Contents
- General Question Time
- First Minister’s Question Time
- Kindergarten Stage
- Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Question Time
- Portfolio Question Time
- European Structural and Investment Funds
- Public Service Investment
- Decision Time
Portfolio Question Time
Net Zero and Energy, and Transport
The next item of business is portfolio question time. The portfolio on this occasion is net zero and energy, and transport. As ever, members wishing to ask a supplementary question should press their request-to-speak button during the relevant question.
Visitor Road Safety (Highlands and Islands)
To ask the Scottish Government how it is informing tourists and other visitors of how to use roads across the Highlands and Islands safely. (S6O-03565)
In 2019, Road Safety Scotland, Police Scotland and the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association developed a campaign targeting people who are not familiar with driving on the left. Leaflets, wristbands and windscreen stickers were provided to car rental companies to distribute to foreign drivers hiring vehicles at airports across Scotland. We also offer advice to motorcyclists, as well as to drivers of caravans and motorhomes.
In 2023, after Covid, the campaign was relaunched, and resources were made available in tourist centres, airports and ferry ports, supported by signs with various messages. The driver wristbands say, “Drive on the left” in nine languages, and clutch reservoir gaiters saying, “Ride on the left” in eight languages were produced for motorcyclists. A short animated video for drivers to view in advance of picking up their vehicles was also created. Orders for materials can be made for distribution this year.
The potential risks of tourists and others who are unfamiliar with the A9 using the road are well known. Across the Highlands and Islands, we are seeing a proliferation of motorhomes, many of which are driven by people with no experience of driving one, nor of the difficult and too often pothole-ridden roads that they are driving on.
In Orkney and Shetland, there has been an increase in the number of visitors touring the islands on e-bikes that are provided by the cruise ships that they have just come off. Many of those people will not have ridden one before, and they are using roads that are simply not suitable for large slow-moving groups of cyclists, who are often more focused on the scenery than on the road and other traffic. I have seen such groups, myself.
What concerns does the cabinet secretary have about the potential risks that those situations are creating? How can the Scottish Government support the police and local councils in addressing them?
Jamie Halcro Johnston has raised an important and serious issue in relation to unfamiliarity and different vehicles. The motorhomes that are being hired should be identified as a particular target for the campaign that I referred to.
On Jamie Halcro Johnston’s point about e-bikes, I note that ferry ports, as well as airports, are important exit points to destinations, so upping the profile of the issues and the “Drive on the left” campaign in those contexts is important. I am also aware that, on some Loganair flights—I might not be correct about the airline—there is an announcement about the issue to people who are leaving the aircraft. Raising of the campaign’s profile continues. We also support road safety through councils including Highland Council.
Ferries (Consultants)
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that it has spent nearly £6 million on consultants providing advice on the future of ferries. (S6O-03566)
On complex and high-value projects, specialist advice is required to ensure that Scottish Government contracts fully meet policy objectives and legal requirements. That figure refers to work since 2015, which has included support from specialist technical, legal and financial external advisers, including those with expertise in the maritime sector, in their work both in Scotland and internationally. The work will help to ensure that we adhere to the relevant legislation, that we meet the needs of communities and that the appropriate ferries projects deliver value for money to the public purse.
I understand that the latest award is of £250,000 to EY, but passengers and the workforce are in the dark as to what the work by consultants has achieved, to date. Will the cabinet secretary advise members on that and commit to a formal and regular structure of direct engagement with the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, the Transport Salaried Staffs Association and other CalMac Ferries unions on the case for a direct award? Will she outline the engagement that she is having with islanders? What more can be done to ensure that the voices of the workforce and islanders are heard in decisions about the future structure of our ferry services?
The short answer is that I do, they are and we will. We regularly engage with the unions. I have a regular session specifically with the ferry unions, and a direct award has been the subject of discussions with them. Just as important, if not more important, is the detail of that. The content of the next award has been the subject of direct engagement between Transport Scotland officials and the unions. Similarly, we will report on consultation of islanders on the next award.
A number of members wish to ask supplementaries. I will try to get them all in, but they will need to brief, as will the responses.
I was pleased to see that the new MV Loch Indaal was launched at the weekend. I look forward to its entering service next year.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that we could make more progress and deliver more investment in essential infrastructure, including our ferry fleet, if Scotland’s capital budget had not been slashed by the Tories? Does she share my concern that, if Labour wins the election, far from providing more funds for Scotland, it will make further cuts that will hamper our ambition for ferries and other essential transport?
