Chamber
Plenary, 21 Feb 2007
21 Feb 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Transport (North-east Scotland)
I congratulate Nora Radcliffe on securing the debate. I say to the Green party representative that I do my bit for the environment. I use the train, when it is on time—to pick up Brian Adam's point.
Given that Nora Radcliffe said that the debate is about a transport system that is fit for purpose, I think that there are a number of issues on which boxes need to be ticked. The first is access to an adequate transport system. What about the disabled? What about the situation in which two young mums with pushchairs cannot travel together on a bus because only one of them can take a pushchair on? What about two people in wheelchairs who occasionally travel together but cannot both get on a bus? Those issues are about the demands that are placed on the transport system. Nora Radcliffe mentioned service agreements. People are worried about such things. The public transport system should be accessible, so that people do not have to take their car.
We welcome concessionary fares, but there are large parts of Scotland in which the buses do not run. We need to do more. The Minister for Transport has a responsibility to ensure that there are community transport systems that are flexible—they would not necessarily serve the same route every day of the week but would build flexibility into the system.
We have had debates on this before, but we need to talk about the safety of school transport, which is a major issue. Another issue is what we do with luggage on certain vehicles. Little things such as through-ticketing are major aspects of usability.
Nora Radcliffe made a couple of points about the Competition Commission. There are areas where there cannot be competition and we need to look at models for getting over that, particularly where there is a subsidy from the public purse.
I agree whole-heartedly with Nora Radcliffe about the dualling of the A96 and the nonsense of having traffic grind to a halt because we have a single-lane bridge with a traffic light on a main arterial route. However, we might disagree tomorrow morning in the debate about road user charging. It was interesting to hear her comments about that, which I am sure will be rehearsed by the minister tomorrow.
On infrastructure, I cannot believe the comments that Shiona Baird has made tonight. If she wants to build the economy, she has to find ways by which we can improve the transportation systems as well as meeting the environmental targets.
Given that Nora Radcliffe said that the debate is about a transport system that is fit for purpose, I think that there are a number of issues on which boxes need to be ticked. The first is access to an adequate transport system. What about the disabled? What about the situation in which two young mums with pushchairs cannot travel together on a bus because only one of them can take a pushchair on? What about two people in wheelchairs who occasionally travel together but cannot both get on a bus? Those issues are about the demands that are placed on the transport system. Nora Radcliffe mentioned service agreements. People are worried about such things. The public transport system should be accessible, so that people do not have to take their car.
We welcome concessionary fares, but there are large parts of Scotland in which the buses do not run. We need to do more. The Minister for Transport has a responsibility to ensure that there are community transport systems that are flexible—they would not necessarily serve the same route every day of the week but would build flexibility into the system.
We have had debates on this before, but we need to talk about the safety of school transport, which is a major issue. Another issue is what we do with luggage on certain vehicles. Little things such as through-ticketing are major aspects of usability.
Nora Radcliffe made a couple of points about the Competition Commission. There are areas where there cannot be competition and we need to look at models for getting over that, particularly where there is a subsidy from the public purse.
I agree whole-heartedly with Nora Radcliffe about the dualling of the A96 and the nonsense of having traffic grind to a halt because we have a single-lane bridge with a traffic light on a main arterial route. However, we might disagree tomorrow morning in the debate about road user charging. It was interesting to hear her comments about that, which I am sure will be rehearsed by the minister tomorrow.
On infrastructure, I cannot believe the comments that Shiona Baird has made tonight. If she wants to build the economy, she has to find ways by which we can improve the transportation systems as well as meeting the environmental targets.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S2M-5523, in the name of Nora Radcliffe, on making our transport fit for purpose. The deba...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament, recognising that transport is integral to the economic, environmental and social well-being of communities, commends the joint initiativ...
Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD):
LD
I thank the members who signed the motion and members who have remained in the chamber for the debate, and I repeat my commendation of the Aberdeenshire envi...
Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP):
SNP
I endorse Nora Radcliffe's points about the Competition Commission's actions in relation to the bus services that link Scotland's cities and the south and he...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
Will the member take an intervention?
Brian Adam:
SNP
I would like to develop my point.Four years ago, the First Minister came to Aberdeen and announced the Aberdeen western peripheral route; nothing has appeare...
Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green):
Green
Nora Radcliffe's motion is very interesting. It is fair to say that transport is the Achilles' heel of climate change. Politicians talk a good game on progre...
Brian Adam:
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Shiona Baird:
Green
I am sorry, but I have quite a bit to get through. On the environment—the second strand—NESTRANS does at least acknowledge climate change, but only in the co...
Jeremy Purvis:
LD
Will the member take an intervention?
Shiona Baird:
Green
No. I need to keep going, or I will not get my speech finished in time.What message are we MSPs prepared to send out? The motion asks that"the people of the ...
Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Nora Radcliffe on securing the debate. I say to the Green party representative that I do my bit for the environment. I use the train, when it ...
Shiona Baird:
Green
Will the member give way?
Mr Davidson:
Con
Not at the moment. We are not in an either/or situation. It is a practical fact that if the north-east had fewer foreign trips by air, it would do less busin...
Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab):
Lab
I congratulate Nora Radcliffe on securing the debate. Her motion recognises the great importance of the transport debate in Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen. I kno...
Shiona Baird:
Green
Would Richard Baker accept that the evidence shows that the western peripheral route will reduce the congestion in the centre of Aberdeen by only 2.5 per cent?
Richard Baker:
Lab
The minister is considering a number of proposals that will address congestion in addition to the western peripheral route. Obviously, we have the plans for ...
The Minister for Transport (Tavish Scott):
LD
I am delighted to respond to the debate, which has been secured by Nora Radcliffe, on transport in the north-east. Participants in transport debates tend to ...
Brian Adam:
SNP
Will the minister take an intervention on that point?
Tavish Scott:
LD
I have dealt with the matter. I want to deal with many points tonight.
Brian Adam:
SNP
The minister did not deal with the point.
Tavish Scott:
LD
The member may not like it, but I dealt with it, and I dealt with Mr Baker's question last week.On David Davidson's very fair point about road safety, one of...
Meeting closed at 17:38.