Transportation HITRANS and The Highland Council January 2012 Caithness Internal Transport Connectivity Study Final Report Prepared by: ............................................................. Checked by: ........................................................................ Andrew Robb Paul Finch Consultant Associate Director Approved by: ............................................................. Neil Halket Regional Director Caithness Internal Transport Connectivity Study Rev No Comments Checked by Approved Date by 2 Final Following Client Comment PMF NEH 23/01/12 1 Draft for Client Comment PMF NEH 20/12/11 First Floor, 499 Union Street, Aberdeen, AB11 6DB Telephone: 01224 597450 Website: http://www.aecom.com Job No 60218024 Reference M003/11 Date Created January 2012 This document has been prepared by AECOM Limited for the sole use of our client (HITRANS and The Highland Council) and in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM Limited and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM Limited, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM Limited. f:\proposals\caithness\11 - aecom reports\caithness internal transport connectivity study 23-01-12.doc Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................................................ 0 1 Introduction and Background .......................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 The Commission .................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Study Approach ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 The Study Area ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Previous Studies .................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.5 Some Key Assumptions ......................................................................................................................................... 6 1.6 Structure of Report ................................................................................................................................................ 6 2 The Renewables Opportunity for Caithness ................................................................................................................... 9 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 2.2 The Policy .............................................................................................................................................................. 9 2.3 The Scale of the Potential Benefit........................................................................................................................ 10 2.4 Marine Renewables Sites Adjacent to Caithness ................................................................................................ 11 2.5 Other Associated Opportunities ........................................................................................................................... 13 2.6 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................. 14 3 Overview of Principal Sites ............................................................................................................................................ 16 3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Ports and Harbours .............................................................................................................................................. 17 3.3 Rail Freight Hubs ................................................................................................................................................. 21 3.4 Existing Engineering Sites ................................................................................................................................... 22 3.5 Possible Future Engineering Sites ....................................................................................................................... 24 3.6 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................. 25 4 Key Routes and their Capabilities ................................................................................................................................. 27 4.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 27 4.2 Consultation ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 4.3 Assessment of The Highland Council Structures Database ................................................................................ 28 4.4 Abnormal Loads Assessments ............................................................................................................................ 28 4.5 Route 1 – A9 Dunbeath-Scrabster ....................................................................................................................... 29 4.6 Route 2 – A99 Latheron-Wick .............................................................................................................................. 30 4.7 Route 3 – A882 Thurso/Scrabster-Wick .............................................................................................................. 31 4.8 Route 4 – A836 Thurso/Scrabster-Dounreay ....................................................................................................... 32 4.9 Route 5 – A99 Wick-Wester-(John O’Groats-Gills Bay) ....................................................................................... 34 4.10 Route 6 – A836 (Gills Bay)-Castletown-Thurso ................................................................................................... 35 4.11 Route 7 – B874 Thurso-Halkirk-(A9) .................................................................................................................... 35 4.12 Route 8 – B876 Castletown-Wick ........................................................................................................................ 36 4.13 Town Centre Assessments – Thurso ................................................................................................................... 37 4.14 Town Centre Assessments – Wick ...................................................................................................................... 38 4.15 Minor Roads ........................................................................................................................................................ 41 4.16 Power Lines ......................................................................................................................................................... 41 4.17 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................. 42 5 Future Anticipated Load Demands ................................................................................................................................ 44 5.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 44 5.2 Fabrication ........................................................................................................................................................... 44 5.3 Installation ........................................................................................................................................................... 45 5.4 Maintenance ........................................................................................................................................................ 45 5.5 Possible Impact on Transport Network ................................................................................................................ 46 5.6 Major Components .............................................................................................................................................. 47 5.7 Other Demands ................................................................................................................................................... 51 5.8 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................