Chamber
Plenary, 28 Mar 2007
28 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Airdrie-Bathgate Railway and Linked Improvements Bill
I, too, wish Phil Gallie well for the future. His was a voice that was always heard in this Parliament—albeit sometimes from a sedentary position. We never had any difficulty in hearing Phil, but he has always been charitable and respectful to other members. While always putting across his points forcibly, he has been reasonable at the same time. We will miss him.
We will also miss Janis Hughes. It is always rash to assume what a lady is going to do, so I am not sure whether this will be her last contribution to this session of Parliament. Irrespective of whether that is the case, I also wish Janis well for the future.
I believe that there will be an outbreak of consensus this afternoon in relation to the bill. That is not a frequent occurrence in this place. We should be pleased that, in our reconvened Scottish Parliament, we can unite behind a project that we all believe will bring considerable benefits to the people of Scotland, especially, of course, to the people who will be directly served by the Airdrie to Bathgate line. The line not only provides connections between those communities and Glasgow and Edinburgh, but connects to places such as Helensburgh. New stations will be provided, such as those at Caldercruix and Armadale, and other stations will be moved.
We certainly support the work in progress on the possible additional stations on the line, namely those at Plains and Blackridge. The Scottish National Party has been persuaded that there should be a station at Blackridge. We believe that that should be a commitment. It is, of course, always difficult to make such decisions. We wish to study carefully, and with a positive approach, the findings on the potential stations at both Blackridge and Plains, which, as I understand it from the minister, will be available to us early in the next session. We are persuaded that the case is particularly strong in respect of Blackridge.
I welcome the submissions that were made by my colleague Fiona Hyslop, who will speak about that possible additional station at more length. Efforts have been made by members of other parties, including Mary Mulligan and Karen Whitefield, who I expect also to participate in the debate. If I have not mentioned other members by name, I mean no offence.
There has been a strong voice calling for a new station at Blackridge. As the SNP transport spokesman, I have been persuaded that, in relation to the range of figures that we have been discussing—they are of course indicative, not exhaustive—a new station would be a valuable investment for the people of Blackridge. I think that the facts, as they emerge, make the case stronger than it has been before. Therefore, we will suggest that, if we are able to earn the trust of the people of Scotland at the elections, that project should be supported. I am pleased to make that clear now, as I did in the previous debate on the subject.
The Airdrie to Bathgate line will provide a much-needed economic boost to both areas. It will help to extend the travel-to-work zone, which will assist the economies in each area. People in Lanarkshire will find it much easier to travel to and work in Edinburgh, and people in the Bathgate area will find it much easier to travel to and work in Glasgow. In a real sense, that will bring together the west and the east—something that has proved to be problematic from time to time in this country of ours, for reasons that I do not propose to go into.
The new rail link will provide a means of giving an economic boost to both areas. It will also improve the environment, increase the opportunities for people in Airdrie and Bathgate to obtain other jobs in our cities and give them other opportunities, and achieve faster journey times. All in all, it will increase people's ability to travel by rail rather than by road. That will relieve some of the congestion on the M8, which can be a serious problem from time to time.
For all those reasons, the SNP is happy to join other parties in supporting the bill. I noticed what the Minister for Transport said in the final remarks of his speech. I am not sure how long I have to cover this—do I have another five minutes, or 10 minutes, or one minute?
We will also miss Janis Hughes. It is always rash to assume what a lady is going to do, so I am not sure whether this will be her last contribution to this session of Parliament. Irrespective of whether that is the case, I also wish Janis well for the future.
I believe that there will be an outbreak of consensus this afternoon in relation to the bill. That is not a frequent occurrence in this place. We should be pleased that, in our reconvened Scottish Parliament, we can unite behind a project that we all believe will bring considerable benefits to the people of Scotland, especially, of course, to the people who will be directly served by the Airdrie to Bathgate line. The line not only provides connections between those communities and Glasgow and Edinburgh, but connects to places such as Helensburgh. New stations will be provided, such as those at Caldercruix and Armadale, and other stations will be moved.
We certainly support the work in progress on the possible additional stations on the line, namely those at Plains and Blackridge. The Scottish National Party has been persuaded that there should be a station at Blackridge. We believe that that should be a commitment. It is, of course, always difficult to make such decisions. We wish to study carefully, and with a positive approach, the findings on the potential stations at both Blackridge and Plains, which, as I understand it from the minister, will be available to us early in the next session. We are persuaded that the case is particularly strong in respect of Blackridge.
I welcome the submissions that were made by my colleague Fiona Hyslop, who will speak about that possible additional station at more length. Efforts have been made by members of other parties, including Mary Mulligan and Karen Whitefield, who I expect also to participate in the debate. If I have not mentioned other members by name, I mean no offence.
There has been a strong voice calling for a new station at Blackridge. As the SNP transport spokesman, I have been persuaded that, in relation to the range of figures that we have been discussing—they are of course indicative, not exhaustive—a new station would be a valuable investment for the people of Blackridge. I think that the facts, as they emerge, make the case stronger than it has been before. Therefore, we will suggest that, if we are able to earn the trust of the people of Scotland at the elections, that project should be supported. I am pleased to make that clear now, as I did in the previous debate on the subject.
