STEP Conference 2016 - Hugh Gillies, Transport Scotland - Keynote Address
•Download as PPTX, PDF•
1 like•142 views
STEP Conference 2016 - Hugh Gillies, Transport Scotland - Keynote Address
Recommended
Recommended
More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (20)
Similar to STEP Conference 2016 - Hugh Gillies, Transport Scotland - Keynote Address
Similar to STEP Conference 2016 - Hugh Gillies, Transport Scotland - Keynote Address (20)
More from STEP_scotland
More from STEP_scotland (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
STEP Conference 2016 - Hugh Gillies, Transport Scotland - Keynote Address
- 1. Transport and Air Quality: How we can work together Hugh Gillies, Director, Transport Scotland
- 2. Paradox message Corporate blue (pantone 2736) Transport is a principle cause of poor air quality Transport can contribute significantly towards cleaner air quality
- 3. Role of Transport Scotland Role Support and advise the Government on the strategy and policy options for transport in Scotland, deliver major transport projects, and maintain essential National Transport Strategy Full assessment of NTS following refresh last year.
- 4. Transport policy actions LOW CARBON VEHICLES Electric vehicle charging infrastructure in place by 2020. Widespread adoption of low carbon vehicles by 2030, with almost complete decarbonisation of road journeys by 2050. TAXI 60 delegates at EST taxi stakeholder event on licencing and operating electric taxi and private hire vehicles Reviewed legislation and approach to electric taxis, with an evaluation of future actions.
- 5. Transport policy actions FREIGHT Scottish Freight and Logistics Advisory Group (ScotFLAG) set up to increase sustainable economic growth in Scotland, recognising the importance of freight in the transport sector. PUBLIC TRANSPORT Green Bus Fund, BSOG and Quality Bus Partnerships
- 7. TRBO red (pantone 186)
- 8. Working together – Commonweath Games Cross organisational approach to essential transport commitments. Collaborative planning and robust assessment of transport-related provisions of the Games Act. Cross organisational resilience team and real time managing of events.
- 9. Transport and Air Quality: How we can work together Hugh Gillies, Director, Transport Scotland
Editor's Notes
- Thank you Janice. Good morning all and thank you for the invitation to deliver the keynote address at the fourth STEP Annual Conference. It’s very encouraging to see such a wide range of Environmental, Transport, Planning, and Policy colleagues coming together to discuss the challenges and solutions around air quality, and how we can work together to ensure that Scotland’s air quality becomes the best in Europe. It’s fitting we’re in Edinburgh, within the COSLA building here in Haymarket, where we can benefit in transport terms from the intersection of the Edinburgh TRAMS, the upgraded Haymarket station, and the services of Lothian Buses, one of the largest municipal bus companies in the United Kingdom. Today, our speakers will provide examples of some of the exciting projects that are currently underway. We hope that you will leave this event inspired. Since CAFS was published in November 2015, we have had a Scottish election and the publication of Programme for Government; air quality was incorporated into both of these key events, which is due in part to CAFS raising the profile of this issue. With this in mind, I want to focus my talk today on will be on three aspects: What TS can do, and is doing, in relation to air quality Low emission zones and the National Low Emission Framework (NLEF) Communication stakeholder engagement – linked to both STEP and the CAFS Governance Group in helping to accelerate our joint vision.
- But first………we must acknowledge the real transport paradox in relation to air quality. We know transport emissions are the main cause of local pollution and exposure. Almost all of the 33 or more Air Quality Management Areas are caused by Transport emissions. However, a wide range of known transport interventions can improve our air quality, with the elements noted in the National Low Emission Framework being an important aspect which incorporates low emission zones. For the transport projects to succeed, it is essential that we maintain and foster a partnership approach to air quality; this will require partnership across a host of audiences including: Government Business Mode sectors Health (practitioners and professionals) Environment
- I am sure most delegates know of Transport Scotland, and the work we do. I think though it is worth noting our role is to support and advise the Government on the strategy and policy options for transport in Scotland, to deliver major transport projects, and to maintain the infrastructure. In doing this we have around 400 staff working in Glasgow and Edinburgh in six Directorates: Transport Policy; Major Transport Infrastructure Projects; Rail; Trunk Road and Bus Operations (the Directorate I lead); Aviation, Maritime, Freight and Canals; and Finance Corporate and Analytical Services. So we cover a very broad area of transport, not just the very visible large road construction schemes we all see. One of the key tasks in the coming year is the full reassessment of the National Transport Strategy. Once the NTS has been revisitied, our own Corporate Plan (and associated Annual Business Plans) will be reviewed to take forward the air quality agenda in a coherent cross-policy perspective. We also have to ensure that there is a match up across ‘resource’ and policy’, so that various individuals with responsibility to (in part) improve air quality are engaged and on board for the CAFS journey. Next I want to cover some of the work we are leading on various transport modes such as low carbon vehicles, freight, public transport, and taxis that collectively can make a difference on air quality.
