Hansard

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.