Meeting of the Parliament 05 June 2024
I am sorry, but I have only two minutes left. I apologise to Fergus Ewing.
Work has also commenced to determine the most suitable procurement option for delivering the scheme. Thereafter, a timetable for progress can be set in line with available budgets.
This Government is also committed to delivering an infrastructure solution to address the landslip risks on the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful, along with making improvements to the A75, with the procurement of technical advisers under way to progress design work on the Springholm and Crocketford bypasses, which will benefit locals, hauliers, tourists and especially the residents of those two villages.
To help us to reach our aim of achieving the best road safety performance in the world by 2030, this Government’s investment in safely operating and maintaining the trunk road network—I am sure that Mr Simpson will be interested in this—will increase by more than 30 per cent this year, from over £525 million in 2023-24 to over £683 million in 2024-25, despite reduced capital funding from the United Kingdom Government.
Although the Conservatives might want to make the UK election about the most local of issues—potholes—we need to remember that it is local authorities that have responsibility to manage and maintain roads in their areas. We can, however, send a clear message to the next UK Government. We are proceeding with all of the work that I described, and we are making progress on maintaining and improving roads despite the problems that were caused by the UK Government’s spring budget, which, taking into account inflation, is forecast to result in a real-terms cut of almost 9 per cent to our capital funding. That is why our amendment calls for the incoming UK Government to deliver an emergency budget to address the £1.3 billion-plus hole in Scotland’s capital budget that was created by the UK Government. Surely, everyone in the Parliament can get behind that and support this SNP Government’s call to put the interests of Scotland first.
I move amendment S6M-13480.3, to leave out from “believes” to end and insert:
“notes that the procurement process for the construction of the A9 Dualling Tay Crossing to Ballinluig project has now started, and that the contract for the A9 Dualling Tomatin to Moy project is on track to achieve contract award early in summer 2024; further notes that the statutory authorisation process is now complete for the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) project, which will enable the purchase of land required to build the project; notes that the Scottish Government is delivering a range of measures in the short, medium and long term to reduce the risk of impact of landslides at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful; further notes that the procurement of technical advisors is underway to take forward design work on Springholm and Crocketford Bypasses on the A75; notes that investment in safely operating and maintaining the trunk road network will increase from over £525 million in 2023-24 to over £683 million in 2024-25, which is an increase of over 30%; further notes the ongoing commitment to Scotland’s 2030 road safety targets, with a record £36 million earmarked for investment, including £10 million for the local road network through the Road Safety Improvement Fund; agrees that the funding in the UK Spring Budget falls far short of what Scotland needs to deliver improvements to Scotland’s infrastructure, and will result in a reduction in real terms of the Scottish block grant for capital of 8.7% by 2027-28, and calls on the incoming UK administration to bring forward an emergency budget to address this hole in Scotland’s capital budget of over £1.3 billion.”
15:36Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.