1.2 History of STAG

The STAG framework arose directly from the July 1998 transport White Paper, Travel Choices for Scotland, which established the new policy framework for transport in Scotland. The White Paper heralded important developments in policy with a clear focus on three key aims:

• A strong economy;
• A clean environment; and
• An inclusive society.

The draft version of STAG was issued for use and consultation in 2001 with the final version published for use in September 2003.  The guidance was then subsequently updated and launched on ‘Scot-TAG', a web based platform, in November 2005. 

More broadly, the guidance outlined in STAG is centred on providing a transport appraisal process framework which is centred on outcomes against the five STAG Criteria, namely:

• Environment (maximising the quality of the built and natural environment for enjoyment by all);
• Safety (reducing the risk and incidence of accidents and improving the security of all transport users);
• Economy (saving people's and business's time and money and facilitating desired economic development);
• Integration (fitting the transport network together and ensuring a rational relationship between transport and land-use and wider policy);
• Accessibility and Social Inclusion (providing everyone, not just users but also non-users, with the means to travel to opportunities of all kinds).