I stated at the RECC on 5 December, I am aware that an extensive amount of work has been done to try to achieve the PPM Moving Annual Average targets and that includes new rolling stock, infrastructure investments, changes in personnel and certain arrangements within ScotRail to address some of those matters. However, I recognise that there are issues that are completely out with ScotRail’s control and which have a direct impact on performance. Recently, 59.5 per cent of all delays were caused by Network Rail. By and large, over the course of last year, the figure for all the delays caused by Network Rail has been in excess of 50 per cent.

As I stated at the RECC on 5 December, it will be challenging to meet the target, but I am confident that a course of action is being taken to give us every opportunity to ensure that that target is achieved. However, I cannot provide you with a precise date when it will be achieved. There is a range of factors that are outwith the franchise holder’s control and which can have a direct impact on that target being achieved, most notably Network Rail and the deterioration in its performance.

Transport Resilience

Whilst we know severe weather will cause disruption, this Government has taken a wide range of steps to improve our resilience to the challenges of winter, to mitigate its impacts and to recover our transport networks, businesses and get daily life back to normal as quickly as possible. This has been done in partnership with a broad range of public, private and third sector partners and has included new investment, development and innovation, all learning the lessons from recent winters.

Roads

The winter service, provided across Scotland from the start of October through to mid-May, is a critical front-line service. Since 2010, we have strengthened our well-developed winter service even further. High performance requirements ensure our road maintenance contractors are patrolling the most strategically important routes from 1st November before and through the morning peak when temperatures are forecast to be low and there is a risk of ice forming. The strategic patrol gritters are also adding to our ploughing capability during snow storms.

New contract specifications, specialist plant trials and innovations, greater use of technology and getting information to people ‘on the move’ are just a few of the ways we have strengthened the winter treatments, decision making and communication with road users.

This year’s winter fleet will have 210 vehicles available for spreading salt and ploughing snow. As of 27 November 2018, the total for salt in stock and on order is 615,000 tonnes and this compares with salt in stock and on order at 28 November last year of 607,000 tonnes.

The trunk road operators have re-evaluated the most vulnerable locations within their unit for the 2018/19 winter season and mitigation measures are in place when severe weather is forecast.

The TSNCC hosts the TS Multi-Agency Response Team (MART) arrangements which enable a strategic overview of event and incident handling. This is a joint process with Police Scotland and includes trunk road Operating Companies, Network Rail and Scotrail, the Met Office and others. We have also seconded personnel from Police Scotland, British Transport Police and the Met Office to enhance closer partnership working.

Severe Weather Charter

During the “Beast from the East”, the Scottish Government had concerns some workers were placed at unnecessary risk through being compelled to travel to work or placed under threat of lost pay.

A Severe Weather Charter has been developed jointly with the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC), as was announced by the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, back in March, following the so called ‘Beast from the East’ storm which affected so many people in Scotland. This was published on 16 November 2018.

Police Scotland

Following winter 2017-18 events and a commitment from the Minister for Transport and the Islands to review weather/travel advice, Transport Scotland has been liaising with Police Scotland to assist with this review.

The review is now complete and Police Scotland has created a simplified guidance document underpinned by the National Decision Model which will assist with the escalation and de-escalation of Travel Advice through the revised Stages.

Rail

We are working with The ScotRail Alliance to prepare for potential severe winter weather and expect to see further improvements in operational and customer services and travel advice offered. This will include:

• Continued improvements across all ScotRail fleets to improve their robustness to the issues caused by winter weather in previous years.
• ScotRail depots and maintenance facilities to have winter maintenance equipment installed and undertake a winter resilience check at all depots and train fleets.
• Winter working preparation for all stations, ensuring de-icing equipment and materials will be in place.
• Network Rail have carried out a winter resilience check both at regional and local level.
• Network Rail will again make available the mobile snow and ice clearance machine that can thaw junctions quickly. In addition all local teams will be equipped with winter clearance equipment and provided with latest weather forecast and impact briefing.
• Network Rail has increased the number of response teams to tackle Autumn/Winter effects as they arise.
• A robust communications plan will be delivered ensuring passengers are prepared for adverse weather, including customer road shows at key stations throughout December, social media campaign for key messages, and a commitment to advertise planned cancellations by 4pm the day before where extreme weather is forecast, allowing the public to make informed travel choices.

