- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 2 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it undertook with regional transport partnerships prior to taking its decision to remove all funding from the "Regional Transport Partnership" budget line in its Budget 2024-25.
Answer
Further to the answer to question S6W-24362 on 22 January 2024 the Scottish Government continues to engage with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) on the implications of the budget decision. SPT was the only regional transport partnership which received direct general capital support budget allocation, in previous budgets funded through the Local Government Finance settlement Regional Transport Partnerships line.
The UK Autumn Statement was a worst-case scenario for Scotland and confirmed that the Scottish Government Capital Block Grant is forecast to contract by almost 10% in real terms over 5 years (2023-24 to 2027-28). This required very difficult decisions across all portfolios.
Scottish Government was not able to undertake consultation with SPT in advance of publication, and I recognise the disappointment in this, however, you will appreciate the detail of the draft Scottish Budget cannot be discussed out with Government, until Parliament is informed when the Deputy First Minister makes her statement.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been provided to (a) regional transport partnerships and (b) local authorities in order to help them plan for bus franchising arrangements.
Answer
In September 2023, the Scottish Government launched the Community Bus Fund which supports local transport authorities to explore the options in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 ("the 2019 Act") and improve public transport in their areas.
In 2023-2024 the Community Bus Fund made available £750,000 of resource funding for pathfinder projects, being developed by local authorities and regional transport partnerships. This funding was intended to support initial feasibility and preparatory work required for the 2019 Act, including franchising, partnerships and local authority run services. A further £5 million of capital funding in 2023-24 was allocated through the General Capital Grant to local authorities to improve bus services.
While the Scottish Government encourages local transport authorities to consider the full range of tools available to them under the 2019 Act, it is for them to determine what is best to address any transport challenges according to their local needs.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what good practice guidance it has provided to local authorities regarding their consideration of the mobility needs of older people in the design of low-traffic neighbourhoods.
Answer
Local authorities are responsible for the management of local roads and paths in their area, including design of low traffic neighbourhoods. The Scottish Government has provided guidance for these within the National Planning Framework , the “ Our Place ” website and Cycling by Design guidance.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what support has been provided to local authorities to help them acquire the knowledge, skills, and capacity to introduce bus franchising arrangements under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019.
Answer
The Scottish Government approach to the bus powers in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 ("the 2019 Act") is to empower local transport authorities with flexible tools to enable them to determine what is best to address any transport challenges according to their local needs. Local transport authorities are encouraged to consider the full powers available to them, including partnership work, franchising and local authority run services which sit alongside their ability to subsidise services.
Through the Community Bus Fund we have provided funding to support local transport authorities to explore the options for bus services set out in the 2019 Act and improve public transport in their areas. More details are provided in the answer to question to S6W-24668 on 2 February 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
In addition on 29 January, Transport Scotland officials published an overview of the bus powers available to local transport authorities, which provides an outline of all the powers available to them, and the opportunities they provide to improve local services. The document is available on the Transport Scotland website. Officials continue to engage with local transport authorities and other key stakeholders on the development of detailed guidance to help in their consideration of the franchising and partnership powers. This guidance will be available later this year.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact that the £12.9 million reduction to the “Travel Strategy and Innovation” budget line will have on the Mobility as a Service (MaaS) pilots.
Answer
The "Travel Strategy and Innovation" budget line was not used to fund the Mobility as a Service (MaaS) Investment fund pilots, and will therefore have no impact on the pilots.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23861 by Fiona Hyslop on 10 January 2024, what its response is to reported concerns that people who rely on bus travel in order to access public services are unable to do so due to the decisions of local authorities to withdraw bus service routes.
Answer
Recent reports of bus service withdrawal have tended to concern commercial routes. The majority of services in Scotland operate in an open de-regulated market and the provision of local bus services is a matter for individual bus operators who use their own commercial judgement on service routes, frequencies and vehicle types.
Under the Transport Act 1985, where there is a social need for particular bus services which are not being provided commercially, local authorities can subsidise these at their discretion. This procedure allows local transport authorities to influence the frequency, routing of services or vehicle types used however this is entirely a matter for the local authority to consider and action.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 31 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23861 by Fiona Hyslop on 10 January 2024, what information it holds on any criteria that must be met before a local authority can decide to withdraw a bus service route.
Answer
The decision to withdraw services is solely a matter for the local council or transport authority to consider and must comply with guidance as set out by the Office of the Traffic Commissioner who is the licensing authority in Scotland. They must give 42 days notice to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner of the cancellation, from the date that the Office of the Traffic Commissioner receives it.
The majority of bus services in Scotland are operated on a commercial basis by private bus companies in the open de-regulated market. Provided an operator registers a service with the Office of the Traffic Commissioner they can set routes, timetables and fares. Commercial viability and patronage on individual routes is considered commercially sensitive information, and is not currently shared with the Scottish Government.
Full guidance on the rules which must be adhered to can be found on the website of the Office of the Traffic Commissioner - Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) .
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 29 January 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 1 February 2024
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that Scottish Water plans to increase charges by 29% over three years.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 1 February 2024
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08733 by Jenny Gilruth on 15 June 2022, whether any discussions have taken place with Transport for London about its Veteran Oyster Card, and whether it has considered introducing such a scheme in Scotland.
Answer
Transport Scotland undertakes regular engagement with Transport for London on a range of issues relevant to public transport provision. Transport Scotland has not specifically considered replicating the Transport for London Oystercard Veterans initiative.
The current National Concessionary Travel Scheme provides free bus travel for disabled people, irrespective of the cause of their disability. In addition, in 2021 the veterans rail card was launched, providing discounted rail travel.
The Fair Fares Review has been completed and will be published in the coming weeks. This will provide an opportunity to discuss and debate how to improve Scotland’s public transport system to deliver in a fairer and simpler way, whilst progressing towards achieving our Government’s priorities on equality, opportunity, and community.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what impact assessment was conducted regarding the £1.1 million reduction to Scottish Water's budget in its Budget 2024-25.
Answer
There has been no reduction to Scottish Water’s budget. The Scottish Government Budget for 2024-25 sets out that during the financial year, the Scottish Government intends to lend £170m per annum in capital funding and to receive some £105.5m income per annum which is the interest on loans issued to Scottish Water. Across the 2021-27 period Ministers have committed to lend Scottish Water up to £1.03bn. Lending in future years will be agreed in future Budget Acts.
The quoted reduction of £1.1m is for the Water Industry portfolio. This reflects additional income from interest payments made by Scottish Water as well as a reduction in spend on some Hydro Nation activity. The impact is outlined in the answer to S6W-24199.
