The Nestrans Regional Transport Strategy (RTS)

The Regional Transport Strategy is a long-term strategy for the areas of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, which sets the vision and direction for transport in the region up to the year 2040.

Our vision is to provide a safer, cleaner, more inclusive, accessible and resilient transport system in the North East, which protects the natural and built environment and contributes to healthier, more prosperous and fairer communities.

Key Priorities
The 2040 strategy follows six key priorities which set the tone and direction of the strategy. These are:

Improved journey efficiencies to enhance connectivity
Zero fatalities on the road network
Air quality that is cleaner than the World Health Organisation standards for emissions from transport
Significantly reduced carbon emissions from transport to support net-zero by 2045
Accessibility for all
A step change in public transport and active travel enabling a 50:50 mode split between car driver and sustainable modes.

How we monitor progress
The Nestrans Annual Monitoring Report is submitted each year to the Nestrans Board, and provides information and background data to support the development of the Regional Transport Strategy.

The baseline monitoring report for Nestrans 2040 strategy was approved by the Nestrans Board in February 2022. View the Monitoring & Modelling page to keep up to date with our Monitoring Reports.

Read the blog about our monitoring process.

Aberdeen Climate and Nature Pledge

Nestrans signed the Aberdeen Climate and Nature Pledge in 2022. The pledge is a commitment by the organisations and people of the City of Aberdeen to act within their own organisations and lives to contribute towards the Net Zero Aberdeen Route map and Aberdeen Adapts climate adaptation framework. You can read more about the pledges made by visiting the Aberdeen Climate and Nature Pledge page on Aberdeen City Council's website.

Key Documents

View the Nestrans 2040 Regional Transport Strategy View the RTS Supporting Documents Read our 'At a Glance' Guide to the Regional Transport Strategy

If you would like to request a hard copy of the RTS, please contact Nestrans.

Delivery Mapping

Transport, travel, and infrastructure in the North East have changed significantly over the past 20 years. We created a timeline of some of the significant changes since 2000.

Previous Strategies

2013 Regional Transport Strategy Refresh

In 2012, the Nestrans Board agreed to carry out a review of the RTS to take account of a number of changes in policy and to better align it to the Structure Plan and emerging Strategic Development Plan for the North East.

2008 Regional Transport Strategy
Following submission to Ministers for approval in March 2007, the Nestrans Regional Transport Strategy was revised in line with comments from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth.

Modern Transport System
The Modern Transport System (MTS) is the transport strategy to 2011 for north east Scotland developed by Nestrans in 2002/2003.