Committee
Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee 04 June 2014
04 Jun 2014 · S4 · Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee
Item of business
Subordinate Legislation
HGV Speed Limit (M9/A9 Trunk Road) Regulations 2014 [Draft]
Substantial work has been undertaken by the A9 safety group, which includes the safety camera partnerships and Police Scotland, which has crucial expertise in this area. The group also takes into account the views of road users, so the RHA and the transport freight group are involved in that. We have taken evidence from experts and paid heed to users’ views. I think that there has also been a petition about the A9. Certainly, there have been representations on the issue for a number of years from the road haulage industry, which has made the point that increasing the speed limit for HGVs would improve safety. By increasing the speed limit we can also start to tackle things such as elephant racing. That refers to what happens at the start of a dual-carriageway section of the A9 when an HGV pulls out to overtake a slower-travelling HGV, and the traffic that is looking for the relief of the dual carriageway to get past the HGVs is unable to do so. Increasing the speed limit for HGVs to 50mph for all sections of the route would reduce the effects of elephant racing. I should also say that there has been quite a change in how the A9 is policed since the advent of Police Scotland, which now has a dedicated trunk road police monitoring unit. There is now a greater presence of police on the A9. In the past, their presence had to be co-ordinated by different police forces, but it is now done by one unified police force. We have taken advice from the police and other experts and have also looked at the TRL study that has been mentioned and other written evidence that is out there already.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Maureen Watt)
SNP
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee’s 17th meeting in 2014. I remind everyone to switch off their mobi...
The Minister for Transport and Veterans (Keith Brown)
SNP
I am delighted to speak to the proposal for a 50mph speed limit for heavy goods vehicles in the regulations. We are doing this for a number of reasons. The e...
Adam Ingram (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
SNP
Everything else being equal, it is a wee bit counterintuitive to suggest that increasing the speed limit for HGVs will improve road safety on the A9. Will yo...
Keith Brown
SNP
I have seen that study. Our point is that accident statistics and the safety of the road will be improved by first reducing the queueing and the overtaking o...
Adam Ingram
SNP
I am familiar with the average speed camera system, given that it is a feature of the A77 south of Kilmarnock to the Ayr bypass. Is your suggestion predicate...
Keith Brown
SNP
It is predicated on both happening simultaneously. You mentioned the M77. That is an important point. Studies that have been done on the effect of the averag...
The Convener
SNP
You mentioned the potential economic impact of increasing the speed limit. Will you expand on that a bit? What economic impact were you thinking of?
Keith Brown
SNP
There are two main aspects, one of which is journey times, which can be reduced for HGVs that previously travelled at 40mph and will now be able to travel at...
Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
As part of the economic modelling, has there been any assessment of what the impact will be on rail freight by increasing the speed limit for HGVs?
Keith Brown
SNP
Since the strategic transport projects review in 2008, we have undertaken work to highlight the commitment to both road and rail freight. The STPR highlighte...
The Convener
SNP
Has a climate change impact assessment been done on changing the speed limit?
Keith Brown
SNP
We expect there to be environmental benefits. I will ask Scott Lees to say more about the detail of the assessments that have been done. You will have seen h...
Scott Lees (Scottish Government)
Stuart Wilson is more suited to answer that question.
Stuart Wilson (Scottish Government)
There has not been a specific assessment of how much CO2 might be saved by the journey time savings that the minister has mentioned, although we have done a ...
Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP)
SNP
Mr Wilson, you said that no specific assessment of CO2 emissions had been undertaken. Why is that the case, and will it be done in future?
Stuart Wilson
We will not be doing it specifically, but the A9 dualling team is doing a much wider assessment of how the A9 will perform into the future with differing spe...
Jim Eadie
SNP
Are you saying that it is not possible to undertake the assessment?
Stuart Wilson
You could do the number crunching, but the validity of the number would be questionable.
Keith Brown
SNP
We are going to have quarterly assessments, so we can at least do the calculation on the 150,000 hours that we expect to save. It will be a matter of judgmen...
Jim Eadie
SNP
That is helpful. You talked about the importance of introducing an increase in the HGV speed limit at the same time as the use of average speed cameras, an...
Keith Brown
SNP
We are going to introduce both things simultaneously. We linked them because we believe that doing so brings a benefit in economic and, to an extent, safety ...
Jim Eadie
SNP
What is the evidence base for the conclusions that you have reached? What work has been undertaken to arrive at those conclusions?
Keith Brown
SNP
Substantial work has been undertaken by the A9 safety group, which includes the safety camera partnerships and Police Scotland, which has crucial expertise i...
Jim Eadie
SNP
Thank you very much.
The Convener
SNP
So HGVs will now be allowed to do 50mph along the entire route of the A9.
Keith Brown
SNP
Yes.
The Convener
SNP
But the average speed cameras will apply to all vehicles.
Keith Brown
SNP
Yes.
The Convener
SNP
So what average speed do you expect people to do on the A9?
Keith Brown
SNP
The legal speed limit or less. Of course, there will still be a differential between HGVs and all other traffic, which can still travel at 60mph. The HGVs ar...