Chamber
Plenary, 28 Mar 2007
28 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Railways
I congratulate Mark Ruskell on securing the debate. Given the bill that Parliament passed this afternoon, it is particularly appropriate that we continue to talk about the railways and the extent to which they are beginning to be seen by ordinary people as profoundly important in their transport options.
Presiding Officer, you will not be surprised to learn that I will concentrate on Perthshire, because it is a key central point of connection for much of Scotland's transport—not just railways but roads; everything tends to run through Perth. However, Perthshire's major connectivity does not seem to be acknowledged in its transport infrastructure. I know that the minister has commented on that in the past.
We in Perthshire are particularly concerned about the railway links. There is a bigger issue to do with railways—including the frequency and speed of trains—that is not really part of tonight's debate, although I am sure that we will come back to it another time. Blackford and Greenloaning are examples of places where we are failing to acknowledge the enormous demand that is being expressed by communities. There does not seem to be any response to that demand from the various authorities that are charged with dealing with it.
The main railway station in my constituency is Perth, which is massively important, and there is a station at Gleneagles, which Mark Ruskell mentioned. However, Dunblane station is also important to Perthshire. Many folk in my constituency travel to Dunblane to access trains that run at far greater frequency than do those from either Gleneagles or Perth. That is putting a massive pressure on Dunblane, which cannot cope with the demand, which would be infinitely alleviated if Blackford and Greenloaning were reopened and trains began further back up the line. That idea needs to be considered.
What concerns me about the TACTRAN document to which Mark Ruskell referred—and about which I could go into a great amount of detail—is that it does not link the undercapacity of the park-and-ride facility at Dunblane railway station with the fact that more frequent train services run from the town and that anyone who lives north of Dunblane is bound to want to travel there to access them. Moreover, it does not contain the kind of methodology that provides statistics that are useful enough to use in our arguments.
I am sorry that our speaking time is so brief. I will have to end now, but this debate will run and run. We will certainly return to it after 3 May.
Presiding Officer, you will not be surprised to learn that I will concentrate on Perthshire, because it is a key central point of connection for much of Scotland's transport—not just railways but roads; everything tends to run through Perth. However, Perthshire's major connectivity does not seem to be acknowledged in its transport infrastructure. I know that the minister has commented on that in the past.
We in Perthshire are particularly concerned about the railway links. There is a bigger issue to do with railways—including the frequency and speed of trains—that is not really part of tonight's debate, although I am sure that we will come back to it another time. Blackford and Greenloaning are examples of places where we are failing to acknowledge the enormous demand that is being expressed by communities. There does not seem to be any response to that demand from the various authorities that are charged with dealing with it.
The main railway station in my constituency is Perth, which is massively important, and there is a station at Gleneagles, which Mark Ruskell mentioned. However, Dunblane station is also important to Perthshire. Many folk in my constituency travel to Dunblane to access trains that run at far greater frequency than do those from either Gleneagles or Perth. That is putting a massive pressure on Dunblane, which cannot cope with the demand, which would be infinitely alleviated if Blackford and Greenloaning were reopened and trains began further back up the line. That idea needs to be considered.
What concerns me about the TACTRAN document to which Mark Ruskell referred—and about which I could go into a great amount of detail—is that it does not link the undercapacity of the park-and-ride facility at Dunblane railway station with the fact that more frequent train services run from the town and that anyone who lives north of Dunblane is bound to want to travel there to access them. Moreover, it does not contain the kind of methodology that provides statistics that are useful enough to use in our arguments.
I am sorry that our speaking time is so brief. I will have to end now, but this debate will run and run. We will certainly return to it after 3 May.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The final item of business today is a members' business debate on motion S2M-5762, in the name of Mark Ruskell, on reconnecting communities by rail. The deba...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament welcomes the work undertaken by communities across Scotland to enhance the rail network; recognises in particular the long-standing need ...
Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green):
Green
I thank those members who have stayed behind to engage in the debate and the many others who signed my motion.This is the last members' business debate of th...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
We move to the debate; speeches will be three minutes.
Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Mark Ruskell on securing the debate. Given the bill that Parliament passed this afternoon, it is particularly appropriate that we continue to ...
Mr Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Mark Ruskell on securing the debate. Of course, no group in the Parliament has a God-given right to give itself the "green" accolade—and I say...
Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP):
SNP
Will the member give way?
Mr Brocklebank:
Con
I would rather not; I have only three minutes.I realise that, as a single car occupier, I am doing little to cut emissions or, for that matter, to help the o...
Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD):
LD
I, too, congratulate Mark Ruskell on securing the last members' business debate in this session of Parliament and endorse his remarks about freight on rail.I...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
Not by the member, I am sure.
Mr Stone:
LD
I hasten to assure Mr Fraser about that.Mr McMorran's point was that we need somebody to own the building, in the sense of use and maintenance, as well as in...
Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab):
Lab
I, too, congratulate Mark Ruskell on securing the last members' business debate of the session. I was pleased to sign his motion. My interest in rail goes ba...
Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I, too, congratulate Mark Ruskell on securing this debate on reconnecting communities by rail. I hope that other MSPs will not mind a Glasgow MSP intruding o...
Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green):
Green
I join other members in congratulating Mark Ruskell on securing the debate and on highlighting the desire of communities throughout Scotland to be reconnecte...
Stewart Stevenson:
SNP
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I wonder whether I might take the liberty of moving a motion without notice that the debate be extended until five to...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
It is not possible for me to extend the debate—I am doing the best I can. If you had not stood up and taken so long, I could probably have got somebody else ...
Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD):
LD
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I will try to be brief to help you get someone else into the debate.I, too, congratulate Mark Ruskell on securing the final mem...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
You should be finishing now, Mr Smith.
Iain Smith:
LD
I have had only two and a half minutes, but I will finish with a final comment.The Levenmouth development is important because it would have significant rege...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
I call Rob Gibson. If members stick to their times I will manage to get everyone in.
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
I welcome the chance to speak in the debate and congratulate Mark Ruskell on securing it.I am glad that there is such a positive attitude in Mid Scotland and...
Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green):
Green
I will speak quickly in support of the motion in the name of my colleague Mark Ruskell. Communities throughout Scotland have campaigned hard to expand their ...
Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Mark Ruskell on securing the debate.I will start with a declaration of interest: I believe in rail travel and I travel by rail every day. I th...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
I call Alex Fergusson, to be followed—very briefly—by Murdo Fraser.
Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con):
Con
I will be as brief as I possibly can be. I congratulate Mark Ruskell on securing the debate. I have every intention of being as parochial as Roseanna Cunning...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I will be succinct in my remarks, although I fear that, on this occasion, I might not be able to take any interventions. I commend Mark Ruskell for the motio...
The Minister for Transport (Tavish Scott):
LD
Given that I have no stations in my constituency I, unlike others in this end-of-season debate, cannot be parochial about rail, which is probably just as wel...
Mr Ruskell:
Green
The regional transport plans will be submitted to the minister this week. What is his view of transport plans that put forward projects that are not yet in s...
Tavish Scott:
LD
It is important that there is consistency between documents. That is in the interests of regional transport partnerships and their constituent councils in re...