Chamber
Plenary, 28 Mar 2007
28 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Airdrie-Bathgate Railway and Linked Improvements Bill
I agree with many previous speakers, including Karen Whitefield and Mary Mulligan, that the project will bring economic, environmental, social and educational benefits to people throughout the M8 corridor. It will mean that my constituents in places such as Livingston and Broxburn will be able to travel to North Lanarkshire and, in particular, to Glasgow to take up employment and educational opportunities. A significant proportion of the population of West Lothian—including me—hails originally from Glasgow, and many of us still have strong social and family links with the west of Scotland.
The project builds on the success of the existing Bathgate to Edinburgh rail line, which was reopened in the 1980s to boost a West Lothian economy that was suffering from mass unemployment. The reopening of the line played a significant role in the economic and population growth of towns such as Livingston, Broxburn and Bathgate, by making them attractive places to live for people who wanted to work in Edinburgh and by making West Lothian a more attractive place for employers to base themselves because of the improvement in transport links. The line made a significant difference to West Lothian in that regard.
Tribute should be paid to my late colleague Robin Cook, who played a major part in pushing for the project to be delivered. Those who pushed for the project could not have dreamed that it would be so successful. Its success has led to a doubling in the frequency of trains, from hourly to half hourly, and to a doubling in the capacity of those trains, from mainly three-coach trains to six-coach trains at peak times. The Executive has made those changes in the past few years.
The project that we are debating today will take forward West Lothian and North Lanarkshire in far more positive economic circumstances. Currently economic participation in West Lothian is higher, and unemployment is lower, than the Scottish, United Kingdom and European averages. However, we want to push down further the unemployment that still exists in pockets in West Lothian. In particular, we want to ensure that we get the highest levels of engagement in the economy by young people. The completion of the line to link the Airdrie to Glasgow and Bathgate to Edinburgh lines will allow us to build on that more favourable economic climate, help us to increase further employment opportunities and support the expected and planned continued population growth in West Lothian.
On benefits to existing commuters, as part of the project a number of enhancements will be made to the Bathgate to Edinburgh line, as Mary Mulligan mentioned. Twin-tracking will take place: work to clear the way has already started. There will be electrification and improved rolling stock. Trains will move to a 15-minute frequency, which will double the capacity of the line at peak times. I inform Mark Ballard that there will also be extra park-and-ride capacity, which is important. Although we want many people to access the lines by foot or cycle, it will remain the case that many will make part of their journey by car and part of it by public transport. That has to be preferable to people taking their cars into our major cities Edinburgh and Glasgow. Park and ride is an important part of the environmental contribution of the project.
Rail passenger numbers have grown considerably in recent years. This project, along with a number of others that have been agreed to recently, will allow that public transport growth to continue in the decade ahead and will provide more opportunities for people to travel in and out of Glasgow and Edinburgh without taking their cars, thereby reducing congestion and the environmental consequences of the overuse of cars.
This new railway project will bring benefits to my constituents in Livingston and to many communities along the M8 corridor—in Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, West Lothian and Edinburgh in particular, as well as in adjoining communities. The project will be good for the economy, will benefit the environment and will open up new social and educational opportunities. That one of the last decisions made in this parliamentary session will also be one of the best and most beneficial to my constituents and those of Karen Whitefield and Mary Mulligan is a good note on which to sign off. I am sure that the bill will be passed unanimously at decision time.
The project builds on the success of the existing Bathgate to Edinburgh rail line, which was reopened in the 1980s to boost a West Lothian economy that was suffering from mass unemployment. The reopening of the line played a significant role in the economic and population growth of towns such as Livingston, Broxburn and Bathgate, by making them attractive places to live for people who wanted to work in Edinburgh and by making West Lothian a more attractive place for employers to base themselves because of the improvement in transport links. The line made a significant difference to West Lothian in that regard.
Tribute should be paid to my late colleague Robin Cook, who played a major part in pushing for the project to be delivered. Those who pushed for the project could not have dreamed that it would be so successful. Its success has led to a doubling in the frequency of trains, from hourly to half hourly, and to a doubling in the capacity of those trains, from mainly three-coach trains to six-coach trains at peak times. The Executive has made those changes in the past few years.
The project that we are debating today will take forward West Lothian and North Lanarkshire in far more positive economic circumstances. Currently economic participation in West Lothian is higher, and unemployment is lower, than the Scottish, United Kingdom and European averages. However, we want to push down further the unemployment that still exists in pockets in West Lothian. In particular, we want to ensure that we get the highest levels of engagement in the economy by young people. The completion of the line to link the Airdrie to Glasgow and Bathgate to Edinburgh lines will allow us to build on that more favourable economic climate, help us to increase further employment opportunities and support the expected and planned continued population growth in West Lothian.
