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Plenary, 01 Jun 2005

01 Jun 2005 · S2 · Plenary

Item of business

Transport (Scotland) Act 2001

Muldoon, Bristow Lab Livingston Watch on SPTV

I agree entirely. Ensuring that bus passengers and people who are not currently bus users have access to accurate information about timetables and real-time information on bus services, if that is available, can only encourage more people to use such services. Some voluntary partnerships that have been developed and some Executive initiatives have expanded such services. Further encouragement of them will assist in growing the bus market.

I turn to the models that we considered. We concluded that some models were superficially attractive, but it would be difficult to implement many of them in Scotland at this time. If we were to turn back the clock 20 years, perhaps it would be possible to create for the whole of Scotland a model that is similar to London's. However, we might have things to learn from London about promoting quality contracts. I am encouraged by the Executive's commitment to discussing with Transport for London ways in which that organisation franchises services in the city of London. Similarly, although everyone has positive words to say about Lothian Buses, it would be difficult for other local authorities to recreate such a service, given the 20 years that have passed since deregulation.

It is arguable that the challenge that we face is how we can make the current mixed economy work best. We have a couple of world players, which I mentioned earlier, in rail and other interests. We also have some niche operators and—as I mentioned a moment ago—we have a successful public sector model in the Lothians. The trick is to make all those work together with the public agencies and the RTPs through appropriate use of quality contracts and quality partnerships. It is important that the Executive assist local authorities in developing that model.

The concessionary travel schemes that were introduced in the first session of Parliament are by far one of the most important success stories of the Parliament's first four years. By 2003, 26 per cent of the population held a concessionary bus pass, with more than 75 per cent of drivers aged over 65 and more than 90 per cent of non-drivers holding a pass. That is one of the most effective measures that we could have introduced to improve the lives of our oldest and most excluded citizens. I welcome very much the Executive's announcement during our inquiry of its commitment to extending the older people's travel scheme and to introducing a travel scheme for young people. Aside from the benefit that young people will gain when many of them do not have access to a car, the scheme will, I hope, encourage travel patterns that will lead later in their lives to consistently higher public transport use, even when they can drive and have access to a car.

Although the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 has had a limited direct effect to date, it has, through the introduction of quality contracts and partnerships, probably acted as a driver of several of the voluntary partnerships that have emerged. Equally, the concessionary travel initiative that was introduced through the act has made it one of the most effective and popular acts to have been passed in the first four years of Parliament, and contributes to promotion of bus travel and the achievement of a more inclusive society.

I move,

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Plenary, 01 Jun 2005

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