Work of COSLA linking to
SCOTS
George Eckton
Team Leader, Environment and
Regeneration Team, COSLA
Public Sector Reform
• COSLA committed to embracing public sector
reform
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Examine of the whole
Evidence based
Delivers local accountability
Sustainable and stable
• Partnership and Subordination
• Constrained resources, unchecked service
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demand will outstrip our ability to deliver
Christie Commission
COSLA RSD Exec Group Forward Plan
• “Transport is a key element of the infrastructure
needed for a stable local economy particularly in
a country with remote and rural areas. For
Scottish local government we have responsibility
for the repair and maintenance of about 80% of
the main road structure. We are clearly under
pressure with the backlog in work building up to
over £1.5bn, if we were to get to a good
standard across the system”.
Infrastructure
• Make the case for increased financing of
planned roads maintenance
• Seek views on balance of funding between
roads maintenance across TS assets and
ours
• Seek views on Trunk road and council road
maintenance agreements
• Views on 2008 STPR
Weather and Integrated Travel
• COSLA SCOTS SOLACE review of winter weather
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arrangements
CPP engagement with electric vehicles and
charging points
Climate Change agenda links to travel planning
and P&R development
Win-win of targeting improvements in cycling
rates for health and carbon reasons.
SNP - Transport
• Roads: M8, M73 and M74, A9 and A96 +
P&R sites
• Rail: Borders Rail, services to Inverness,
Forth Replacement Crossing, Glasgow
Fastlink and Subway, electricification of
central Scotland, case for re-integration of
Scottish rail services
• National resilence week in Scotland
New Cabinet
• Transport – CS Alex Neil
Elements of Derived Demand
• Health/Cities – CS Nicola Strugeon
• Jobs/Planning – CS John Swinney
• EU Funds – CS Neil
• EZ Zones – CS Neil, Swinney &/or Strugeon
• Rural – CS Lochhead
Scottish Parliament Priorities
• 3 main documents (NPF2, STPR and NTS)
drafted prior to current squeeze on public
finances
• 3 major transport projects: Forth Crossing,
Edinburgh – Glasgow Improvement
Programme and Borders Rail Project.
• High Speed Rail
• Funding – Audit Scotland £2.25 bn tag
COSLA and SCOTS activities
• Joint work on Roads Review
• Severe Weather Review Task Group
– Links to SG Resilence Group
• Comprehensive Spending Review
• Prioritsation - Review of NTS, STPR & NPF
• EU lobbying – Transport White paper etc
• Climate Change – RPP, PES, CC Duties and
Adaptation framework
E&R Team Contacts
Roads Review: Kathy Cameron
Severe Weather Review: Jonathan Charlton
Sustainable Transport: Gillian Fyfe
Climate Change: George Eckton & AN Other