In recent years, we have delivered record levels of funding for ferry services and improved infrastructure. It was great to see the Loch Indaal being launched at the weekend.
Our planned investment is set out in the islands connectivity plan and in the vessels and ports plan, but it relies on significant uplifts in budgets, particularly in relation to capital. We know that the United Kingdom Government’s spring budget fell far short of meeting Scotland’s needs. We also know, from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, that Labour is planning to make cuts and that it would require cuts of up to £20 billion to be made by 2028.
We need the incoming UK Government to introduce an emergency budget to restore the £1.3 billion cut in Scotland’s capital budget.
Would the cabinet secretary agree to allow a briefing—a private briefing, if necessary—to be provided by First Marine International on the benchmarking study that it carried out on the Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd shipyard and the investment that it would need to make it sufficiently competitive?
I am not responsible for Ferguson Marine, but I will relay that question to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, who has the key responsibility in that area.
Has the Scottish Government hired consultants to look at the option of tunnels to replace ferries and, if it has, how much has been spent on that, to date?
Tunnels are part of the strategic transport projects review 2, and Beatrice Wishart will be aware that the Shetland task force is looking at various connectivity issues across the islands, including Shetland Islands Council ferry replacements and tunnels. There has been constructive engagement with the Shetland ferry replacement task force, which has been convened by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government.
In relation to the work by consultants that has been carried out for Shetland, we have agreed to look at any business development support that might be required in terms of planning. However, that is a broader answer to the specific question that Beatrice Wishart asked.
Rail Services (Ayr, Girvan and Stranraer)
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any economic and social impact of there being no rail services between Ayr, Girvan and Stranraer since the line was closed in September 2023. (S6O-03567)
I am very much aware of the impact that the closure of Ayr station has had on people who live and work in the area and travel to and from Ayr, Maybole, Girvan and Stranraer.
As Carol Mochan might be aware, the lead responsibility for Ayr station hotel rests with South Ayrshire Council, while Network Rail has responsibility for the railway station itself.
We share the concerns regarding the length of time that the works to secure the building have taken. That is due to the complex nature of the safety-related works which, as the investigative work developed, required that the southern extension and a large portion of the northern extension be demolished.
However, I am also pleased that, according to the latest advice from ScotRail, bus replacement services are operating well and that, from 17 June, ScotRail expects an Ayr to Glasgow electric service to be reinstated. I also understand that it is hoped that a full return to services, including to Maybole, Girvan, Barrhill and Stranraer, will be possible from mid-July.
I, too, welcome the news that we can expect services to resume in July. However, businesses and commuters in those towns and the surrounding areas have suffered as a result of the disruption. A big problem has been the lack of affordable and reliable bus routes to pick up the strain when such events occur. Since 2007, more than 1,200 bus routes have been lost in Scotland and, in real terms, the cost of bus travel has increased.
A recent report by the Institute for Public Policy Research, “Wheels of change: Promoting fair and green transport in rural Scotland”, has called on the Scottish Government to identify, fund and champion the anchor towns and communities that would provide public services and transport hubs for people who live in rural areas. What action has been taken in that regard?
I recognise that the fire that caused the disruption was not the responsibility of anybody but those who caused the fire, and that the consequences of that are being met by a load of different organisations.
Carol Mochan’s point about how we can help with having anchor towns in relation to public sector transport modal shift is an interesting segue from rail, but I get it. That—ensuring that we support modal hubs for buses and trains—is the main focus of the work that we are trying to do with our transport strategy.
We have a deregulated bus system. This Government brought in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 and the subsequent legislation to allow regional transport partnerships the choice to take different positions. However, as Carol Mochan will be aware, her party did not, when it was last in power, make any changes to the deregulated position, which means that there has to be partnership working with private bus companies, which are responsible for the vast majority of the services that are provided.
I will take a brief supplementary from Sharon Dowey.
I also welcome the news that some rail services will return to Ayr station from 17 June, with services south to Maybole, Girvan and Stranraer expected to be operational in July.
The fire at Ayr station hotel has been devastating and has severely impacted local businesses and the community. Given that no service was in place for more than nine months, what measures can the Scottish Government take to encourage passengers back on to the tracks to visit towns in the south-west, thereby boosting the local economy?
I appreciate Sharon Dowey’s point, which was also raised by another member during First Minister’s question time. We currently have a discounted proposition with the removal of peak fares, which is to encourage people to use rail more generally, but Sharon Dowey makes the important point that we need to help in publicising and promoting the services in order to encourage more people to visit the south-west.
