- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 15 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20863 by Cathy Jamieson on 29 November 2005 and if it is the case that failure to meet a particular contractual commitment is not a breach of contract, whether it considers that its contracts are rigorously enough drafted to ensure that contractors adhere to their contractual commitments.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
Failure to report a performance measure would lead to the application of the appropriate performance points. I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17042 on 17 June 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the strategic objectives of Transport Scotland are.
Answer
Transport Scotland’s purpose is to support the delivery of the Scottish Executive’s vision for sustainable transport in Scotland, making a real difference for people and businesses using the national rail and road systems. The specific aims, objectives and targets which Transport Scotland is tasked with delivering on behalf of ministers will be set out in the Corporate Plan 2006-08, which will be published in January 2006.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conversion of the Auchenkilns Roundabout on the A80 to a grade separated junction indicates its preference for upgrading the A80 through Cumbernauld to full motorway status.
Answer
The preference for an on line route was announced in 1997 and reaffirmed by the Strategic Roads Review in 1999. The decision to proceed to construct the new Auchenkilns Junction was taken on the economic benefits of that scheme.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest cost estimates are for (a) upgrading the A80 from Stepps to Haggs through Cumbernauld to full motorway status and (b) constructing a motorway through the identified Kelvin Valley route to join the M80 at Stepps to the M80 at Haggs.
Answer
The estimated total scheme cost of the on line route lies in the range £127 million to £146 million excluding VAT at 2004 quarter 1 prices. The equivalent range for a route through the Kelvin Valley is £239 to £271 million.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how it would manage any disruption to traffic caused in the event of the A80 from Stepps to Haggs through Cumbernauld being upgraded to full motorway status.
Answer
There will be a requirement on the contractor to maintain two lanes open in each direction on weekdays between 6am and 8pm. Similar arrangements have been used on other major projects on the A720, the A8, and the Auchenkilns upgrade.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will allow for sufficient room for the construction of a hard shoulder in any new motorways it plans to build.
Answer
Hard shoulders will be included where practicable and economic.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to upgrade the road network around Kilsyth in order to improve links from the town to the rest of Scotland.
Answer
The roads connecting Kilsyth to the rest of the Scottish public road network are local roads and are therefore the statutory responsibility of North Lanarkshire Council.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what projections it has made in respect of the volume of traffic per day on the A80 in (a) 10, (b) 20 and (c) 30 years time.
Answer
Projections have been made for the years 2010 and 2025 for the existing A80 (do minimum) and for the upgrading of the route to motorway status (with scheme). Volumes vary along the route. Typical values are shown in the following tables:
Do Minimum
| Route Section | 2010 Annual Average Daily Flow | 2025 Annual Average Daily Flow |
| Muirhead to Mollinsburn | 49,000 – 53,000 | 48,000 – 54,000 |
| Mollinsburn to Low Wood (Auchenkilns) | 86,000 | 89,000 |
| Auchenkilns to Castlecary | 87,000 – 91,000 | 93,000 – 99,000 |
With Scheme
| Route Section | 2010 Annual Average Daily Flow | 2025 Annual Average Daily Flow |
| Muirhead to Mollinsburn | 5,000 – 8,000 | 7,000 – 9,000 |
| Mollinsburn to Low Wood (Auchenkilns) | 123,000 | 134,000 |
| Auchenkilns to Castlecary | 104,000 – 107,000 | 111,000 |
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns in respect of the number of bidders for recent competitive tenders for road capital projects.
Answer
No. We are content that the level of competition for recent contracts has secured good value tender prices.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it takes the impact on the (a) environment and (b) health of the local population into consideration when deciding on the route of any motorway which it is considering constructing.
Answer
Yes. These issues are covered in an Environmental Statement which is published with the draft scheme orders.
