Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 30 May 2013
30 May 2013 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Scotland’s Railways
Glasgow crossrail was actually in the infrastructure plan. In fact, it had gone as far as being moved to a parliamentary bill, so it was a little bit further on than being on a wish list at that point.
There are the projects that have been delayed or deferred. Thanks to a debate in Labour time last year, Parliament got the opportunity to discuss the changes to the Edinburgh to Glasgow improvement programme, which were trumpeted then and now as efficiency savings by the Scottish Government, but were in reality a scaling back of the project that was promised in the SNP manifesto of 2011. The parts of the Edinburgh to Glasgow improvement programme that were “deferred”, as ministers described it, included electrification of the Falkirk Grahamston loop, the Cumbernauld-Falkirk-Grangemouth line, and the Stirling, Alloa and Dunblane lines—I believe that that is now coming forward—the Dalmeny chord, which would have linked the Edinburgh to Glasgow line directly with the Edinburgh to Fife line; and the grade-separated junctions at Greenhill and Polmont. In addition, of course, there was the earlier scrapping of the Garngad chord link in 2011.
The journey time between Edinburgh and Glasgow on the electrified route will be reduced by only six to eight minutes, rather than the promised 13 minutes. In addition, although Transport Scotland and Network Rail protest that there will be no delay in its delivery, others report key obstacles, including the need to close part of the route for three months to undertake work on a tunnel and the requirement to reach a deal with the owners of the Millennium hotel, part of which will need to be demolished to enable the platforms at Queen Street to be extended. Maybe I am being a bit cynical, but I am suspicious of the reasons why Transport Scotland’s website now contains scant information about the EGIP project or its progress, despite more than £70 million having been spent on it.
However, it is not just with EGIP that there are problems. The Perth to Inverness main line upgrading was originally promised for December 2011, but has now been deferred until 2025. The Aberdeen to Inverness line upgrading was scheduled for 2016, but has been deferred until 2030. The Borders railway, too, has been subject to delays, thanks to confusion over its funding mechanism. It is now projected to be up and running by September 2015—four years later than was the plan when it was approved by MSPs in 2006, following the scrapping of the tender process and the project being handed over to Network Rail for development.
The second part of our amendment highlights the opportunity that the ending of the current ScotRail franchise could have presented for a wider discussion of how our rail services could develop in the future, and for the exploration of how other models of delivery, such as not-for-profit or mutually owned companies, might be developed.
There are the projects that have been delayed or deferred. Thanks to a debate in Labour time last year, Parliament got the opportunity to discuss the changes to the Edinburgh to Glasgow improvement programme, which were trumpeted then and now as efficiency savings by the Scottish Government, but were in reality a scaling back of the project that was promised in the SNP manifesto of 2011. The parts of the Edinburgh to Glasgow improvement programme that were “deferred”, as ministers described it, included electrification of the Falkirk Grahamston loop, the Cumbernauld-Falkirk-Grangemouth line, and the Stirling, Alloa and Dunblane lines—I believe that that is now coming forward—the Dalmeny chord, which would have linked the Edinburgh to Glasgow line directly with the Edinburgh to Fife line; and the grade-separated junctions at Greenhill and Polmont. In addition, of course, there was the earlier scrapping of the Garngad chord link in 2011.
The journey time between Edinburgh and Glasgow on the electrified route will be reduced by only six to eight minutes, rather than the promised 13 minutes. In addition, although Transport Scotland and Network Rail protest that there will be no delay in its delivery, others report key obstacles, including the need to close part of the route for three months to undertake work on a tunnel and the requirement to reach a deal with the owners of the Millennium hotel, part of which will need to be demolished to enable the platforms at Queen Street to be extended. Maybe I am being a bit cynical, but I am suspicious of the reasons why Transport Scotland’s website now contains scant information about the EGIP project or its progress, despite more than £70 million having been spent on it.
However, it is not just with EGIP that there are problems. The Perth to Inverness main line upgrading was originally promised for December 2011, but has now been deferred until 2025. The Aberdeen to Inverness line upgrading was scheduled for 2016, but has been deferred until 2030. The Borders railway, too, has been subject to delays, thanks to confusion over its funding mechanism. It is now projected to be up and running by September 2015—four years later than was the plan when it was approved by MSPs in 2006, following the scrapping of the tender process and the project being handed over to Network Rail for development.
