What steps it is taking to ensure that road works are carried out in a manner that (a) is minimally intrusive to local communities and (b) …

Transport Scotland on behalf of Scottish Ministers is responsible for managing, maintaining and improving Scotland’s trunk road and motorway network. The statutory responsibility for local roads improvement, maintenance and repair lies with local road authorities.
Trunk road works are developed and planned to minimise disruption to businesses, local communities and the travelling public. For major capital projects or maintenance works, road closures and operations at peak times are avoided where possible, with works often planned overnight. Other key matters that are balanced in scheduling works include the safety of the public and operatives, environmental issues, impacts on the surrounding transport networks and local stakeholder feedback.
Depending on the size, duration, traffic management proposals or expected disruption from a project or scheme, formal consultation is undertaken with affected groups and feedback incorporated where safe to do so. Advance notice of road works is conveyed through press releases, local/national radio, social media and road signage to enable road users to plan their journeys accordingly during times of disruption. Disruption is then monitored by Traffic Scotland and works contractors, with information being passed to the public via radio and website updates and on variable message signs. Traffic management arrangements are reviewed and amended where possible to mitigate significant delays.
This commitment to our customer-focussed approach is key to safely and effectively operating the trunk network during periods of essential works.
For environmental impacts, all projects and maintenance works on the trunk road network are robustly assessed for their potential effects. Proposals are screened by environmental specialists and a record of the assessment is prepared, which includes the mitigations that will be implemented in order to avoid or minimise any environmental impact. The assessment process ensures that legislative requirements are met and best practices are implemented to minimise any environmental effects.
All of our major trunk road projects are subject to detailed review and assessment work to ensure we keep impacts on the environment to the absolute minimum. Compliance with environmental commitments is monitored as construction work progresses.