Chamber
Plenary, 27 Mar 2008
27 Mar 2008 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
Elgin Bypass
I congratulate Mary Scanlon on securing the debate, which I hope will inform the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change as he prepares to finalise the Scottish Government's strategic transport projects review. I also hope that it will demonstrate to him the cross-party support for a bypass for Elgin and other much-needed transport improvements along the A96 corridor.
Like other members, I pay tribute to all the organisations that have campaigned for the Elgin bypass with such enthusiasm and vigour. As with Robert the Bruce and the spider, they will not give up. As I know from personal experience, Elgin suffers the worst traffic congestion anywhere between Inverness and Aberdeen. It is common sense to conclude that that must act as a deterrent to business investment in the Elgin area. Moray has some of the lowest average weekly earnings in Scotland. Improving the area's transport links is a key part of tackling that by attracting new businesses and employment to the area.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise's valuable study of drivers' perceptions of the A96 highlights the slow-moving agricultural traffic, the lack of overtaking opportunities and stressful journeys. The quality of the route is viewed as a constraint to future economic expansion. The Scottish Government has a duty to respond to those issues without delay. I note that Moray Council's Elgin traffic management document suggests that public transport provision along the A96 route needs to be boosted in conjunction with road improvements. Perhaps the minister will want to address that tonight.
Does the minister agree with almost 90 per cent of the Moray citizens panel that more goods should be transported by rail along the route, rather than by road? What action can he take to support that?
Apart form the economic aspects of the bypass campaign, there are important safety and environmental issues, which other members have spoken about and which add weight to the arguments of local campaigners.
I welcome the fact that, during his visit to Elgin last month, the minister agreed with local campaigners that improving the area's transport infrastructure is the key to unlocking Moray's economic potential. We are now all looking to the minister to set himself apart from his predecessors by actually delivering the Elgin bypass, and not just delivering lip service to it.
Like other members, I pay tribute to all the organisations that have campaigned for the Elgin bypass with such enthusiasm and vigour. As with Robert the Bruce and the spider, they will not give up. As I know from personal experience, Elgin suffers the worst traffic congestion anywhere between Inverness and Aberdeen. It is common sense to conclude that that must act as a deterrent to business investment in the Elgin area. Moray has some of the lowest average weekly earnings in Scotland. Improving the area's transport links is a key part of tackling that by attracting new businesses and employment to the area.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise's valuable study of drivers' perceptions of the A96 highlights the slow-moving agricultural traffic, the lack of overtaking opportunities and stressful journeys. The quality of the route is viewed as a constraint to future economic expansion. The Scottish Government has a duty to respond to those issues without delay. I note that Moray Council's Elgin traffic management document suggests that public transport provision along the A96 route needs to be boosted in conjunction with road improvements. Perhaps the minister will want to address that tonight.
Does the minister agree with almost 90 per cent of the Moray citizens panel that more goods should be transported by rail along the route, rather than by road? What action can he take to support that?
Apart form the economic aspects of the bypass campaign, there are important safety and environmental issues, which other members have spoken about and which add weight to the arguments of local campaigners.
I welcome the fact that, during his visit to Elgin last month, the minister agreed with local campaigners that improving the area's transport infrastructure is the key to unlocking Moray's economic potential. We are now all looking to the minister to set himself apart from his predecessors by actually delivering the Elgin bypass, and not just delivering lip service to it.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S3M-1529, in the name of Mary Scanlon, on an Elgin bypass. The debate will be concluded wi...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament supports the need for a bypass for the city of Elgin; recognises the efforts of Moray Council, Elgin Community Council, the Elgin Bypass ...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I thank all the members who supported my motion and those who have stayed behind to speak in the debate. I welcome the councillors from Moray Council who are...
Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
I congratulate Mary Scanlon on securing the debate. As she said, it follows a succession of similar debates over the years—Margaret Ewing sponsored one, as d...
Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Mary Scanlon on securing the debate, which I hope will inform the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change as he prepares to ...
Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD):
LD
I thank Mary Scanlon for affording us the opportunity to debate this matter this evening. I apologise that I cannot stay for the whole debate. I add my voice...
Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Mary Scanlon on securing the debate. As a North East Scotland MSP, I am particularly pleased that her motion notes the need for bypasses for o...
The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change (Stewart Stevenson):
SNP
I add my thanks to Mary Scanlon for lodging the motion and giving members a fourth opportunity since 2002 to engage in a debate about a bypass for Elgin. I t...
Peter Peacock:
Lab
I understand the technical points that the minister is making about the STAG appraisal. Earlier in his speech, he mentioned that the future investment priori...
Stewart Stevenson:
SNP
I absolutely accept what Peter Peacock says. That is precisely the point. The economic hot spot of Scotland is in Inverness and extends east along the Moray ...
Meeting closed at 17:36.