Committee
Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee 09 March 2016
09 Mar 2016 · S4 · Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee
Item of business
Transport
The Government gave a commitment to roll it out across the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services area and then to consider the northern islands. The issues in that regard are different, as the policy ultimately concerns distance and the equivalent road travel that would be involved. The Government is actively considering the issue in partnership with local authorities through the islands areas ministerial working group. Although its work has concluded, there is on-going Scottish transport appraisal guidance work and other route service methodology work that is considering the ferry service options to the northern isles. We are looking at a model for the future that covers other islands that do not currently benefit from RET, but there are some islands, such as Shetland, where doing things simply on a road-equivalent basis does not work, and we must consider the methodology that we use in that regard. Given that we have completely fulfilled the Government’s manifesto commitments in this session, that is something for the next Government to consider.
In the same item of business
The Convener
SNP
The third agenda item is an evidence-taking session with the Minister for Transport and Islands on general transport matters. I welcome Derek Mackay, the Min...
The Minister for Transport and Islands (Derek Mackay)
SNP
This morning, I intend to share with the committee the excellent progress that has been made in transport, despite challenging weather conditions, since we l...
The Convener
SNP
Not at all.
Derek Mackay
SNP
We are also making good progress on the A9 dualling, other joint ventures and the Aberdeen western peripheral route. I am happy to answer the committee’s q...
The Convener
SNP
I want to pick up on a couple of the points that you mentioned. Are there any plans to roll out road equivalent tariff to the islands that are not currently...
Derek Mackay
SNP
The Government gave a commitment to roll it out across the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services area and then to consider the northern islands. The issues in th...
The Convener
SNP
Okay. If I heard you correctly—you will no doubt correct me if I did not—you mentioned £5 billion of investment in public transport to encourage people out o...
Derek Mackay
SNP
The figures are approximately £1 billion a year on public transport and £5 billion for the control period for rail investment.
The Convener
SNP
Okay. That is helpful.
Alex Johnstone
Con
Your statement was so comprehensive, minister, that you did not leave many questions to ask. However, you did not mention high-speed rail. Have you received ...
Derek Mackay
SNP
It is unlike Alex Johnstone to ask the difficult question that I have not covered. I did not cover it as the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment...
Alex Johnstone
Con
Can you tell us nothing about those reports at the moment?
Derek Mackay
SNP
Absolutely nothing.
Alex Johnstone
Con
Can we expect a formal announcement at some point?
Derek Mackay
SNP
Yes, you can—before the purdah period.
Alex Johnstone
Con
That is very interesting. Media reports indicate that the decision not to proceed with a standalone Edinburgh to Glasgow high-speed rail line was taken foll...
Derek Mackay
SNP
No, I cannot outline it. I have spoken about this in previous statements to Parliament. That work was more advanced than the aspiration and benefits of high-...
Alex Johnstone
Con
Thank you. I will now jump to an issue that you covered in your opening statement, which is the development of the road network. You mentioned the M8 complet...
Derek Mackay
SNP
In the spring of 2017.
Alex Johnstone
Con
The dualling of the A9 is a longer-term project. Can you tell us anything more about the schedule that will be adopted for the complete dualling of the A9?
Derek Mackay
SNP
It is on track for 2025. If you want information on the individual detailed elements of the 12 sections of the project, I can provide that. I am being more c...
Alex Johnstone
Con
Okay. The final on-going road project is the Aberdeen western peripheral route, which I regularly observe as I go round the north-east. What is the current p...
Derek Mackay
SNP
The project is on schedule to open to traffic in the winter of 2017. It is very much on track. Its advantages include the use of a skills pledge around appre...
Alex Johnstone
Con
My experience is that it is a long construction project that is going through many areas in which people’s lives are being disrupted in one way or another. D...
Derek Mackay
SNP
Absolutely. It is fair to say that the end benefits of such construction projects are worth it, but they can impact on people’s lives during the period of di...
Alex Johnstone
Con
You mentioned the junction at Laurencekirk, on which the funding announcement has now been made. All I seek to do by raising the matter once again is to ask ...
Derek Mackay
SNP
Yes. However, there are issues to do with planning obligations that were live before the Scottish Government’s announcement. If we can get further planning c...
Alex Johnstone
Con
Is there, at this stage, any prospect that you could give us a timescale for achieving completion of that upgrade?
Derek Mackay
SNP
I think that it would be quite ambitious for me to set out a timescale at this time. Obviously, there are many stages to go through in terms of detailed desi...
Alex Johnstone
Con
Thank you very much indeed. I hope, convener, that you are impressed with the speed with which I went through that.