11.1 Introduction

Increasing the accessibility of the transport network is a high-level objective included in Scotland's Transport Future (2004) and is reinforced within Scotland's National Transport Strategy (2006). Increased accessibility to employment features as one of the elements of transport contribution to the promotion of the Government's Purpose, as delivered in the GES (2007). Transport Scotland is aware of developments in this area and is looking to address these in the near future.

The Part 2 Appraisal against the Accessibility and Social Inclusion Criterion involves a detailed appraisal of accessibility impacts defined by the ability of people and businesses to access goods, services, people and opportunities. Most accessibility is revealed through travel demand and captured in the TEE section under the Economy Criterion.

However, the detailed Accessibility and Social Inclusion Appraisal considers two aspects not covered by the TEE:

• Community Accessibility; and
• Comparative Accessibility.

Community accessibility comprises:

• Public Transport Network Coverage - a consideration of the impacts of an option on each group in society for a range of trip purposes; and
• Local Accessibility - the measurement of opportunities to walk or cycle to services and facilities is required, including severance arising from proposed changes.

Comparative Accessibility considers the distribution of impacts by:

• People group - particular attention is paid to the needs of socially excluded groups with age, gender, mobility impairment, income group and car ownership factors of relevance; and
• Geographic location - locations relevant to local Transport Planning Objectives considered, for example community regeneration areas, areas of disadvantage and deprivation and rural areas. The appraisal should describe where impacts are occurring and compare the impacts within these locations with other areas.