Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 22 September 2021
22 Sep 2021 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
ScotRail
No—the member had seven minutes to make his points, and I want to rebut some of them.
Does Labour not recognise that there have been substantial economic, societal and environmental changes since 2019, and that those changes are having and will have a material effect on the provision of railway services? There will be changes to working patterns, where we work and how we work, and we have yet to understand what that will mean for the future. Therefore, we need a level of service provision that meets the changing needs of passenger demand as Scotland comes out of the pandemic, but with flexibility for beyond.
I am well aware that ScotRail’s consultation on its proposed timetable for 22 May has generated interest and concern in some quarters, but the review also proposes positive changes. ScotRail currently operates around 2,000 services per week day, providing 531,000 seats. That will grow. There are areas of the country where the services will be improved by the changes.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-01300, in the name of Neil Bibby, on ScotRail. 15:21
Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Today, Scotland’s joint rail unions launched their six months to save Scotland’s railway campaign. The fact that they chose to launch it outside Bute house t...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
Does the member accept that some people are working from home and therefore the trains are very empty on some routes?
Neil Bibby
Lab
Of course we are in a pandemic, but we should be making it easier and not harder for people to travel by train. How does cutting train services make it more ...
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I did not shout up a moment ago, but we are wholly opposed to the cuts. As I will make clear later, my concern is that they will just stay when ScotRail is n...
Neil Bibby
Lab
Yes, I share that concern. We believe in public ownership to make the railway better. We should have a growing rail network and a better rail network with pu...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You need to wind up, Mr Bibby.
Neil Bibby
Lab
The vision for a better, green and publicly controlled ScotRail is one that many claim to share. However, the reality of industrial unrest and service cuts i...
The Minister for Transport (Graeme Dey)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to debate the future of rail services in Scotland today—world car-free day—because no one can or should doubt this Government’s com...
Neil Bibby
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Graeme Dey
SNP
No—the member had seven minutes to make his points, and I want to rebut some of them. Does Labour not recognise that there have been substantial economic, s...
Neil Bibby
Lab
Where?
Graeme Dey
SNP
Mr Bibby asks where. I will tell him. There will be improvements on the route between Glasgow and Carlisle via Kilmarnock and Dumfries. Further, new services...
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I find it extraordinary that a transport minister, speaking in a transport debate, did not take any interventions. I thank Scottish Labour for bringing the ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I can tell the chamber that we have no time, so interventions will have to be accommodated in the time allocation. 15:41
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
An anecdote is attributed to one of my predecessors as a representative of Shetland, Jo Grimond, who when asked to name his closest railway station, would sa...
Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate today, which is world car-free day. Like many of us, I am and have been a regular user of rail services for ...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate, such is the strong concern that has been expressed by many of my constituents across Mid Scotland a...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. Let me begin with the facts. Abellio ScotRail is fully funded by the Scottish Government—...
Emma Roddick (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
As someone for whom world car free day is an everyday reality—I have spent more than 48 hours on trains in the past month—folk hamming up the grave disruptio...
Dean Lockhart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
In six months’ time, ScotRail will enter public ownership and a new national rail service will be created—a development that will not only shape the future o...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
I thank Labour colleagues for bringing this debate. It is important that we thank the workers for their commitment to delivering rail services during the pan...
Neil Bibby
Lab
Will the member give way?
Mark Ruskell
Green
I do not think that I have time in hand—or do I, Presiding Officer?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I can give you a little time, if the member will be as brief as possible.
Mark Ruskell
Green
Okay. I will give way.
Neil Bibby
Lab
What will be in the Scottish Greens’ submission to the consultation? Do the Greens accept ScotRail’s fit for the future proposals, which include cutting 300 ...
Mark Ruskell
Green
No, and I will tell the member what I am doing to listen to the travelling public and channel their comments to the minister and to ScotRail. I have been act...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the chance to take part in this debate. There is no doubt that we face some challenging decisions around travel in general and rail travel in part...
Neil Bibby
Lab
I agree that public transport is a public service and that the state will have to support it, but if we are not willing to invest in public transport, there ...