Road Safety (Local Authorities)
To ask the Scottish Government how it works with local authorities to promote road safety. (S6O-03568)
We are supporting our commitment to make Scotland’s roads safe for all with a record £36 million investment in road safety in 2024-25 to reduce casualties and risks on our roads. That includes the road safety improvement fund, which each local authority can access to improve road safety on their networks.
The Scottish Government collaborates with all local authorities via our local partnership forums, which are part of the governance structure of the road safety framework to 2030, and various other road safety forums. Those forums give us the capability to improve communication between local and national levels.
Road Safety Scotland has developed a full suite of learning and resources for three to 18-year-olds, which is available on its website.
I frequently hear from constituents who are concerned about speeding across my Rutherglen constituency, including on Brownside Road in Cambuslang, which has seen numerous accidents over the years. However, more often than not, South Lanarkshire Council does not commit to implementing traffic calming measures.
Although prioritising areas for traffic calming is an operational matter for South Lanarkshire Council, can the cabinet secretary outline further how the Government engages with local authorities to ensure that they are doing what they can to improve road safety for pedestrians and other drivers?
Through our road safety framework to 2030 we aim to protect our vulnerable road users and achieve safer road travel in Scotland.
As I said in my initial answer, we engage local authorities through the local partnership forums and other road safety groups. Through the road safety improvement fund, we provide financial support as well as road collision data to allow local authorities to deliver evidence-led road safety initiatives to target overrepresented modes and users in their respective areas.
We also provide financial support for local authorities to deliver the 20mph speed limits as part of the national strategy.
In May, I joined Living Streets, the United Kingdom charity for active travel that encourages children to walk through walk to school week.
Our roads are seen as too dangerous for many, with casualties on the roads increasing since 2020. Will the cabinet secretary outline what measures the Scottish Government is taking to increase road safety and promote active travel, and will she assure me that projects for Transport Scotland’s road safety framework will be fully funded until 2030?
Road safety is a big concern of mine, which is why we have that record level of funding in the road safety and improvement budget. I think that, in his question, the member is referring to local roads. I am responsible for trunk roads and councils will be responsible for local roads. However, his point about active travel incorporating safety measures is well made. I will make sure that, as we take forward our active travel plans, road safety is embedded as part and parcel of what we deliver.
Electric Vehicle Charging Points
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points, particularly in rural areas. (S6O-03569)
The Scottish Government has invested more than £65 million in public EV charging since 2011. As a result of that and increasing private investment, Scotland has the best provision of public EV charging per head of any part of the United Kingdom except London, and the most rapid charge points of any part of the UK. We now have more than 5,000 public EV charging points and we are on target to hit 6,000 by 2026.
We are investing a further £30 million through our EV infrastructure fund and supporting local authorities to leverage private investment to continue to grow public EV charging, with funding specifically prioritising those areas of Scotland that are less likely to attract private investment in public charging points, including rural and island communities. Earlier this month, two EV infrastructure fund grants were issued to support continued growth of the public EV charging network across a number of local authority areas, and further grants are due to be issued during 2024.
The ability to use electric vehicles depends on the ability to access charging points, which are more likely to be found in urban areas. To support our rural households, will the Scottish Government consider off-grid wind or solar-powered charging points in rural areas to avoid overburdening the grid?
That is an interesting point. I will ask my officials to look at what might be more self-sustaining in the provision of charging points. We welcome any innovative ideas on how we might roll out charging points all over Scotland, which is a big geographical area. For example, we have recently seen BT using green street cabinets as an innovative way of improving the range of charging points.
Alongside the private sector, local authorities have a key role to play in continuing to grow the EV charging network, especially in the many rural areas of Scotland that might otherwise struggle to attract commercial investment. Can the cabinet secretary advise what the Scottish Government is doing to support councils to play their part?
We have a clear partnership with local authorities. We provide the EV charging infrastructure fund that I mentioned in my first answer. It is expected that, this year, Scotland will benefit from up to £15 million of private sector investment in public EV charging, and our £30 million EV infrastructure fund encourages local authorities to collaborate in order to develop the scale of opportunity that can attract commercial investment. That is really important in order to develop provision across the country and support the skills, expertise and resources that will be needed. Local authorities are key partners in that work.
When I visited Mowi in Rosyth a few months ago, I saw that it was installing quite a number of EV chargers. It explained to me that it intends to continue that process and hopes to open the charging points to the public. Does the Government see employers as having a key role here? If so, is it speaking to employer organisations, particularly in rural Scotland?
