The changing geography of Scottish transport governance

• Main Author: Pangbourne, Katharine Jane
• Published: University of Aberdeen 2010
• Subjects: 711; Transportation geography : Transportation and state : Transportation
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.531896

This thesis contributes to theorizing governance and state restructuring and assesses the effectiveness of the strategic transport governance arrangements in Scotland during the period 2006-2007/08.  The context is the seven Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) that were established to tackle cross-boundary and regional issues.  The ontology is broadly critical realist and the methodological approach is qualitative utilising a modified grounded theory approach.  Fifty-four interviews were carried out and three RTPs used as case studies over the period 2005/06-2007/08. There are two conclusions.  First, progress in governing the development of strategic transport issues hinges on closer integration of spatial planning and transport planning strategy processes. Distinct professional spheres need to work more collaboratively.  Second, the concepts of ‘hollowing-out’ and ‘filling-in’ from governance literature need to be enhanced to reflect the nuances found in this empirical research. Drawing on a New State Spaces framework, the concepts of centrally-orchestrated regionalism/regionally-orchestrated centralism, and the process-oriented work on collaborative governance reveals a Collaborative Inertia in the current RTP structure that is founded on uncertainty.  It is proposed that two new processes have been identified: ‘over-stuffing’ as a useful perspective in explaining the structure and relations evident in Scottish transport governance and that there has been a process of ‘locally-orchestrated regionalism’ in the formation of voluntary RTPs, which has paradoxically led to a weak statutory regionalism. However, the regional dimension remains important and suggestions are made regarding strengthening integration between sectors at the same time as reducing the organisational complexity of governance.