Improving Accessibility at Insch Station Initial Appraisal: Case for Change Nestrans Project number: 60599819 January 2020 FINAL Accessibility at Insch Project number: 60599819 Quality information Prepared by Checked by Verified by Approved by Jo Duck Richie Fraser Yannis Kontolaimakis Emma Gilmour Consultant Associate Director Principal Consultant Regional Director Revision History Revision Revision date Details Authorized Name Position Updates to address feedback V1 January 2020 RF Richie Fraser Associate Director from Project Working Group Distribution List # Hard Copies PDF Required Association / Company Name Prepared for: Nestrans Prepared by: AECOM Limited 1 Marischal Square Aberdeen AB10 1BL United Kingdom aecom.com © 2019 AECOM Limited. All Rights Reserved. This document has been prepared by AECOM Limited (“AECOM”) for sole use of our client (the “Client”) in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM. 2 Accessibility at Insch Project number: 60599819 Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................... 5 1. Initial Appraisal: Case for Change ................................................................. 12 1.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 13 1.2 Policy Context ................................................................................................................................... 15 1.3 Problems & Opportunities Analysis .................................................................................................... 18 1.4 Transport Planning Objectives ........................................................................................................... 42 1.5 Option Development and Appraisal .................................................................................................... 43 1.6 Summary: The Case for Change ........................................................................................................ 51 Appendix A – Accessibility at Stations across Scotland ..................................................................................... 53 Appendix B – Accessibility Audit ...................................................................................................................... 54 Appendix C – Video Surveys Technical Note .................................................................................................... 55 Appendix D – Development Management, Aberdeenshire Council Response ................................................... 56 Appendix E – Rail Industry Workshop Note ...................................................................................................... 57 Appendix F – Hazard Identification Register..................................................................................................... 58 Appendix G – Option Development Drawings .................................................................................................. 59 Appendix H – Online Survey Results ............................................................................................................... 60 Figures Figure 1.1.1: Context Map of Insch Station ...................................................................................................... 13 Figure 1.1.2: Study Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 14 Figure 1.2.1: Summary of Policy Context ......................................................................................................... 15 Figure 1.2.2: Draft NTS Vision and Priorities .................................................................................................... 15 Figure 1.3.1: Journey times by road and rail (Insch – Huntly and Insch – Inverurie) ........................................... 19 Figure 1.3.2: Insch Station Catchment ............................................................................................................. 20 Figure 1.3.3: Estimates of station usage at Insch 2004/05 - 2017/18 (Source: Office of Rail and Road) .............. 21 Figure 1.3.4: Projected future passenger growth at Insch Station ...................................................................... 21 Figure 1.3.5: Categorisation of Rail Stations across Scotland by Accessibility ................................................... 23 Figure 1.3.6: Step-Free Route between Platforms at Inverurie Station .............................................................. 24 Figure 1.3.7: Uniqueness of Accessibility Arrangement at Insch Station ............................................................ 25 Figure 1.3.8: Car park occupancy at Insch Station 2015-2018 .......................................................................... 26 Figure 1.3.9: Insch Station - stepped overbridge .............................................................................................. 26 Figure 1.3.10: Insch Station Level Crossing ..................................................................................................... 27 Figure 1.3.11: Excerpt from the south of Insch Station Planning Statement to the LDP 2021 Call for Sites ......... 29 Figure 1.3.12: Impact of Current Access Arrangement at Insch Station ............................................................. 37 Figure 1.3.13: Reasons for Impact of Current Access Arrangement .................................................................. 38 Figure 1.3.14: Level of Agreement with Statements .......................................................................................... 38 Figure 1.3.15: Awareness of ScotRail Alternative Transport .............................................................................. 39 Figure 1.3.16: Use of Insch Station is Improvements Implemented ................................................................... 39 Figure 1.3.17: Summary of Additional Comments made by Respondents in the Online Survey .......................... 40 3 Accessibility at Insch Project number: 60599819 Tables Table 1.3.1: Socio-economic comparison figures for Insch, Aberdeenshire and Scotland ................................... 18 Table 1.3.2: Timetable information for trains stopping at Insch (current at January 2020) ................................... 19 Table 1.3.3: Categorisation of Rail Stations across Scotland by accessibility ..................................................... 22 Table 1.3.4: Distance to Nearest Accessible Station ......................................................................................... 24 Table 1.3.5: Insch Station Video Surveys - Key Figures .................................................................................... 27 Table 1.3.6: Existing LDP allocations ............................................................................................................... 29 Table 1.3.7: Key Outcomes from Stakeholder Engagement .............................................................................. 31 Table 1.3.8: Summary of Problems, Issues, Opportunities and Constraints ....................................................... 41 Table 1.4.1: SMART TPO Setting .................................................................................................................... 42 Table 1.4.2: TPO Alignment with Wider Policy .................................................................................................. 42 Table 1.5.1: Insch Station Accessibility Improvements: Option Generation ........................................................ 44 Table 1.5.2: Option Sifting ............................................................................................................................... 50 4 Executive Summary Introduction Accessibility improvements at Insch Station – which sits on the Aberdeen to Inverness line approximately 27 miles northwest of Aberdeen, at the southern outskirts of the village – have been a longstanding issue of concern amongst local residents and Elected Members in North East Scotland. Platform 2 is accessible from the main road (B9002) and the station’s car park via a short flight of steps or ramps. Platform 1 is only accessible from Platform 2 via a stepped overbridge. Insch is the only station in the North East of Scotland where both platforms are not accessible to all users, making it a priority for improvement from a regional perspective. Currently, passengers with Figure 1: Insch Station Context Plan mobility issues have the option to arrange a taxi in advance with ScotRail to transfer to the next closest stations of Inverurie (~21 minutes) or Huntly (~18 minutes) for part of their journey. Problems & Opportunities Analysis The key problems, issues, opportunities and constraints in the study area have been identified based on a review socio-economic conditions in the study area, key transport and travel trends at Insch Station, a review of accessibility at Insch relative to other stations across Scotland, the environmental and planning context and the findings from public