The Airdrie to Bathgate line will provide a much-needed economic boost to both areas. It will help to extend the travel-to-work zone, which will assist the economies in each area. People in Lanarkshire will find it much easier to travel to and work in Edinburgh, and people in the Bathgate area will find it much easier to travel to and work in Glasgow. In a real sense, that will bring together the west and the east—something that has proved to be problematic from time to time in this country of ours, for reasons that I do not propose to go into.
The new rail link will provide a means of giving an economic boost to both areas. It will also improve the environment, increase the opportunities for people in Airdrie and Bathgate to obtain other jobs in our cities and give them other opportunities, and achieve faster journey times. All in all, it will increase people's ability to travel by rail rather than by road. That will relieve some of the congestion on the M8, which can be a serious problem from time to time.
For all those reasons, the SNP is happy to join other parties in supporting the bill. I noticed what the Minister for Transport said in the final remarks of his speech. I am not sure how long I have to cover this—do I have another five minutes, or 10 minutes, or one minute?
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5760, in the name of Phil Gallie, that the Parliament agrees that the Airdrie-Bathgate Railway and Linked...
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
How strange life can be: here we are debating legislation in a building that neither you, Presiding Officer, nor I wanted, in a Parliament that you fought fo...
Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab):
Lab
I thank Mr Gallie for taking an intervention. Does he agree that, although the Airdrie to Bathgate link will vastly improve rail services across that part of...
Phil Gallie:
Con
I could not agree more with Janis Hughes. It is a pity that she will not be here to fight for crossrail in the next session of Parliament. I hope that the me...
The Minister for Transport (Tavish Scott):
LD
Such a young Parliament, so many historic events. I pay tribute to Phil Gallie's years of public service. I understand that he was with Cunninghame District ...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP):
SNP
I, too, wish Phil Gallie well for the future. His was a voice that was always heard in this Parliament—albeit sometimes from a sedentary position. We never h...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
You have one minute.
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
Thank you very much. I have no complaints about that whatsoever.The minister trespassed somewhat more widely than the confines of the Airdrie-Bathgate Railwa...
Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
Consensus is breaking out. I begin with the retiring members who have spoken today. Phil Gallie has been a quiet, mild-mannered man all the way through his p...
Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab):
Lab
I am delighted that the last speech that I will make in this Parliament prior to dissolution is on the Airdrie to Bathgate rail line. Mary Mulligan, Bristow ...
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I agree with much of what the member says, but does she agree that it reinforces the lunacy of closing the accident and emergency department at Monklands hos...
Karen Whitefield:
Lab
We are talking about a railway line today, and there will be more to discuss during the election campaign than accident and emergency services. However, my v...
Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green):
Green
Fergus Ewing and David Davidson began their speeches by talking about the consensus that has broken out in the chamber. When they are feeling so consensual, ...
Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab):
Lab
Like many members, I am delighted to have reached the final stage of the legislative process and I look forward to the reopening of the Airdrie to Bathgate l...
Phil Gallie:
Con
I understand the point that Mary Mulligan makes about train companies not liking trains stopping. They think that too many stops reduce the number of custome...
Mrs Mulligan:
Lab
Absolutely. I have always contended that, with a bit of imaginative thought, Network Rail could have planned a timetable that would have allowed that, partic...
Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
On behalf of my constituents in the Lothians, I thank the committee for its diligence. It has served the people of West Lothian and Lanarkshire well in its d...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
Did the shadow transport minister visit Plains as well?
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
I am sorry. I did not quite catch what the member said. It is important that we recognise—
Jeremy Purvis rose—
LD
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
Sorry. I will give way.
Jeremy Purvis:
LD
Did the shadow transport minister visit Plains as well?
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
I think that there is an outstanding invitation. I represent the Lothians. Not only did Fergus Ewing visit Blackridge, he visited the Avon gorge, which has o...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
With regard to how strategic a view the Scottish National Party takes of this and other transport projects, the fact that the shadow transport minister visit...
Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab):
Lab
I agree with many previous speakers, including Karen Whitefield and Mary Mulligan, that the project will bring economic, environmental, social and educationa...
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
At the risk of repetition, I repeat what I said last week in the chamber: as a resident of Ayr, I vouch that Phil Gallie is the best member of Parliament tha...
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab):
Lab
Does the member agree that the line will also very much benefit the people of Coatbridge?
Alex Neil:
SNP
Of course I do. Indeed, that will be a very important consideration, particularly over the next five weeks. This project, which will involve public sector in...
Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con):
Con
I support this much-wanted bill, which provides for the reopening of the former Airdrie to Bathgate line by re-laying missing track between Bathgate and Drum...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
I congratulate the committee, which has clearly done a good job, and which, by studying the issues intensively, has done what committees are supposed to do. ...