The second part of our amendment highlights the opportunity that the ending of the current ScotRail franchise could have presented for a wider discussion of how our rail services could develop in the future, and for the exploration of how other models of delivery, such as not-for-profit or mutually owned companies, might be developed.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
Good afternoon, everyone. The first item of business is a debate on motion S4M-06766, in the name of Keith Brown, on transforming Scotland’s railways. We are...
The Minister for Transport and Veterans (Keith Brown)
SNP
Scotland’s railways are in the midst of a transformation and there is a real success story to tell. Now is the right time to take account of our achievements...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
Is the minister aware of the rail improvements that have been made between Belfast and Dublin, where there is equity of interest? Cross-border rail services ...
Keith Brown
SNP
The example that has been given by Stewart Stevenson illustrates that cross-border services can be organised in the mutual interest of two countries if the w...
Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome what the minister has done so far in sorting out anomalies with regard to Dundee. However, does he accept that there are still major anomalies on t...
Keith Brown
SNP
In dealing with about a quarter of a million journeys on which anomalies had occurred, we made substantial progress. That progress could have been made many ...
Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab)
Lab
What can the minister do to encourage bidders—either co-operative bidders or mutual or not-for-dividend bidders—to come forward and bid for the franchise?
Keith Brown
SNP
I think that I answered that question from Ken Macintosh last week. I am interested to know what the Labour Party’s position is. I reiterate that I cannot en...
John Lamont (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
Will the minister give way?
Keith Brown
SNP
I want to make more progress, but I will see if I have time at the end to give way.The £30 million fund will provide investment for new and improved stations...
Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab)
Lab
This Government never really fails to disappoint on the height of the complacency and self-congratulation to which it aspires. There are really only two them...
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
Will Elaine Murray take the opportunity to congratulate the young engineer who came up with the idea for that project, which I had the privilege of adjudging...
Elaine Murray
Lab
I am more than happy to congratulate that young engineer; I just do not particularly want to congratulate the Scottish Government.Of course, there are the pr...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
Does Elaine Murray accept that there are things that we would all like to see for the railways, but that there are realistic options and then a wish list? Ca...
Elaine Murray
Lab
Glasgow crossrail was actually in the infrastructure plan. In fact, it had gone as far as being moved to a parliamentary bill, so it was a little bit further...
Keith Brown
SNP
Will Elaine Murray give way?
Elaine Murray
Lab
I will not just now; I want to develop my point.When he was asked by Ken Macintosh last week whether the Scottish Government would encourage a not-for-profit...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
I would welcome that kind of development. However, does Elaine Murray accept that, in order for a not-for-profit bidder to materialise, what is really needed...
Elaine Murray
Lab
I agree that that needs leadership. What I am saying is that that leadership is being shown in Wales. Indeed, the Labour Party at UK level is also considerin...
Keith Brown
SNP
I have said a number of times that I have approached the Secretary of State for Transport about changing the terms of the 1993 act to allow us to open up the...
Elaine Murray
Lab
Quite honestly, I do not believe that it is for Ed Miliband to tell the Scottish Labour Party what it believes. He can consider what he wants for the United ...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
The Government’s record on transport differs from that of the Government that preceded it. The previous Labour-Liberal Democrat Administration’s reluctance t...
Patrick Harvie
Green
Will Alex Johnstone give way?
Alex Johnstone
Con
I will not, at this stage.The achievements demonstrate the benefits of the existing industry structure, and I am determined to ensure that we do not make any...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
You should be drawing to a close, please.
Alex Johnstone
Con
I invite the Government to see sense and to ensure that it does not listen to the Labour Party and the Green Party during the course of today’s debate.I move...
Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
One thing on which I agree with Alex Johnstone is that there was a complete reversal of policy in 1999. The budget that the Liberal Democrat-Labour Governmen...
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
On 19 December 2002, the Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning, Lewis Macdonald, said:“Congestion remains the key challenge that fa...
Tavish Scott
LD
That intervention absolutely gives the game away. I was trying to remember what the Scottish National Party position was on the big policy change that we mad...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
I welcome the debate, and I see positive things to celebrate about the state of our railways, which is why the Green and independent amendment does not seek ...