- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 16 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Transport Scotland’s reported decision not to fund Smarter Choices, Smarter Places from April 2024, whether this funding will be allocated elsewhere, and, if so, where it will be allocated to.
Answer
The Scottish Government has ambitious plans to make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle for everyday journeys, with record levels of investment over this Parliament and significantly ahead of anywhere else in the UK. Our biggest focus is on delivering physical infrastructure on the ground. But we also have important programmes to support people to change behaviours and choose active travel, and to access a range of bikes, including adapted bikes. At present, and over the course of next year, to make sure that people in Scotland get maximum benefit from that investment, Transport Scotland is transforming the delivery models for active travel interventions across the infrastructure, behaviour change and access to bikes programmes. This will see the end of some long-standing programmes, funded on a year by year basis, and a shift towards funding and control moving to local authorities, as the strategic transport authorities for their area, and regional transport partnerships.
Part of the Active Travel transformation process has involved the Smarter Choices Smarter Places programme closing, but behaviour change projects remain a high priority in our Active Travel programme. We are developing a new system of funding for 2024-25, and Local Authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships, and the third sector Active Travel Delivery Partners are all involved in the design of that solution and we continue to see a vital role for our delivery partners in turning our record investment into the transformative change we all want to see.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has put in place to ensure that its transport data collection is accurate and robust, in light of the reported impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on data collection methods.
Answer
Transport Scotland collects and uses a range of data on transport from a variety of sources. These incorporate collection methods that remained relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as automated traffic counters, recorded ticket purchases, and other operational data.
Throughout the pandemic period, Transport Scotland published a range of data regarding travel, providing an ongoing insight into the impact of the pandemic ( https://www.transport.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/analysis/ ).
The key survey source for transport data is the Scottish Household Survey (SHS). The SHS collects a range of data on people’s transport and travel habits in Scotland, including a record of all the journeys they made the day before the survey interview.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the survey was adapted in 2020 and 2021, including a change from face-to-face interviewing to telephone. However, since 2022, the SHS has returned to being a face-to-face interview, primarily administered in people’s homes. The survey is operated using an established methodology and collects data from a representative sample of around 10,000 Scottish Households.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 12 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what lessons it has learned from the launch of Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) enforcement, and how it plans to share these with Dundee, Edinburgh and Aberdeen ahead of their LEZ launches in 2024.
Answer
Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was the first of its kind in Scotland and a landmark in tackling harmful air pollution, and protecting public health in this country. Glasgow’s pioneering LEZ is also informing the delivery of similar schemes in Aberdeen, Dundee, and Edinburgh.
The Minister for Transport and I co-chair the Low Emission Zone Leadership Group, a key ministerial forum, with representation from all four LEZ cities. In addition Transport Scotland officials meet regularly with the local authorities starting LEZ enforcement in 2024, and with Glasgow and the DVLA to share knowledge and experience gained from operating the Glasgow scheme. Experiences shared so far have related to technical and operational matters and the importance of effective communications.
Glasgow City Council is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the city's LEZ.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 11 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it uses planning powers and conditions to influence road risk standards in (a) development and (b) construction supply chains.
Answer
Depending on the nature, scale and location of a proposed development, planning authorities are required to consult specified statutory consultees before determining planning applications. For example, the relevant local roads authority, or Transport Scotland for trunk roads, must be consulted on proposed developments affecting existing roads or comprising the creation of a new road. It is for the relevant planning authority to take into consideration any responses from such consultees which raise material planning considerations in determining the application.
The use of planning conditions is subject to a series of tests, set out in Scottish Government Circular 4/1998. Case law has established that only matters which are relevant to planning can be the subject of a condition; furthermore planning conditions should only be used where they are necessary to make development acceptable (i.e. planning permission would be refused if not for the condition). In addition, planning conditions should not duplicate the effect of other legislative controls such as the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 or relevant Health and Safety legislation.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 11 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23449 by Mairi McAllan on 12 December 2023, what its position is on whether Fuel Duty and Vehicle Excise Duty would need to increase in order for it to achieve its target of a 20% reduction in vehicle km driven by 2030.
Answer
As outlined in the answer to S6W-23449, fuel duty and vehicle excise duty are wholly reserved to the UK Government. The UK government have acknowledged in their Net Zero Review that revenues from existing motoring taxes will decline sharply this decade as we transition away from fossil fuels and the taxes based on them. As fuel duty becomes obsolete, the UK Government needs to urgently look at a successor taxation regime for transport to reflect the changes in the sector. The Scottish Government wants a fair and progressive future transport tax system that better incentivises the transition to zero-emission vehicles, reduces emissions and raises revenues to fund policies to support a shift to more sustainable travel.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the latest expression of interest in buying Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2024
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the bus industry receiving funding of £329 million from local and central government in 2021-22, what its response is to the Scottish Transport Statistics 2022, which show that, aside from the COVID-19 pandemic years, a historic low of 234 million journeys were made by bus in 2021-22.
Answer
Bus travel in Scotland and the UK was profoundly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with emergency funding to support the industry continuing in 2021-22. Although lockdown measures had eased, restrictions on travel and daily activity remained in Scotland for large parts of 2021-22. This is evident from the Scottish Transport Statistics 2022 which show the lower number of passenger journeys taken over the period.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it has considered the mobility needs of older people in its design of low traffic neighbourhoods and low traffic measures, including modal filters such as (a) bollards, (b) bus gates and (c) one-way streets.
Answer
The Scottish Government is not responsible for the design of low traffic neighbourhoods; local authorities are responsible for management and maintenance of local roads and paths in their area under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
Low traffic neighbourhoods guidance provided alongside the Place Standard Tool on the “Our Place Scotland” website. Local authorities should undertake an equality impact assessment prior to any changes to ensure the needs of our most vulnerable people are taken into account.
The Scottish Government will also launch consultation early in 2024 on new draft guidance to support Inclusive Design for Town Centres and Busy Streets.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities currently operate Demand Responsive Travel schemes, and how it monitors the success rate of any such schemes.
Answer
We do not hold information on which local authorities operate Demand Responsive Travel Schemes or how they monitor the success of such schemes. The provision of local authority Demand Responsive Transport schemes is a matter for individual local authorities taking into account their local transport needs.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to systematically monitor bus ticket prices.
Answer
The Department for Transport publish a bus fares index for each region within the UK, which tracks changes in ticket prices. This is used in the Scottish Transport Statistics publication, and the Scottish Government currently has no plans for further monitoring of bus fares.