- LOW CARBON VEHICLES On Low Carbon Vehicles we are leading with our Switched on Scotland programme, and supporting the transformation in moving people and goods around and moving away from current dependence on fossil-fuelled vehicles. The graph on the right shows the challenge, with major change occurring now. This change is driven by industry and technology, but support by our Ecosse key stakeholders partnership, and the work we are taking forward on developing an electric vehicle charging infrastructure. On this, our EV Strategic Board comprises senior representatives of a number of public and private organisations with a key role in advancing plug-in vehicles in Scotland. It’s not all about electric vehicles however, and the low emission future will evolve guided by market developments. TAXI One of the key events this year (as hosted by the Energy Saving Trust) was on taxi legislation, as discussed at a Licensing and operating electric taxi and private hire vehicles summit last month, where over 60 delegates across Scotland and the UK reviewed current taxi legislation from a Scottish policy context, Local Authority context, and operator perspective. The workshop findings will feed forward into actions to encourage a quicker uptake of electric taxis across Scotland.
- FREIGHT On freight we engage with many of the organisations in the room today, and support the SCOTFLAG group to address the For example ScotFLAG Carbon Reduction Sub Group has been tasked with considering what the freight transport industry can do to help achieve the target of a 42% reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 2020 and a 80% reduction by 2050. Part of this involves looking at the opportunities such as……. Night-time deliveries. Quieter vehicles and methods of delivery mean that mean that the window of opportunity can be moved away from busy times and reduce congestion. Fewer just-in-time deliveries. The question of whether the use of the Just in Time delivery philosophy needs to be reassessed in the light of the need to reduce emissions. Consolidation and load-sharing opportunities. Many operators are already involved in co-operative ventures. More opportunities undoubtedly exist and we in Transport Scotland are exploring these. These are all areas STEP can support. PUBLIC TRANSPORT We lead on the Scottish Green Bus Fund and the Bus Services Operators Grant. The aim of the fund is to further support the wider roll out of low carbon buses across Scotland and builds on the success of previous rounds of the Scottish Green Bus Fund.
- THIS IS THE KEY SLIDE TO TALK AROUND TODAY I am sure that many of the audience are aware of the Programme for Government commitment to put in place Scotlands first low emission zone by 2018. The key aspect here is not just about Scotland’s first LEZ, but what will happen thereafter, when further LEZ implementation across Scotland will happen and how this roll-out will be achieved. The scope, scale and location of the first LEZ will be confirmed during 2017, but given the very challenging timescale, it is likely that Scotland’s first LEZ will have to address the following topics or questions: 1. Small in scale initially with potential to grow following a period of commissioning and review post-2018. 2. Targeted to one city (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh or Glasgow). 3. Targeted initially at specific transport modes (Bus or HGV). 4. Designed in such a manner that the infrastructure provision, monitoring regime and enforcement will be relatively simple to put in place. There is simply not sufficient time to design, procure and construct the infrastructure to implement multiple LEZs across Scotland by 2018 (although larger, more complex LEZs can and will be planned now for rollout post 2018). What is clear is that we will all need to go on the journey together; that includes those in both the ‘pro’ and ‘cautious’ camps. Finally, there are a host of ‘chunky’ questions around: Funding Process/monitoring Technology Statutory processes Voluntary agreements (and ultimately) effectiveness of the LEZ schemes.
- FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANT OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN 2017 AND 2018… As we move towards 2018, we have some of the major events happening in Scotland during 2018, coincidently when the first low emission zone will be constructed and set in place. Some the major events include: 2018 will be the Year of Young People, which will celebrate young Scots locally, nationally and globally. 2018 will also be the year of the European Championships, involving seven major sports, with Scotland playing host to Aquatics, Gymnastics, Cycling, Rowing, Triathlon, and Golf. So with just these two key events covering sport and youth, there is a resonance with the air quality agenda and the benefits it can bring. Working with the CAFS GG and Sniffer we will raise awareness of these and other events, our role in them from a transport perspective, and how we can align actions and messages within them to support CAFS. What is clear is that improving air quality will require collaboration across many of the organisations in the room today. We will face this challenge together, and we should adopt the approach that we have take for similar events such as the Commonwealth Games or recent severe weather resilience responses.
- One example of how we have worked together in a cross organisational, cross professional, cross political way is during the detailed preparation for the Commonwealth games in Glasgow. As part of the planning for this event a wide range of organisations and professions worked together to plan and strategise a successful games. From a transport resilience perspective for example, a dedicated volunteer team, across many organisations, came together in Glasgow to provide real time information management and incident response. A great deal of effort also went into scenario planning and lines of communication. This detailed approach provided smooth running to the events and a resilient response to the many questions and challenges received. Perhaps this is the type of collaborative approach we should continue to develop for CAFS delivery.
- Thank you Janice. Good morning all and thank you for the invitation to deliver the keynote address at the fourth STEP Annual Conference. It’s very encouraging to see such a wide range of Environmental, Transport, Planning, and Policy colleagues coming together to discuss the challenges and solutions around air quality, and how we can work together to ensure that Scotland’s air quality becomes the best in Europe. It’s fitting we’re in Edinburgh, within the COSLA building here in Haymarket, where we can benefit in transport terms from the intersection of the Edinburgh TRAMS, the upgraded Haymarket station, and the services of Lothian Buses, one of the largest municipal bus companies in the United Kingdom. Today, our speakers will provide examples of some of the exciting projects that are currently underway. We hope that you will leave this event inspired. Since CAFS was published in November 2015, we have had a Scottish election and the publication of Programme for Government; air quality was incorporated into both of these key events, which is due in part to CAFS raising the profile of this issue. With this in mind, I want to focus my talk today on will be on three aspects: What TS can do, and is doing, in relation to air quality Low emission zones and the National Low Emission Framework (NLEF) Communication stakeholder engagement – linked to both STEP and the CAFS Governance Group in helping to accelerate our joint vision.