The potential influence on biodiversity in Scotland Trunk roads are roads that are considered to be of strategic importance to the wellbeing of the country and are under the authority of the First Minister for Scotland. The trunk roads are operated, managed and maintained by the Scottish Executive Transport and Planning Group on behalf of the Scottish Parliament.
Trunk roads can be motorways, dual carriageways, single carriageways or single track roads.
The trunk road estate includes both the road surface and the verge. Trunk roads carry approximately half of all traffic on major roads in Scotland and cover an area of over 70 square kilometres, of which more than half is vegetated. At a wider level, the design and management practices adopted by the Scottish Executive on the trunk roads are often regarded by local authorities to be appropriate for the non-trunk road network, which equates to approximately 51,000 km. The Scottish trunk road network is shown on Figure 2. This major land holding carries associated responsibilities for its management and use.