Transport (Scotland) Act 2019

PART 1 National transport strategy

1 Preparation of strategy

(1) The Scottish Ministers must prepare a national transport strategy.

(2) The national transport strategy must set out—

(a) the Scottish Ministers’ vision for transport to, from and within Scotland,

(b) their strategy for realising that vision, and

(c) the policies which they intend to pursue in order to implement that strategy.

(3) The national transport strategy may include such other information as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.

(4) In determining the content of the national transport strategy, the Scottish Ministers must have regard, among other things, to the desirability of transport being provided, developed, improved and operated so as to contribute to improving outcomes in relation to the matters mentioned in subsection (5).

(5) Those matters are—

(a) the ability of people to realise their human rights,

(b) social and economic wellbeing, including in particular in relation to—

(i) social inclusion,

(ii) elderly persons,

(iii) inclusion of persons with disabilities,

(iv) inclusive economic growth,

(v) fair work,

(vi) reduction of poverty and inequality,

(vii) access to further and higher education via public transport,

(viii) sustainability of communities in rural areas,

(c) the environment, including in particular in relation to—

(i) the sustainable and efficient use and re-use of resources,

(ii) the meeting of the emission reduction targets set out in Part 1 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009,

(d) health and wellbeing.

2 Consultation on strategy

(1) In preparing the national transport strategy, the Scottish Ministers must consult—

(a) such persons as they consider appropriate, and

(b) the general public.

(2) If, before the day on which this section comes into force (and whether before or after the Bill for this Act was passed), anything was done which, had it been undertaken after that day, would to any extent have satisfied subsection (1), that subsection is to that extent to be taken to have been satisfied.

3 Publication and laying of strategy

(1) The Scottish Ministers must—

(a) publish the national transport strategy in such manner as they consider appropriate, and

(b) lay a copy of the strategy before the Scottish Parliament.

(2) As soon as reasonably practicable after complying with subsection (1), the Scottish Ministers must—

(a) publish a report setting out—

(i) the consultation process undertaken in order to comply with section 2(1), and

(ii) the ways in which, in preparing the national transport strategy, the Scottish Ministers have taken account of views expressed in the course of that process,

(b) lay a copy of the report before the Scottish Parliament, and

(c) seek to make a statement to the Scottish Parliament on the contents of the strategy.

4 Review of strategy

(1) The Scottish Ministers—

(a) must keep the national transport strategy under review, and

(b) may, if they consider it appropriate, revise it.

(2) Sections 1(2) to (5), 2(1) and 3 apply in relation to any revision of the national transport strategy as they apply in relation to the original national transport strategy.

5 Reporting on strategy

(1) As soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each reporting period, the Scottish Ministers must—

(a) publish a report setting out—

(i) progress made in the reporting period towards realising the vision in the national transport strategy, and

(ii) steps taken in the reporting period to keep the national transport strategy under review, and

(b) lay a copy of the report before the Scottish Parliament.

(2) A report under subsection (1)(a) may include such other information as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.

(3) In subsection (1), “reporting period” means the period of 3 years beginning with the day on which section 3(1) was complied with in relation to the original national transport strategy and each subsequent period of 3 years.