Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 15 March 2016
15 Mar 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Forth Road Bridge Inquiry
I thank the minister for clarifying the position.
I fully commend the report. Paragraph 147 recommends that the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee’s successor committee considers issues surrounding Forth road bridge closures and the effects on businesses and the travelling public. As the member for Edinburgh Western, I can only ask that some of that work be taken forward.
I welcomed very much the introduction of extra trains from Fife. I believe that that was the right thing to do, although I know that people in other parts of Scotland were upset by the removal of some of their services to cover that.
However, there was a problem. Even with all those extra trains, constituents of mine who tried to use the service at Dalmeny, which is the first stop over the bridge heading south, had difficulty either in parking close to the station or, indeed, in boarding trains. I saw that for myself when I went down one morning. A new rail station is being built at the Maybury at Gogar, and the pressures will be increased. I hope that the minister will take those points into consideration. I thank him once again for his efforts and fully support committee’s report.
15:51In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-15904, in the name of Jim Eadie, on the report entitled, “Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the ...
Adam Ingram (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
SNP
Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. On behalf of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee, I am pleased to open the debate on the committee’s...
The Minister for Transport and Islands (Derek Mackay)
SNP
I confirm, for accuracy, that it is the case that, at any point, Amey—the operating company—can close the bridge for an emergency at a moment’s notice, witho...
Adam Ingram
SNP
I thank the minister for that helpful intervention. As part of its inquiry, the committee was keen to establish whether the defect that led to the closure—a...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Thank you. Mr Ingram, I thank you for your service to the Parliament as a member of the Scottish Parliament, a committee member and a minister, over the pas...
The Minister for Transport and Islands (Derek Mackay)
SNP
On behalf of the Government, I concur with the Presiding Officer in her praise of Adam Ingram for his remarkable work as a member of the Scottish Parliament,...
Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP)
SNP
When the minister talks about priorities, is the top priority the safety of the users of the bridge at all times?
Derek Mackay
SNP
Of course it is. Safety is of paramount importance—it is the number 1 priority before, during and after all such works and in all other interventions. That a...
Alex Rowley (Cowdenbeath) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, thank Jim Eadie and the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee for producing the report. It was important that the committee considered the ...
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
While we can say “what if” and talk about what might have been, the scoping of the truss end link project had not been done. There is no guarantee that the r...
Alex Rowley
Lab
I accept that there are what ifs. The conclusion that I draw is that FETA intended to have the work done. As a result of cuts in budget, FETA did not do the ...
Derek Mackay
SNP
I am sure that the member is aware, from having read the report and understood the indicative capital programme, that paint jobs, landscaping and vehicle rep...
Alex Rowley
Lab
The committee report is there and speaks for itself. The evidence speaks for itself and will allow people to draw their own conclusions. Given the time that...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
There are many concepts for which there is no word or phrase in the English language. We usually overcome that by borrowing from the French, but there is one...
Derek Mackay
SNP
I hope that I can further reassure the member with the example of the cable bolts issue. In 2012, money was requested to address the emerging concern about t...
Alex Johnstone
Con
The minister is convinced that that is how the system works and I am sure that it is. The problem is that there was a mismatch of expectations on both sides ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
We now move to the open debate. 15:32
Mike MacKenzie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
Presiding Officer, I have a confession to make: I expected the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee’s investigation into the Forth bridge closure ...
Cara Hilton (Dunfermline) (Lab)
Lab
The Forth road bridge is one of the most important transport links in Scotland and it is crucial to Fife’s economy. More than 70,000 vehicles cross the bridg...
Derek Mackay
SNP
Would the member have found it helpful to find out more about the travel plans that we put in place if she had attended any of the briefing sessions that I o...
Cara Hilton
Lab
Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the briefing sessions that Derek Mackay mentions. On one of the days that a briefing was offered, I was out meeting s...
Derek Mackay
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Cara Hilton
Lab
No, I have no time—sorry. I have no doubt that the decision by FETA to reprioritise projects within its capital plan, including the work to replace the trus...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Order.
Cara Hilton
Lab
I am glad that the minister laughs. That is going to be a devastating blow to the local community. It is vital that plans are brought forward to link Kincard...
Derek Mackay
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Cara Hilton
Lab
I am sorry; I am running out of time. I am disappointed in the report. It will disappoint the businesses and commuters in my constituency, who suffered not ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Minister.
Cara Hilton
Lab
The SNP took a gamble and thousands of Fife commuters, residents and businesses have been left to pay the price.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Members may wish to note that this is also Colin Keir’s valedictory speech. We thank him for his service to the Parliament over the past years and wish him w...