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Transport Scotland maintain a range of traffic forecasts on all trunk roads in Scotland using the national transport model, The Transport Model for Scotland. It has a base year of 2014 and produces forecasts for a number of future years. Future forecasts of demand are based upon a range of assumptions including population growth, fuel prices, economic activity, land-use changes. There is uncertainty associated with these assumptions which increases over time.

Details of current and forecast traffic flows on the selected trunk roads in Dumfries and Galloway are shown in the table below The current traffic flows are taken from Automatic Traffic Counters at the locations described in 2014.

The information requested is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority. I have alerted the Chief Executive to your question and I have asked him to write to you.

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN ANSWER

21 September 2016

Index Heading: Transport Scotland

Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government how many accidents on the (a) A76, (b) A75, (c) A7, (d) A701 between Dumfries and Moffat and (e) whole road network have been recorded by Transport Scotland in each of the last five years.

S5W-02451

Humza Yousaf: A76

A75

A7

A701

These figures relate to the trunk section of the A701 between Dumfries and the M74. The remainder of the A701 is a local road for which we do not hold data.

Trunk Road Network

There have been no direct discussions between the Scottish Government and the UK Government. However there have been on-going discussions over a number of years between Highways England (formerly Highways Agency), Transport Scotland, Local Authorities and Community Councils. An initial meeting took place 13 April 2011 and subsequent meetings were held on 13 December 2013, 15 August 2014, 19 March 2015, 15 April 2016 with the latest held on 15 September 16. As the motorway junction is in England, this is essentially a matter for Highways England.

The Scottish Government is committed to rail electrification recognising the key benefits it brings in terms of improved journey times and connectivity, environmental benefits and reduced industry costs. As part of this commitment we will include all remaining non-electrified routes, including the Dumfries - Kilmarnock line, in future electrification strategies, however delivery will be subject to consideration against other rail priorities and sufficient resources being available.

The Scottish Government is working closely with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, local authorities, Scottish Water and others to deliver the flood risk management actions set out in the 14 Flood Risk Management Strategies published in December 2015. Taken together, the strategies form the first ever national flood risk management plan for Scotland. The strategies are supported by the 14 Local Flood Risk Management Plans which were published in June 2016. These local plans provide additional local detail on the funding and delivery timetable for actions between 2016 and 2021. The Scottish Government has reached agreement with COSLA on a ten year funding plan to deliver the actions set out in these plans, including 40 new flood protection schemes aimed at protecting around 10,000 properties across Scotland, and 134 flood protection studies to help find potential solutions for another 26,000 residential properties currently at risk. This agreement will give local authorities the certainty they need to deliver the actions set out in their Local Flood Risk Management Plans to help protect individuals, business and communities from the danger of flooding.

Although a new station at Eastriggs does not feature in our current £5 billion investment programme in Scotland’s railways to 2019, we are committed to on-going improvements to rail services and connectivity.

Funding for new railway stations can be considered from the Scottish Government's £30 million Scottish Stations Fund which aims to lever in third party funding to provide new and improved stations. Projects will be considered subject to the Scottish Government’s investment priorities for the strategic transport network, a robust business case, affordability and other competing proposals.

Although a new station at Thornhill does not feature in our current £5 billion investment programme in Scotland’s railways to 2019, we are committed to on-going improvements to rail services and connectivity.

Funding for new railway stations can be considered from the Scottish Government's £30 million Scottish Stations Fund which aims to lever in third party funding to provide new and improved stations. Projects will be considered subject to the Scottish Government’s investment priorities for the strategic transport network, a robust business case, affordability and other competing proposals.

Transport Scotland, through grant funding to Sustrans and Cycling Scotland, has facilitated a range of support for cycling in Dumfries and Galloway. This includes advice on the development of the council’s active travel strategy (adopted in March 2015); funding for infrastructure for the period 2013-14 – 2015-16 of £829,912; provision of a dedicated i-bike officer to work in schools in the area and almost £14,475 in grants in 2015-16 and 2016-17 to community organisations through Cycling Scotland’s Cycle Friendly and Sustainable Communities Fund.

SEPA's Flood Maps do not show flood risk to individual properties, instead they identify areas which, as a whole, are at risk of flooding and its impacts. Insurance companies have their own flood maps on which to base their decisions, and SEPA’s Flood Maps should have no influence on insurance premiums. SEPA's terms and conditions have to be accepted before anyone can access the Flood Maps online which make it perfectly clear that the Maps must not be used for commercial purposes, or to set insurance premiums. SEPA is working with the Association of British Insurers, to help to increase understanding across the industry of the purpose of the flood maps (i.e. for community level decision making) and stress that they are not suitable for property level assessments.

SEPA has also taken action to inform insurance companies that work across the UK of the differences that exist between England and Scotland in the data available to insurers. Unlike the Environment Agency in England, SEPA does not provide specific flood risk datasets to the insurance industry.

When evidence is submitted to SEPA showing misuse of the flood maps, SEPA is proactive in dealing with the issue. In the first instance a letter of concern would be issued to the organisation responsible for the misuse, to reinforce SEPA's terms and conditions and to stipulate that the particular use of the maps brought to SEPA's attention is accountable to legal challenge. If an organisation continues to misuse the maps, and there is sufficient evidence to prove this, SEPA will take legal action against the organisation.