Future scenarios and strategic choices - Transport Policy and Planning in Great Britain - page 427

• 'better use' measures could be included within the options considered by promoters
• small-scale projects could be appraised proportionately
• levels of appraisal were identified appropriate to successive stages in the
development of schemes
• guidance on some individual aspects, e.g. environmental impacts and reliability,
could be strengthened.
The consultation paper referred to the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance,
STAG, which distinguishes between a simpler, strategic level of analysis used at an
initial stage and subsequent more detailed assessment of individual schemes (Transport
Scotland 2008a). This minimises wasted time by the preliminary testing of potential
solutions - a process which is also more accessible to non-experts and therefore
facilitates public involvement. A further interesting example of such preliminary
testing, using multi-criteria analysis (scoring of weighted objectives) has been applied
in an exploratory study testing a wide range of intervention options to a controversial
bypass scheme at Wing in Buckinghamshire (see Steer Davies Gleave 2007 and LTT
486).
The Refresh also provides the opportunity to remedy the present sprawling nature
of the WebTAG guidance (Chapter 21 earlier) with clearer direction on its application
to different levels of decision-making and distinguishing between mandatory and
advisory elements. Other common criticisms to be investigated include the treatment
of time savings which represent the aggregation of a large number of very small
savings to individuals and the perceived bias against schemes which involve a loss
of revenue to the Exchequer (notably fuel duty in the case of schemes which reduce
car use). However more fundamental critiques have been submitted in response to
the consultation (see Buchan and Goodwin in LTT 492). (An official summary of all
responses has since been published - see DfT 2008f.) Whatever words are included
in Government policy documents the power exerted by the appraisal system is such
that the outcome of the Refresh exercise - and particularly the extent to which these
more fundamental criticisms are addressed - will have a profound influence on future
transport policy as it is actually executed.
The next stage in the Government's strategic planning process is to promote
discussion on the main 'challenges' (problems and opportunities) to achieving its
suggested goals. In support of this the 2007 White Paper includes an 'initial assessment'
which is structured by the five goals and the four spatial levels at which they are to
be addressed within the Department's cross-modal organisation (Figure 24.6). The
international level is excluded here. This form of presentation has the disadvantage
that individual types of intervention are linked with individual goals whereas several
- e.g. the promotion of walking and cycling - contribute to some or all of them.
Nevertheless the figure is reproduced here as the most recent indication of the issues
on which options for the post-2014 plans are likely to focus.