On benefits to existing commuters, as part of the project a number of enhancements will be made to the Bathgate to Edinburgh line, as Mary Mulligan mentioned. Twin-tracking will take place: work to clear the way has already started. There will be electrification and improved rolling stock. Trains will move to a 15-minute frequency, which will double the capacity of the line at peak times. I inform Mark Ballard that there will also be extra park-and-ride capacity, which is important. Although we want many people to access the lines by foot or cycle, it will remain the case that many will make part of their journey by car and part of it by public transport. That has to be preferable to people taking their cars into our major cities Edinburgh and Glasgow. Park and ride is an important part of the environmental contribution of the project.
Rail passenger numbers have grown considerably in recent years. This project, along with a number of others that have been agreed to recently, will allow that public transport growth to continue in the decade ahead and will provide more opportunities for people to travel in and out of Glasgow and Edinburgh without taking their cars, thereby reducing congestion and the environmental consequences of the overuse of cars.
This new railway project will bring benefits to my constituents in Livingston and to many communities along the M8 corridor—in Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, West Lothian and Edinburgh in particular, as well as in adjoining communities. The project will be good for the economy, will benefit the environment and will open up new social and educational opportunities. That one of the last decisions made in this parliamentary session will also be one of the best and most beneficial to my constituents and those of Karen Whitefield and Mary Mulligan is a good note on which to sign off. I am sure that the bill will be passed unanimously at decision time.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5760, in the name of Phil Gallie, that the Parliament agrees that the Airdrie-Bathgate Railway and Linked...
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
How strange life can be: here we are debating legislation in a building that neither you, Presiding Officer, nor I wanted, in a Parliament that you fought fo...
Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab):
Lab
I thank Mr Gallie for taking an intervention. Does he agree that, although the Airdrie to Bathgate link will vastly improve rail services across that part of...
Phil Gallie:
Con
I could not agree more with Janis Hughes. It is a pity that she will not be here to fight for crossrail in the next session of Parliament. I hope that the me...
The Minister for Transport (Tavish Scott):
LD
Such a young Parliament, so many historic events. I pay tribute to Phil Gallie's years of public service. I understand that he was with Cunninghame District ...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP):
SNP
I, too, wish Phil Gallie well for the future. His was a voice that was always heard in this Parliament—albeit sometimes from a sedentary position. We never h...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
You have one minute.
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
Thank you very much. I have no complaints about that whatsoever.The minister trespassed somewhat more widely than the confines of the Airdrie-Bathgate Railwa...
Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
Consensus is breaking out. I begin with the retiring members who have spoken today. Phil Gallie has been a quiet, mild-mannered man all the way through his p...
Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab):
Lab
I am delighted that the last speech that I will make in this Parliament prior to dissolution is on the Airdrie to Bathgate rail line. Mary Mulligan, Bristow ...
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I agree with much of what the member says, but does she agree that it reinforces the lunacy of closing the accident and emergency department at Monklands hos...
Karen Whitefield:
Lab
We are talking about a railway line today, and there will be more to discuss during the election campaign than accident and emergency services. However, my v...
Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green):
Green
Fergus Ewing and David Davidson began their speeches by talking about the consensus that has broken out in the chamber. When they are feeling so consensual, ...
Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab):
Lab
Like many members, I am delighted to have reached the final stage of the legislative process and I look forward to the reopening of the Airdrie to Bathgate l...
Phil Gallie:
Con
I understand the point that Mary Mulligan makes about train companies not liking trains stopping. They think that too many stops reduce the number of custome...
Mrs Mulligan:
Lab
Absolutely. I have always contended that, with a bit of imaginative thought, Network Rail could have planned a timetable that would have allowed that, partic...
Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
On behalf of my constituents in the Lothians, I thank the committee for its diligence. It has served the people of West Lothian and Lanarkshire well in its d...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
Did the shadow transport minister visit Plains as well?
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
I am sorry. I did not quite catch what the member said. It is important that we recognise—
Jeremy Purvis rose—
LD
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
Sorry. I will give way.
Jeremy Purvis:
LD
Did the shadow transport minister visit Plains as well?
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
I think that there is an outstanding invitation. I represent the Lothians. Not only did Fergus Ewing visit Blackridge, he visited the Avon gorge, which has o...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
With regard to how strategic a view the Scottish National Party takes of this and other transport projects, the fact that the shadow transport minister visit...
Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab):
Lab
I agree with many previous speakers, including Karen Whitefield and Mary Mulligan, that the project will bring economic, environmental, social and educationa...
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
At the risk of repetition, I repeat what I said last week in the chamber: as a resident of Ayr, I vouch that Phil Gallie is the best member of Parliament tha...
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab):
Lab
Does the member agree that the line will also very much benefit the people of Coatbridge?
Alex Neil:
SNP
Of course I do. Indeed, that will be a very important consideration, particularly over the next five weeks. This project, which will involve public sector in...
Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con):
Con
I support this much-wanted bill, which provides for the reopening of the former Airdrie to Bathgate line by re-laying missing track between Bathgate and Drum...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
I congratulate the committee, which has clearly done a good job, and which, by studying the issues intensively, has done what committees are supposed to do. ...