Chamber
Plenary, 28 Mar 2007
28 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Railways
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 local rail network. As Mark Ruskell said, if we are to improve rail travel for the vast majority of the travelling public, we need to focus on the smaller schemes for which communities are campaigning. The reconnection of communities by rail requires the reopening of stations, to maximise opportunities for rail travel and enable a much greater number of passengers to access the rail network.
I can evidence Mark Ruskell's arguments from my experience. A station at East Linton in East Lothian would cost just £2.9 million at 2004 prices. The community is campaigning for a station, through the excellent rail action group east of Scotland—RAGES—but where is the Executive? The Executive has got its priorities wrong. It is committed to spending at least £650 million, perhaps even £1 billion, on the Edinburgh airport rail link, but it rejects local campaigns such as that of the Clydesdale rail action group to reopen stations at Beattock, Symington and Carluke, to provide a local service on the west coast main line. I would be delighted if the minister supported the reopening of those stations, which would provide a service that was described in the Atkins report as feasible and strongly integrated with local policy across a number of transport and economic development areas. The Atkins report found that the scheme would bring significant benefits and concluded that its wider economic benefits have large potential. The cost of the scheme would be just £12 million, with an annual operating subsidy of £2.3 million.
There has been a community campaign in the west of my region to reopen the station at Dunragit and for a feasibility study into reopening the old military line from Stranraer to Cairnryan. If we do not do that, when Stena Line moves to Cairnryan the largest port in Scotland will have no rail access at all and the Glasgow to Belfast rail-sail option will have gone. The Executive is nowhere to be seen when it comes to supporting those campaigns.
We all welcome the fact that part of the historic Waverley line is to be reinstated, but it is not a Borders railway. I support the campaign for a Borders railway, which would allow Borderers to travel around the region. Such a railway would provide access to Borders general hospital, Scottish Borders Council, Melrose and Hawick. The current plan could increase the economic divide between Hawick and Galashiels and the central Borders.
The Executive plans to commit huge sums of public money to wasteful and pointless road projects such as the M74, the Aberdeen western peripheral route and an additional Forth road bridge. I call on the minister to listen to the local community campaigners, some of whom have joined us in the public gallery.
I can evidence Mark Ruskell's arguments from my experience. A station at East Linton in East Lothian would cost just £2.9 million at 2004 prices. The community is campaigning for a station, through the excellent rail action group east of Scotland—RAGES—but where is the Executive? The Executive has got its priorities wrong. It is committed to spending at least £650 million, perhaps even £1 billion, on the Edinburgh airport rail link, but it rejects local campaigns such as that of the Clydesdale rail action group to reopen stations at Beattock, Symington and Carluke, to provide a local service on the west coast main line. I would be delighted if the minister supported the reopening of those stations, which would provide a service that was described in the Atkins report as feasible and strongly integrated with local policy across a number of transport and economic development areas. The Atkins report found that the scheme would bring significant benefits and concluded that its wider economic benefits have large potential. The cost of the scheme would be just £12 million, with an annual operating subsidy of £2.3 million.
There has been a community campaign in the west of my region to reopen the station at Dunragit and for a feasibility study into reopening the old military line from Stranraer to Cairnryan. If we do not do that, when Stena Line moves to Cairnryan the largest port in Scotland will have no rail access at all and the Glasgow to Belfast rail-sail option will have gone. The Executive is nowhere to be seen when it comes to supporting those campaigns.
We all welcome the fact that part of the historic Waverley line is to be reinstated, but it is not a Borders railway. I support the campaign for a Borders railway, which would allow Borderers to travel around the region. Such a railway would provide access to Borders general hospital, Scottish Borders Council, Melrose and Hawick. The current plan could increase the economic divide between Hawick and Galashiels and the central Borders.
The Executive plans to commit huge sums of public money to wasteful and pointless road projects such as the M74, the Aberdeen western peripheral route and an additional Forth road bridge. I call on the minister to listen to the local community campaigners, some of whom have joined us in the public gallery.
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...