Chamber and committees

Before I move on, I have a question about battery electric trains. I understand that they would be needed, for example, on the Maryhill line, which is not electrified. Modern battery electric trains could run on that line without electrification. Is that the benefit of battery electric?

I am sorry for labouring the point, but I had to be clear in my own head. Thank you.

There is no shortage of data.

Is ScotRail taking part in other initiatives to grow the passenger market? I should declare that I am a new member of club 50, and the £17 return fares, where you can add a kid for a quid, mean that I use the railway for journeys that I would otherwise have taken by other means. I am not talking about that scheme specifically, but have other initiatives been successful in growing the market?

I would not indulge myself, convener, as you know.

However, Ms Maguire, it would be helpful if you could set out in correspondence how Scotland’s Railway reports on how successful or otherwise such initiatives have been. What you have said sounds very positive, but it would be good for the committee to be able to look at some of that information.

It sounds more economic to do it that way, given the cost of full electrification.

On financing, ROSCOs appear to be the only show in town, because of the huge costs involved. Do the Government and ScotRail have the ability to knit together alternative financing arrangements, or is that just how it is?

I will move on to the accessibility of Scotland’s rail network. With the earlier panel, I raised the example of me using Springburn train station with my small child—it is more of an assault course than a train station to navigate. Other train stations with similar issues are available, convener, but that particular station has made it on to the access for all scheme shortlist for the second time. The Department for Transport will make a decision in due course, but it was on that shortlist previously. Does the access for all scheme work well, not just for Springburn station but across the country?

Do you have any other comments about the need to do more to make train stations more accessible to all? That includes not just families and wheelchair users but the visually impaired and others.

I have no more questions, convener but, for clarity and transparency, I point out that I was at the visit to Springburn station that Mr Hynes referenced. Also, I put on record—this came up in the earlier evidence session—that representatives of Sustrans, the college and Glasgow City Council were also there. The small charity Spirit of Springburn, of which I am a trustee and which engages in town centre regeneration, was also represented. There was a sense of proper collegiate partnership working.

I apologise for cutting across you, John, but this is a significant question and our two witnesses online also want to put some thoughts on the record.

That is very helpful. Would Allan Faulds like to come in?