That point is well made. The range and extent of EVs and, therefore, people’s confidence in using them will depend on the charging network. Clearly, we want to encourage people to use public transport, but if people are still using cars to travel to work, particularly in more rural areas, it is important that employers can provide charging points. That, too, will be part of the programme, with private and public investment working together to create that extended reach.
Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 (Highlands and Islands)
To ask the Scottish Government how it envisages that the recommendations of the second strategic transport projects review will benefit the people of the Highlands and Islands. (S6O-03570)
The Government is committed to developing and maintaining a safe, resilient and sustainable transport network to connect our communities. STPR2 includes 37 recommendations, out of a total of 45, to improve connectivity for the people of the Highlands and Islands.
We are already investing in our ports and vessels for both the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services and the northern isles ferry services—the CHFS and NIFS networks. We are also enhancing active travel connections and we are improving the A83. In conjunction with other STPR2 recommendations, including an integrated transport plan for Fort William, those measures will collectively improve reliability, accessibility and travel choice for the Highlands and Islands.
I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. Fast, easy train journeys can play a huge part in getting people and freight off the roads. Can the cabinet secretary speak to the potential for rail infrastructure improvements across my region, the Highlands and Islands, particularly for the Highland main line, given its potential to reduce traffic and freight on the A9, where heavy loads can cause frustration and slower journeys?
Phase 1 of the Highland main line improvement project was delivered back in 2012, and that increased services from nine to 11 trains. The main part of that project, phase 2, was completed in March 2019, at a cost of £57 million. That included upgrades at Aviemore and Pitlochry stations for signalling, along with the extension of the passing loop at Aviemore and the reconfiguration and extension of the platforms at Pitlochry, which enabled the simultaneous arrival of trains at both those stations.
There are currently no active enhancement projects on the Highland main line, but officials at Transport Scotland continue to revise its programmes of work against the priorities in the context of the available funding.
20mph Speed Limits
[Inaudible.]—for 20mph speed limits.
Ms McNair, there was something wrong with your audio. Please repeat the question.
Apologies, Presiding Officer.
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress in implementing the national strategy for 20mph speed limits. (S6O-03571)
The Scottish Government remains committed to implementing 20mph speed limits on appropriate roads by the end of 2025, and we are making good progress towards meeting that timeline.
All councils have now submitted their assessment of which roads would be appropriate in their area for a speed limit of 20mph. A delivery sub-group consisting of officials from Transport Scotland, local authorities and other road safety partners will oversee the implementation of the scheme nationally and will produce a detailed programme of delivery to meet the 2025 deadline, containing the actual costs to complete that important road safety initiative. Highland Council is successfully piloting speed reductions, and communities that do not yet have 20mph speed limits are expressing interest in them.
I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. I have been undertaking a road safety survey in the East Dunbartonshire part of my constituency. A common theme arising from the data has been the safety of cyclists on our roads. In part, that will be due to the tragic death of a cyclist in Bearsden North earlier in the year. Can the cabinet secretary advise what work the Scottish Government has done to encourage safe cycling and to promote greater respect for cyclists on our roads?
As part of our active travel behaviour change programme, we have provided grant funding to Cycling Scotland to run a number of cycle safety training projects, including bikeability cycling training for adults and cycle awareness training for professional drivers, including heavy goods vehicle drivers. We also provide funding to Cycling Scotland to run the “Give cycle space” advertising campaign, which raises awareness of the need for people in cars to behave appropriately when sharing the road with cyclists. “Give cycle space” continues to have a positive impact on driver behaviour, with nine in 10 drivers reporting that they had been taking positive action, including by leaving at least 1.5m of space when overtaking, as a result of the campaign.
The picture across Wales is now absolutely clear: its 20mph national roll-out has reduced casualties by a third. The Tories seem to care very little about road safety, proposing a bill that would roll back on 20mph limits. Can the cabinet secretary confirm that there is no such rollback in Scotland, that funding will be there for councils to implement their plans next year and that, as part of that, a national communications plan will also be rolled out, learning from the Welsh experience of a 20mph national roll-out?
We will follow the Welsh experience, and indeed the three-month figures on road casualties, with interest. It is worth reminding everybody that, if someone is hit at 30mph, they are seven times more likely to die than at 20mph—so this is about road safety. We have to implement the policy a way that suits Scotland. We have got the plans in from local councils, and the communication of that will need to be part of it. I can reassure Mark Ruskell that I am absolutely committed to ensuring that our roads are safe, and I see 20mph limits as part of that safety campaign.
Question 8 has not been lodged, so that concludes portfolio questions on net zero and energy, and transport.