Table 1 Claims related to health and wellbeing made for and against the new motorway
From: Shoe leather epidemiology: active travel and transport infrastructure in the urban landscape
| Domain* | Claims made in favour of intervention† | Claims made against intervention† |
|---|---|---|
| Economic | Will create up to 20,000 jobs by enabling regeneration and encouraging inward investment | Will redistribute economic activity from other parts of Scotland rather than producing a net increase |
| Will increase business competitiveness by improving just-in-time delivery times | Will displace 100 local businesses | |
| Will create 350 jobs during construction | ||
| Traffic | Will reduce journey times, relieve congestion on existing motorways and main roads, and reduce traffic on local roads | Will increase traffic in general and on feeder roads in particular |
| Injuries | Will reduce accidents | |
| Active travel | Quieter local roads will lead to improved conditions for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport | Will encourage use of motor vehicles Local walking and cycling journeys will be made more difficult by having to cross new motorway junctions |
| Environmental | Noise and air pollution will be reduced on balance throughout the area | Moderate-to-major increases in noise are predicted at some sites |
| Will produce minimal severance effects because much of the route follows an existing main line railway | Nitrogen dioxide concentrations will be increased within 100 metres of the route | |
| Chromium-contaminated land will be handled safely during construction | Very severe combined impacts predicted in four residential areas close to the route | |
| Chromium will be dispersed from contaminated land into the air or river during construction | ||
| Contradicts stated overall sustainability objectives of transport policy | ||
| Social justice | Will improve quality of life in local communities | Unacceptable opportunity cost, e.g. the money could be used to fund improved public transport |
| Will result in better employment opportunities for local people | Will mostly benefit motorists from more distant and more affluent areas, causing adverse effects on local communities which have low levels of car ownership |