Originally, Scotland was covered by a single Branch of the Institution of Highway Engineers, this Branch being formed in June 1951 with an initial membership of 56.

 

The original Branch took meetings to all corners of the 30,14 square miles of Scotland, but recognition of the geographical area covered by this single Branch coupled with a membership which had increased by 1970 to 585, led to the decision to split the Scottish membership into two Branches – one Branch to cover the north and another for the south.

 

Thus was born the Central & Southern Scotland Branch in 1970 with an initial membership of 500 covering an area extending from the Scottish Border in the south to a line between Fort William and Montrose to the north.

 

The Branch’s membership is now around 700 drawn from all sides of the Scottish transportation industry with the public and private sectors each accounting for about a quarter of the membership and contracting about one eighth.

 

The Branch has an active policy of spreading its programme of technical papers throughout the Branch area, with papers being presented in Dumfries, Melrose, Ayr, Ardrishaig, Stirling and Dundee as well as in the Central Belt at Edinburgh and Glasgow.

 

The Branch takes pride in playing an active and innovative role in the Institution’s affairs which is demonstrated by Branch member Alan Craig’s election as the Institution’s national President for the 2000/2001 session with Branch member George Hazel following as national President for the 2003/2004 session.

 

With a Committee now including many younger members, the Branch is building on the experience of the past and is looking forward enthusiastically to the next 1000 years of the Branch and the Institution.

 

The new Scottish Parliament plays the leading role in Scottish transportation policy which is administered through the Scottish Government in Edinburgh and covers air, sea and land transport including Scotland’s 3270 kilometre motorway and trunk road network.

 

Scotland’s 32 Local Councils carry the responsibility for the remainder of the public road network, with 25 of these lying within the Branch’s area.

 

Other public and private organisations active in all matters relating to transport infrastructure within the Branch area are the various passenger transport executives, the local enterprise companies, railway, airport and maritime companies and leading contractors with legal and financial advisors within PFI and PPP arrangements.