Chapter 3: Respondents' Views on the Consultation Process
Several respondents from a range of different respondent categories commented on the consultation document itself and/or the consultation process. The importance of the consultation exercise was noted by some:
" The consultation paper on Scotland's National Transport Strategy is an important and wide-ranging document which signals the likely direction of the first National Transport Strategy to be prepared for Scotland" ( LA)
" I welcome the NTS consultation as a means of taking strategic decisions for the long term about transport investment and priorities" (Parl)
" You are to be congratulated on the production of this draft NTS, which we see as a crucial move in the direction of an integrated, coherent approach to transport strategy in Scotland" (Rep Org)
However, a small number of respondents expressed their disappointment that the consultation took the form of questions on the direction of future policy rather than firmer proposals with possible options for their delivery. It was commented that given the level of pre-consultation this should have been possible ( EB/ ST, EB/ ST). Because of this, it was considered difficult to comment fully on implications of potential policy ( EB/ ST), or align Regional Transport Strategies with it ( RTP).
With its 65 questions covering a wide variety of topics, the consultation document was seen as too long and general for some. Indeed, one respondent stressed " less questions next time!" ( EB/ ST). Another commented:
" With 65 questions, little supporting evidence and uncertainty about the relative importance of differing aims, the consultation document is much too general" (Rep Org)
More than one respondent urged that the strategy should avoid trying to be " all things to all people" ( RTP, Bus). By doing this it was considered that there was a risk of paying insufficient attention to the big strategic issues ( RTP).
Whilst one respondent welcomed explicitly the coverage in the consultation document of issues relating to disabled people's transport needs:
"… welcome that the NTS consultation has clearly identified that disabled people's transport needs must be addressed at a strategic level" (Eq Bod),
others bemoaned what they saw as gaps in coverage of equalities issues such as " women and children or race" ( LA); or the lack of reference to the developing national strategy for an ageing population (Rep Org). A few consultees considered that the consultation had devoted too little attention to young people's issues:
" It appears that very little real consideration has gone into this paper with regard to young people. Due to the content and readability of this type of paper, I imagine there will be very few responses to consultations of this kind from young people" (Oth PB).
One respondent argued the document has a whole section on the needs of elderly people and people with a disability, but no similar section on the needs of children and young people (Rep Org).
According to one consultee, the document appeared to have an urban bias (Rep Org). Others considered that in their view, the document gave scant regard to road safety issues (Oth PB), tourism (Rep Org) and relevant best practice emerging from Europe (Oth PB).
The following 15 Chapters document the substance of the analysis, presenting the main issues, arguments and recommendations contained in the responses. The Chapters follow the ordering of issues raised in the consultation document.