Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 09 May 2018
09 May 2018 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Roads
The thing is, Scottish Power says that there is a huge capacity issue that that project has not addressed. While the Government spends money on that, the infrastructure in the south of Scotland is crumbling and is left unattended.
We should not underestimate the economic impact that is made by the condition of Scotland’s roads. Although I am not ruling out the possibility that the condition of the roads is part of a new economic strategy to boost the wheel and tyre repair sector, I suspect that that is not the case. There is a cost to the economy, whether it involves hauliers and other businesses dealing with the expense of repairs to their vehicles or commuters being caught up in traffic when someone bursts a tyre on a narrow section of road.
I say to Tom Arthur that, when we talk about investing in the economy, addressing the roads network is one of the issues that we are talking about.
17:33In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S5M-11185, in the name of Rachael Hamilton, on the condition of Scotland’s roads. The deba...
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
Scotland’s roads have suffered from chronic underfunding, which has allowed for the situation that many of us endure daily. Potholes are described as craters...
Tom Arthur (Renfrewshire South) (SNP)
SNP
I am very grateful to Rachael Hamilton for securing the debate. The issue is very important; it is one on which we get a tremendous amount of casework and on...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I am sorry—I know that you are very friendly with The Gazette, but I am not. No props, please.
Tom Arthur
SNP
I apologise, Presiding Officer, but I will read from the front page: “7m to fix roads in ruin”. Indeed, SNP-led Renfrewshire Council is actually putting mo...
Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I would have been absolutely delighted if the people of Renfrewshire were 100 per cent happy with the state of their roads, but judging from the scale and vo...
Colin Smyth (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Rachael Hamilton for lodging her motion, which has allowed us to have today’s debate on the condition of Scotland’s roads. Having been a councillor ...
Kate Forbes (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP)
SNP
Last year I apparently drove 19,000 miles around my constituency. Although I am not an expert on potholes, I am certainly very experienced when it comes to t...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank Rachael Whittle—Whittle? No, not yet.
Rachael Hamilton
Con
Never!
Brian Whittle
Con
I thank Rachael Hamilton for bringing the debate to the chamber and giving me the opportunity once again to highlight the issues that we have in the south-we...
Kate Forbes
SNP
Did the member just say that the electrification of the A9 is a vanity project? I assure him that better infrastructure works on the road to the Highlands ar...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I think that you touched a raw nerve, Mr Whittle.
Brian Whittle
Con
The thing is, Scottish Power says that there is a huge capacity issue that that project has not addressed. While the Government spends money on that, the inf...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank Rachael Hamilton for securing this important debate. It is particularly pertinent to me, because I wrote to the minister a fortnight ago about the is...
John Scott (Ayr) (Con)
Con
I congratulate Rachael Hamilton on securing the debate, and I put on record how much I share her concerns about the deterioration of Scotland’s roads. Nowher...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
That is the first time I have heard a member close a speech twice, but there we go. I call Humza Yousaf to close for the Government. 17:41
The Minister for Transport and the Islands (Humza Yousaf)
SNP
I thank Rachael Hamilton for bringing this debate to the Parliament, which she is absolutely right to do, as all members will have had complaints from our co...
John Scott
Con
When I or other MSPs write to the minister with a concern about a particular stretch of road or a particular pothole in a trunk road, is that concern passed ...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
I would be surprised if we did not have a conversation. Essentially, we would have a conversation with the operating company to ask it about a pothole that h...
Kate Forbes
SNP
Notwithstanding the pressures that members have indicated, does the minister recognise that Highland Council, which has a huge road network, faces particular...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
Yes, I recognise that. I have a good relationship with the leader of Highland Council, Margaret Davidson. However, Highland Council is not alone. Argyll and ...
Brian Whittle
Con
And the south-west.
Humza Yousaf
SNP
And the south-west. Dumfries and Galloway Council and other councils cover a large area. However, Kate Forbes was right to mention Highland Council. My poin...
Rachael Hamilton
Con
Just for the record, the previous administration was an SNP one, and we are maintaining all the roads that it did not maintain and did not provide the budget...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
I will not go back and forth on the Borders issue. As I said, I do not think that any political party can claim to have given the issue the priority that it ...