Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 29 March 2012
29 Mar 2012 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Cycling
The cycling, walking and safer streets grant will be just over £6 million in 2012-13. Our grant offer retains a request for at least 36 per cent, and preferably 50 per cent, of the grant to be spent on cycling.
We are committed to meeting the world-leading Scottish climate change targets and are on track to do so. In 2009, emissions had fallen by 27.6 per cent from 1990 levels, which is almost two thirds of the way to meeting the target of a 42 per cent emissions reduction by 2020. Substantial progress has been and is being made.
We are doing what we said in our manifesto we would do; we are developing the infrastructure to support electric cars, on which I said quite a deal at a conference yesterday. We are also increasing the proportion of transport spending on low-carbon, active and sustainable travel. We are investing £1 billion in public and sustainable transport.
When I sum up, I will say more on current activity across Scotland. I am keen to hear others’ views.
I move amendment S4M-02522.3, to insert at end:
“, and reaffirms the Scottish Government’s target of 10% of journeys made by bike by 2020.”
09:33
We are committed to meeting the world-leading Scottish climate change targets and are on track to do so. In 2009, emissions had fallen by 27.6 per cent from 1990 levels, which is almost two thirds of the way to meeting the target of a 42 per cent emissions reduction by 2020. Substantial progress has been and is being made.
We are doing what we said in our manifesto we would do; we are developing the infrastructure to support electric cars, on which I said quite a deal at a conference yesterday. We are also increasing the proportion of transport spending on low-carbon, active and sustainable travel. We are investing £1 billion in public and sustainable transport.
When I sum up, I will say more on current activity across Scotland. I am keen to hear others’ views.
I move amendment S4M-02522.3, to insert at end:
“, and reaffirms the Scottish Government’s target of 10% of journeys made by bike by 2020.”
09:33
References in this contribution
Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.
- S4M-02522.3 Cycling Motion
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
Good morning. The first item of business is a debate on motion S4M-02522, in the name of Alison Johnstone, on cycling.09:15
Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green)
Green
It is often the case that the public are ahead of the politicians. In our capital city, on certain routes and at certain times of day, up to 20 per cent of t...
Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP)
SNP
I thank Alison Johnstone for taking my intervention and for the constructive way in which she has brought the issue before Parliament.Alison Johnstone has th...
Alison Johnstone
Green
Absolutely, I will. We all commend the work of Spokes, pedal on Parliament, and Sustrans. They have all played very important parts in raising the profile of...
The Minister for Housing and Transport (Keith Brown)
SNP
I thank Alison Johnstone for lodging the motion and for the way in which she has spoken to it. It is a comprehensive motion on cycling that provides us with ...
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
I declare an interest as a former chair of the north east of Scotland transport partnership. In the north-east, there has been an initiative to fit Fresnel l...
Keith Brown
SNP
At the road safety forum, we discussed several initiatives that are taking place in different localities, and the need to spread those out as best practice. ...
Jim Eadie
SNP
Does the minister agree that, by pledging to spend 5 per cent of its transport budget on active travel schemes, the City of Edinburgh Council sets a good exa...
Keith Brown
SNP
It is true that, over a long period—certainly even when I lived in Edinburgh up to the 1980s—the council’s leadership role has been evident. Other local auth...
Alison Johnstone
Green
Will the minister take an intervention?
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I am sorry—the minister does not have time to give way.
Keith Brown
SNP
The cycling, walking and safer streets grant will be just over £6 million in 2012-13. Our grant offer retains a request for at least 36 per cent, and prefera...
Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, welcome the opportunity to discuss cycling. We have had debates on buses, ferries and railways in the past few weeks, so it is about time we discusse...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
A mandatory 20mph limit was put in place in Sunnybank in my constituency in Aberdeen without any accompanying traffic-calming measures. Such measures had to ...
Elaine Murray
Lab
That comes back to policing, which is where some resistance comes in from local authorities and police forces. They do not want to have to police the 20mph l...
John Lamont (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
I congratulate Alison Johnstone on using her party’s business time to bring this very important issue to the chamber. I think that it is the first time durin...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Thank you, Mr Lamont. Your cycling history is impressive.09:43
Marco Biagi (Edinburgh Central) (SNP)
SNP
I will not even try to follow that with my cycling record.I am grateful to the Green party for bringing this timely debate to the chamber. Cycling has been a...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
You need to start winding up.
Marco Biagi
SNP
The City of Edinburgh Council is now showing the kind of leadership that has been shown by other cities across Europe. I hope that Scotland’s other local aut...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Malcolm Chisholm. I remind members that they have a strict four minutes.09:47
Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the Scottish Government’s reaffirmation of its commitment to ensure that 10 per cent of journeys will be made by bike by 2020, since that is clearl...
Fiona McLeod (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
I join other members in welcoming this Green party debate.It seems to me that there are three strands in this debate about cycling. We are talking about cycl...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Many thanks, Mrs McLeod. I appreciate your brevity.09:54
Helen Eadie (Cowdenbeath) (Lab)
Lab
I congratulate the Green party on choosing to use its parliamentary time to highlight cycling and call on the Scottish Government to improve the offering for...
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I declare an interest; I am an executive member of the Scottish Accident Prevention Council.I welcome the debate and endorse the comments about the health an...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
We come to the closing speeches.10:02
Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I have enjoyed listening to the debate and I commend Alison Johnstone for giving us the opportunity to focus on the benefits of cycling and active travel.I a...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Nanette Milne
Con
I am just finishing.