HITRANS REGIONAL TRANSPORT STRATEGY UPDATE

1 Roles & Responsibilities

■ HITRANS’ main roles are as follows: ■ Scottish Government responsible for the – Production of a Regional Transport provision of many transport services and Strategy. activities in HITRANS area including: – Project development/delivery/funding. – Trunk roads. – Key agency in development planning. – Rail services – rail franchise and infrastructure. – Statutory role in Community Planning – Most publicly funded mainland-island – Regional promoter of economic ferry services, through the CalMac and development, sustainable and active Northlink contracts. travel, behavioural change and modal shift. – Operation of main airports, via HIAL. – Regional modelling. – Specification and funding of PSO air services from to Barra, – Can receive functions transferred to Campbeltown and Tiree. them from local authorities or Scottish Government. – Air Discount Scheme.

2 RTS OBJECTIVES

3 COMMITTED PROJECTS

■ Committed for delivery over the life of the plan – A9 Dualling between Perth to – Dualling of the A96 between Inverness/Aberdeen – Main Line Improvements – Aberdeen to Inverness Rail Improvements – A82 Improvements – A83 Improvements – Smart and Integrated Ticketing – Scottish Ferries Plan investment – Inverness Rail Station Upgrade – Inverness City Region Deal – ERDF

4 5 ECONOMY ■ Examine the feasibility and impacts of fixed links to / between fragile islands ■ Advancement of a coordinated programme of ■ Support and strategy, including investment investment in significant local road improvement required, in ports around the region projects ■ Inverness Airport Development Plan ■ Advancement of a programme of investment in key ■ Securing and improving Inverness air slots to regional and trunk road pinch points ■ Approach to redress the road maintenance backlog ■ Introduction of a Skye Air service ■ Inverness Rail Station Redevelopment ■ Development of an Aviation Strategy for the region ■ Developing an integrated transport Hub in Oban ■ Strategy to consider approaches to ■ Electrification of Highland Main Line and Inverness to sustainable access to popular tourist sites Aberdeen around the region ■ Support investigation and development of Sleeper ■ Develop strategy for establishing transport routes / corridors as visitor attractions services to/from Caithness and Oban ■ Affordable and consistent freight fares ■ Full implementation of the Scottish Ferries Review ■ Rail Freight Strategy ■ Replacement and funding of local authority ferries / ■ Freight Quality Partnership services in Orkney, Argyll and Highland

6 COMMUNITIES, PARTICIPATION AND INTEGRATION

■ Locality Planning and ■ Comprehensive public transport Empowerment Approach information and mapping ■ Affordable and consistent ■ Quality Bus Partnerships and passenger and vehicle fares across Interchanges air and ferry networks. ■ Transport interchange ■ Package to reverse the decline on improvements the ■ Multi-modal ticketing / smart ■ Package to maximise the potential ticketing of and Kyle Line ■ Concessionary Fares

7 LOW CARBON AND HIGH ACTIVITY

■ Implementation of Active Travel Strategy ■ Approach for ‘Health Gain’ – Walking and cycling links within ■ Improved walking and cycling links within and between main towns and the region strategic links within the region ■ Supporting delivery of major sustainable – Integration of cycling as part of projects longer public transport journeys ■ Support the provision of improved walking ■ Implementation of Low Carbon Strategy and cycling access at public transport ■ Building on the Smart Cities concept interchanges (including in Inverness), developing with ■ Develop low carbon tourism opportunities partners in Scottish Government, Health in the region Boards and Community Planning Partnerships a Smart Rural and Smart ■ Personalised Travel Planning Strategy and Island intervention approach Behavioural Change Support

8 • Outer Hebrides Ferry Service STAG • Extend ADS to Business and Student Travel • Hebridean Way Active Travel Route Development • Western Isles Spinal Route Investment • Fixed Link Investigation (Sound of Harris) • Area wide sustainable travel strategy for active travel and public transport integration • Air Service Strategy • Port / Harbour Development

9 WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP

■ Delivery Plan developed in partnership with LAs, CPPs, H&SC Partnerships, TS, SG and operators ■ Role in terms of LTS and NTS and LOIPs ■ Local accountability ■ Shared services

■ Regional Transport Strategy Statutory Consultation from May - July 2017

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