Scotland’s City Region Deals are fuelling inequality, damaging the environment and further undermining the country’s climate commitments.
Almost £1bn on high-carbon transport schemes
Our latest report ‘Dirty Deals’ has scrutinised the £1.3 billion of public funding allocated to transport infrastructure in the Deals.
We found that £900m (over 70%) of transport infrastructure investment is allocated to high-carbon road projects – that is, almost £1bn is being spent on projects which worsen social inequality and damage the environment.
Why this matters
The City Deals provided an opportunity for transformational investment in transport in our cities, but local and national politicians have disproportionately favoured projects which will inevitably generate more traffic and higher emissions.
Politicians could have decided to reduce inequalities by investing in public transport and in our streets.
In stark contrast, the decision to commit funds to a new round of road-building (schemes that will benefit the more affluent) will worsen inequalities and increase climate emissions.
What’s happening at a regional level?
The Deals cover 6 regions: Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh & South East Scotland, Glasgow City Region, Inverness & Highlands, Stirling & Clackmannanshire, and Tay Cities.
We’ve broken down the spending in each City Region below:
Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
- The only transport infrastructure being built as part of this deal is road access to Aberdeen South Harbour.
- The result: £25m of high-carbon spending on building a new road and increasing capacity for motorised traffic.
- Includes provision for walking and cycling, but spending unquantified and likely minimal.
Edinburgh & South East Scotland
- The largest projects in this deal are a new roundabout at Sheriffhall (£107 million) and relief/spur roads for the A701 and A702 (£51 million).
- The result is £158m of high-carbon spending on increasing capacity for motor vehicles.
- Car-centric transport spending dwarfs much-needed active travel and public transport projects, including the West Edinburgh Transport Improvement Programme (£36 million).
- In total 76% of the transport funds are being spent on high-carbon transport infrastructure which locks in inequalities and fails climate tests.
Glasgow City Region
- Glasgow’s deal is the biggest and most complex.
- The deal includes £727m on transport (the largest of the deals by far with expenditure more than the other 5 deals combined).
- The good news: The largest project is £139 million for Glasgow City Council’s ‘Avenues’ project to transform the city centre streetscape and public realm to make it centred on people.
- The bad news: The next five largest sub-projects, totalling £360 million, are for road building in several other council areas.
- In total 61% of the transport funds are being spent on high-carbon transport infrastructure which locks in inequalities and fails climate tests.
Inverness & Highlands
- The only transport projects in the Inverness and Highlands deal are large road building projects to increase capacity and allow a higher volume of vehicles to use the A9, A96, and West Link bypass.
- Transport spending (£139m in total) is entirely focused on locking in high carbon infrastructure
Stirling and Clackmannanshire
- This is one of the smallest deals for transport at £28m (over 25x smaller than Glasgow’s spend).
- All the funds are focused on increasing and enhancing low carbon infrastructure.
- Projects target gaps in the active travel network and ways to make getting between key destinations in the region more convenient and safer without a car.
Tay Cities
- The vast majority (87%) of the £184m total transport spend is for high-carbon infrastructure.
- This includes: £151 million for the Cross Tay Link Road and £10m Dundee Airport investment.
- £24m (13%) is being spent on much-needed public transport and active travel projects.
- Overall, the Deal results in a large increase in road capacity for cars and lorries, as well as investment in aviation – the most polluting mode of transport.
Where do we go from here?
It is clear that transport decision making needs to change. We’re calling for:
- A review of spending priorities such that investment decisions seek to reduce inequalities and promote sustainable transport
- A Parliamentary inquiry into spending in the deals
- An immediate halt to new road schemes, pending a review against the Scottish Government’s climate and equality targets
Check out ‘Dirty Deals’ media coverage:
- BBC: Call to halt new roads being built under city deals
- The Herald: Scotland must halt road-building and use public cash to benefit people and planet, campaigners argue
- The Scotsman: Scotland must halt road-building and use public cash to benefit people and planet, campaigners argue
- Daily Record: Transport charity slams ‘dirty deals’ using City Deal £1bn funds on ‘polluting’ road projects
