Chamber
Plenary, 28 Mar 2007
28 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Railways
I join other members in congratulating Mark Ruskell on securing the debate and on highlighting the desire of communities throughout Scotland to be reconnected to the rail network. Sandra White was right to say that it is not just rural Scottish communities that want to be reconnected to the rail network; in Glasgow, with the crossrail, and in Edinburgh, people want railway stations to be reopened.
When I came to Edinburgh 17 years ago, it struck me that the south of Edinburgh has a railway line that still has, in places such as Craiglockhart and Morningside, the platforms of the old south suburban line. Trains still travel on the line, but they are not passenger trains. Since 1962, when passenger trains were removed from the line, there has been a continuing campaign to have those stations reopened so that the south suburban line could give the people of Edinburgh the benefit of a suburban network similar to that of Glasgow or even London.
Christine May talked about her frustration that Levenmouth still does not have a rail connection, but trying to reopen the stations on the south suburban line has been even more frustrating. Sandra White talked about the cost of Glasgow crossrail being £200 million. The cost of reopening the south suburban line, because the line and the platforms are already there, is estimated at between £15 million and £30 million. That is a trifling sum when compared with the £300 million that we have just agreed to spend on the Airdrie to Bathgate line, let alone when compared to the tunnel under the Forth that Mark Ruskell mentioned.
What gives me faith that we might see progress is the pioneering work that has been done by Professor George Hazel with his E-Rail Ltd proposal, which seeks to capture value from the uplift in land values that would come from restoring the south suburban line. We know that development of the Jubilee line in London led to an uplift of over £13 billion in land values. The development of the south suburban line would lead to a massive uplift in land values in Edinburgh, which is why developers have come forward, through the E-Rail proposal, to offer half the cost of restoring passenger trains to the south suburban line. In the terms of Mark Ruskell's motion, that shows that not only communities but businesses have a role in reconnecting communities to the national rail network.
Successive Executives and Scottish Office ministers have prevaricated on the issue. It is now time to reopen the south suburban line and to get trains running again through Cameron Toll. Such trains could connect to a tram scheme and Edinburgh's bus network, which would enable us to realise the vision of sustainable transport for Edinburgh.
When I came to Edinburgh 17 years ago, it struck me that the south of Edinburgh has a railway line that still has, in places such as Craiglockhart and Morningside, the platforms of the old south suburban line. Trains still travel on the line, but they are not passenger trains. Since 1962, when passenger trains were removed from the line, there has been a continuing campaign to have those stations reopened so that the south suburban line could give the people of Edinburgh the benefit of a suburban network similar to that of Glasgow or even London.
Christine May talked about her frustration that Levenmouth still does not have a rail connection, but trying to reopen the stations on the south suburban line has been even more frustrating. Sandra White talked about the cost of Glasgow crossrail being £200 million. The cost of reopening the south suburban line, because the line and the platforms are already there, is estimated at between £15 million and £30 million. That is a trifling sum when compared with the £300 million that we have just agreed to spend on the Airdrie to Bathgate line, let alone when compared to the tunnel under the Forth that Mark Ruskell mentioned.
What gives me faith that we might see progress is the pioneering work that has been done by Professor George Hazel with his E-Rail Ltd proposal, which seeks to capture value from the uplift in land values that would come from restoring the south suburban line. We know that development of the Jubilee line in London led to an uplift of over £13 billion in land values. The development of the south suburban line would lead to a massive uplift in land values in Edinburgh, which is why developers have come forward, through the E-Rail proposal, to offer half the cost of restoring passenger trains to the south suburban line. In the terms of Mark Ruskell's motion, that shows that not only communities but businesses have a role in reconnecting communities to the national rail network.
Successive Executives and Scottish Office ministers have prevaricated on the issue. It is now time to reopen the south suburban line and to get trains running again through Cameron Toll. Such trains could connect to a tram scheme and Edinburgh's bus network, which would enable us to realise the vision of sustainable transport for Edinburgh.
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...