Committee
Transport and the Environment Committee, 25 Oct 2000
25 Oct 2000 · S1 · Transport and the Environment Committee
Item of business
Transport (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
I thank the minister for explaining so well her position on minimum frequency of services. It is useful to understand the thought processes behind that.
I am with Janis Hughes on maximum fares. We hear the word "challenges" a lot; we need to challenge the operators to recognise that bus passengers have legitimate rights and expectations. When passengers get on a bus, one of those rights and expectations is at least to know the maximum fare that they will be charged. They should know what they are getting themselves into.
When I hear the minister speak, I wonder whether this is about balance or about compromise—trying to make every side happy. I do not think that that can be done. I hope that Janis Hughes moves her amendments, especially on maximum fares. If she does not move amendment 7, I will consider moving it myself.
I am with Janis Hughes on maximum fares. We hear the word "challenges" a lot; we need to challenge the operators to recognise that bus passengers have legitimate rights and expectations. When passengers get on a bus, one of those rights and expectations is at least to know the maximum fare that they will be charged. They should know what they are getting themselves into.
When I hear the minister speak, I wonder whether this is about balance or about compromise—trying to make every side happy. I do not think that that can be done. I hope that Janis Hughes moves her amendments, especially on maximum fares. If she does not move amendment 7, I will consider moving it myself.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Mr Andy Kerr):
Lab
I welcome everyone to the 24th meeting this year of the Transport and the Environment Committee, particularly the minister. The public benches are packed wit...
Section 3—Quality partnership schemes
The Convener:
Lab
I call Des McNulty to move amendment 31, which is grouped with amendment 32.
Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab):
Lab
Amendment 31 is intended to explore whether partnerships can cover bus corridors or groupings of routes, which may not be dealt with adequately by the word "...
The Minister for Transport and the Environment (Sarah Boyack):
Lab
I am grateful to Des McNulty for raising these issues, which allows us to explore them in a bit more depth. I am happy to reassure him that the bill already ...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
I am sympathetic to both amendments. The minister's explanation of why amendment 31 is not needed may be acceptable if the issue is covered in the bill. I am...
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
I restate my assurance to Donald Gorrie and Des McNulty that the Executive amendments will enable road safety to be taken into account. We are keen to ensure...
Des McNulty:
Lab
As the minister has given us assurances on the issues raised by the two amendments, I am willing to withdraw amendment 31.
Amendment 31, by agreement, withdrawn.
Amendment 32 not moved.
The Convener:
Lab
I call the minister to move amendment 8, which is grouped with amendments 9, 11 to 16, and 51.
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
This group of amendments enables the Scottish Executive to become a partner in a quality partnership scheme that includes a trunk road and to provide and mai...
Amendment 8 agreed to.
The Convener:
Lab
Amendment 1, in the name of Janis Hughes, is grouped with amendment 10, in the name of the minister. I call Janis Hughes to speak to and move her amendment.
Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab):
Lab
This is a probing amendment, the purpose of which is to seek further information from the minister about infrastructure facilities that may already exist at ...
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
It is important that we clarify this issue. I hope that amendment 10 will reassure Janis Hughes that the issue she raises has been addressed fully, and that ...
The Convener:
Lab
Do other members wish to comment?
Donald Gorrie:
LD
I support the thrust of what the minister is saying and what Janis Hughes was aiming at. However, I wonder whether the minister's proposals are excessively d...
The Convener:
Lab
Do you wish to respond, minister?
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
This is not about our approving each scheme, but about drawing up regulations that provide a level playing field for the authorities and the bus operators wh...
The Convener:
Lab
I invite Janis Hughes to wind up and to indicate whether she wishes to press her amendment.
Janis Hughes:
Lab
On the basis of the clarification that the minister has given and the more comprehensive amendment that has been lodged in her name, I wish to withdraw the a...
Amendment 1, by agreement, withdrawn.
The Convener:
Lab
Amendment 2, in the name of Janis Hughes, is grouped with amendments 58, 3, 59, 4, 5, 60, 6 and 7. I ask her to move amendment 2 formally after her opening r...
Janis Hughes:
Lab
Amendment 2 seeks to add to the bill the facility for quality partnerships to include reference to maximum fares and minimum frequencies. As the bill stands,...
The Convener:
Lab
I invite the minister to speak to amendments 59 and 60.
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
None of us can have failed to notice that, for the past few months, minimum frequencies and maximum fares in quality partnerships have been the subject of wi...
The Convener:
Lab
Before other members comment, I invite Cathy Jamieson to speak to amendment 58.
Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the minister's comments that the aspiration is to ensure that the trade unions and the work force generally are seen as stakeholders in the deliver...
Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the minister for explaining so well her position on minimum frequency of services. It is useful to understand the thought processes behind that.I am ...