Chamber
Plenary, 21 Mar 2007
21 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Park-and-Ride Sites (South Edinburgh)
I do not think that it has ever been said that I have consistently supported those schemes. Indeed, Mr Purvis's colleague usually says the opposite. Mr Purvis may have made an attempt at humour, but that attempt has fallen flat. I do not support the tramline 1 scheme or the tramline 2 scheme, and Mr Purvis knows as well as I do that what has been proposed will be well and truly sunk when we take charge on 3 May. If there is a change of administration at local authority level in Edinburgh, even the Lib Dems will seek to pull the plug on what has been proposed, because no finance is available for it. Furthermore, whatever traffic disruption and congestion we currently face in Edinburgh would be as nothing once people started to dig up the roads to provide a tramline. So, no, I do not support a third tramline.
I believe that the provision of park-and-ride sites at Straiton, Sheriffhall and so on will present an opportunity to provide the quality bus services that members of all parties agree are necessary to service not only those who come from outlying areas but those who need to travel to the Edinburgh royal infirmary.
I congratulate Mr Pringle on securing the debate and addressing a clear problem for south Edinburgh and beyond.
I believe that the provision of park-and-ride sites at Straiton, Sheriffhall and so on will present an opportunity to provide the quality bus services that members of all parties agree are necessary to service not only those who come from outlying areas but those who need to travel to the Edinburgh royal infirmary.
I congratulate Mr Pringle on securing the debate and addressing a clear problem for south Edinburgh and beyond.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S2M-5715, in the name of Mike Pringle, on the lack of park-and-ride sites in south Edinbur...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament welcomes key public transport improvements being delivered by SEStran including bus priority measures, a bus tracker system and cycleway ...
Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD):
LD
Back in 1994, when I was elected to Lothian Regional Council, I spoke to David Begg, who was the council's transport convener—members will all remember him. ...
Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
I declare an interest as a resident of south Edinburgh who sees traffic coming into the area every day—and who faces the parking consequences of that traffic...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
The member has gained the Parliament's considerable respect for consistently supporting the Edinburgh tramline schemes. Is he saying that he is in favour of ...
Mr MacAskill:
SNP
I do not think that it has ever been said that I have consistently supported those schemes. Indeed, Mr Purvis's colleague usually says the opposite. Mr Purvi...
David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con):
Con
I thank Mike Pringle for raising this subject in Parliament and I echo many of his remarks. As he said, the issue impacts on Edinburgh Pentlands—in which I a...
Mike Pringle:
LD
I do not know whether the member discovered this when he contacted SESTRAN, but does he accept that planning on the third site has not even started?
David McLetchie:
Con
Yes. I thank Mr Pringle for providing that information for the debate, but SESTRAN maintains that the third site is expected to be available in October 2008....
Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green):
Green
I join others in thanking Mike Pringle for bringing this important and timely debate to the Parliament.Mike Pringle was right to lay out in his speech the fa...
Jeremy Purvis:
LD
Given that it is a positive move that we have funding for the Borders railway up the A7 corridor, does Mr Ballard agree that it would be better for the City ...
Mark Ballard:
Green
There is a need for a heavy rail link to Penicuik and I believe that that would be much more successful than the proposal for the A701 upgrade. However, I do...
Mr MacAskill:
SNP
Does the member accept that we have a rail park and ride to some extent at Newcraighall? One of the great problems is that people have turned up only to find...
Mark Ballard:
Green
I agree that trains being cancelled at Newcraighall does not advertise the virtues of public transport, but we have a real problem in the south of Edinburgh ...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
I am delighted to take part in the debate on Mike Pringle's motion. In October 2003, he secured time to debate transport in the south of Edinburgh. In that d...
Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP):
SSP
As is traditional on these occasions I, too, congratulate Mike Pringle on securing the debate. His motion raises important issues that many of my constituent...
Mark Ballard:
Green
Will the member take an intervention?
Colin Fox:
SSP
In a second.The scheme failed, but we still have to address the problem, which is worsening. We cannot expect the problem to go away just because of a refere...
Mark Ballard:
Green
Does Colin Fox acknowledge that congestion charges would have brought in funding for public transport projects such as tramline 3? If the Scottish Executive ...
Colin Fox:
SSP
I was just coming to that point. I am not against congestion charges in principle. I lived in London for 10 years—the scheme there is fair. People in London ...
The Minister for Transport (Tavish Scott):
LD
I welcome this evening's debate and thank Mike Pringle for raising the name of David Begg. David Begg taught me economics some years ago—and I will not take ...
Mark Ballard:
Green
How does the minister react to the proposal from E-Rail Ltd for local businesses to help fund the reopening of the south suburban railway in Edinburgh? Does ...
Tavish Scott:
LD
I am interested in and will closely consider any proposal from the private sector to assist us with heavy rail, light rail or transport investment in general...
Meeting closed at 17:46.