Aviation

Working towards winter 2018-19, our own airport group, Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), has undertaken a review of winter operations to ensure that procedures, training, equipment, operational effectiveness and the environmental impact of de-icing are appropriate and still meet objectives. Airport snow plans are in the process of being reviewed ahead of the winter period to ensure all departments are fully aware of their responsibilities during adverse weather.

Aberdeen Airport has a robust winter plan in place which has been used in previous years, and it is ready for implementation as and when the weather arrives. This includes contingencies for airside and landside facilities, access and egress for passengers and staff and additional staff resource when required.

Glasgow Airport has a robust and detailed winter operations plan in place which sets out how airport operations will be maintained during adverse weather conditions, details of staff training and clearance criteria and methods.

Glasgow Prestwick Airport has its Winter Operation Plan reviewed annually and the current plan was issued in October. All winter operational equipment has been serviced and training with the operational staff will have taken place before the start of the season.

Edinburgh Airport winter operations have been updated for the new season. Winter Operations staff training material has been updated and training started on 10 September. A collaborative meeting also took place in October and reviewed winter operations plans for all operators and snow fleet maintenance.

Ferries

The Scottish Government is committed to maintaining and improving lifeline ferry services that play a key role in supporting the economic, social and cultural development of island and remote communities.

During periods of bad weather the ferry operators providing lifeline ferry services to the Scottish Government under a Public Service Contract will, where possible, advise the travelling public in advance of any potential disruption. This information is provided via the ferry operator’s website, texting, social media, as well as the national and local media.

In addition, where periods of bad weather are anticipated, the ferry operator will seek to try and flex the scheduled ferry service timetable to provide sailings in advance of, or following on from, the disruption to the timetabled services, to try and minimise any impact on our remote and island communities.

Ferry travel has its own distinct challenges, particularly high winds, and the ship’s Master has a duty to ensure the safety of passengers above other considerations. The Merchant Shipping (Master’s Discretion) Regulations 1997 gives the ship’s Master sole responsibility for deciding whether it is safe to sail.

Despite continued UK Government real terms cuts to Scotland resource budget we have continued to treat local government very fairly. In 2019-20, councils will receive a real terms increase in funding for public services.

As the vast majority of revenue funding, including for winter maintenance, is provided to local authorities by means of a block grant, it is then the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities.

Scottish Ministers can also activate the Bellwin Scheme which can provide additional revenue support to local authorities to assist with the immediate and unforeseen costs in dealing with the aftermath of emergency incidents. It is a discretionary scheme which exists to give special financial assistance to local authorities who would otherwise be faced with an undue financial burden as a result of providing relief and carrying out immediate work due to large-scale emergencies such as extreme winter weather.

The Scottish Government allocated an additional £10 million to local authorities to assist with additional winter maintenance costs and road repairs following the extreme weather last winter.

Scottish Government's policy towards local authorities spending is to allow local authorities the financial freedom to operate independently, therefore any additional spend resulting from last winter's extreme weather was a matter for individual local authorities.

The extent to which an aligned intervention scheme will be required is entirely dependent upon the outcome of the on-going R100 procurement exercise. If required, the scheme would be targeted on any premises that won’t have superfast access delivered via the main procurement. Further information will be made available as soon as possible next year, once contracts have been awarded.

It has always been our intention to publish timescales for R100, when contracts have been awarded and high level deployment plans are in place during 2019.

Arrangements for this lifeline service will be announced to, all stakeholders shortly.

CalMac Ferries Ltd has confirmed to the Scottish Government that there have been no changes to the insurance for the MV Loch Seaforth.