- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 19 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any arrangement to prevent the destruction of redundant sleeping cars stored by Porterbrook Leasing to enable these cars to be used as extra sleeping cars for the West Highland Line and, if not, how much it will cost to purchase new sleeping cars.
Answer
The Executive has no plans to require First ScotRail to lease additional sleeping cars as there is already sufficient capacity within the fleet. Purchase of new sleeping cars would be subject to a procurement process before reliable estimates of the costs involved could be ascertained.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 19 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the creation of a rail link between Glasgow airport and Glasgow city centre would have on reducing traffic from the M8 to the city centre (a) without and (b) with a park-and-ride facility at the airport connection.
Answer
Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT), the promoter of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link, are in the final stages of analysing the impact that their proposals will have in reducing congestion on the M8. This information will be available towards the end of May, but will not include a comparison in respect of with/without park-and-ride, as this does not form part of their scheme proposal.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 19 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out a feasibility study into the (a) cost per unit of refurbishing the redundant sleeping cars stored by Porterbrook Leasing for use on the West Highland Line or other sleeper service, comparing that to the cost of purchasing new stock, and (b) economic costs and benefits of laying on extra sleeping cars for existing rail sleeper services and whether such a study would consider the potential benefit to the tourist industry of such services and the adequacy of the existing marketing of the service.
Answer
The franchise agreement allows the Executive to receive a range of information about sleeper services on a regular basis, on marketing, demand, costs and revenues. In addition, service development is considered on an on-going basis by First ScotRail and by the Executive as part of franchise monitoring.
First ScotRail estimates that the costs of refurbishing redundant sleeping cars would be significantly less than purchasing new rolling stock. They also advise that currently there is no need for additional sleeping cars as there is sufficient capacity within the existing fleet, which is itself being upgraded through a £1 million investment as part of the franchise.
Services to support the tourism industry are important. First ScotRail is already committed to providing a three car sleeper service on the Fort William route during the summer at weekends. This provides 50% greater capacity than the base for the rest of the year and reflects demand at peak times.
The Executive has no plans to carry out a feasibility study as outlined in the question.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 19 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what provision it has made in the franchise to First ScotRail for expansion of the West Highland Line service by (a) more train journeys and (b) securing extra rolling stock and whether its transport policy includes any commitment that the West Highland Line should be expanded by more train services, extra sleeping cars or any other means.
Answer
The franchise allows the Executive to require additional services to be provided. Any proposal to run additional services would be considered alongside the existing service level commitment and needs across the rail network. Expansion of the West Highland Line service would be possible if there was a robust business case.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 19 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what provision it will seek, in connection with the proposed rail link from Glasgow Airport to Glasgow city centre, for park-and-ride schemes to encourage users of the M8 to leave their cars at the airport connection and take the rail link into the city centre and, if no such park-and-ride scheme forms part of the proposal submitted by Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT), whether it will invite SPT to add such a provision.
Answer
The Scottish Executive supports the current design of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link as proposed by Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT). If the SPT or a local authority wished to pursue a proposal for a park-and-ride facility such a project would be assessed by the Executive in the normal way.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 19 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that the redundant sleeping cars stored by Porterbrook Leasing are not scrapped and can be used on the West Highland Line if the service is developed.
Answer
The decision on storage and future leasing arrangements is for First ScotRail and Porterbrook to make within the terms of the franchise requirement. The Executive is satisfied, having consulted with First ScotRail, that sufficient capacity exists within the fleet currently under lease to First ScotRail to allow for development of the West Highland Line Service in line with anticipated demand.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 18 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15893 by Nicol Stephen on 26 April 2005, under which subsection and paragraph of sections 103 and 104 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 it acted in purchasing plots referred to in Annex B of the letter of 24 March 2005 containing Scottish ministers' decision on the M74.
Answer
The powers for acquiring land that are contained in sections 103 and 104 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 have to be read with the remainder of Part IX of the act, which provides further provisions depending on what use the land is to be put.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 18 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Towards Better Oral Health in Children - An Independent Analysis of Responses to the Consultation on Children's Oral Health, who the "independent researchers" were who compiled the document.
Answer
The independent research was carried out by George Street Research Ltd of Edinburgh.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 17 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned that its tender list for the management and maintenance of the trunk road network in north-west and south-west Scotland comprises only two contractors and whether this is in accordance with applicable guidelines governing the tender process and, if not, what steps it will take to address any difficulties which may arise.
Answer
No. Although current procurement guidance recommends a minimum of three bidders, two is acceptable when this is considered to provide genuine competition. The nature of the firms which have been selected to tender for these contracts should ensure a genuine competition.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 17 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the announcement that only two firms have been selected to bid for the management and maintenance of the trunk road network in north-west and south-west Scotland, whether it is concerned that the cost to the taxpayer may be unreasonably high.
Answer
No. Although there are only two bidders for each contract, including the existing service providers, the firms involved all have the resources and experience to offer competitive bids that will provide value for money.
