Hansard

I am pleased that we have the opportunity to hear the case for the development of Aberdeen crossrail. I thank my colleagues from across the north-east and across the parties represented in the chamber who have supported my motion, which urges the Executive to build on its support for the feasibility studies of the project by committing to its construction.

I am aware that there has been long-standing support from many people in the north-east, as well as in the chamber, for the development of Aberdeen crossrail. The proposal is being actively promoted by the north-east Scotland transport partnership. It is not surprising that it has such widespread support, given the clear benefits that the scheme would bring to our region. If our part of Scotland is to have the kind of integrated transport network that we want to see throughout the country, Aberdeen crossrail must be an essential part of that.

Aberdeen crossrail is a project that is designed to upgrade, improve and extend rail links between Aberdeen and communities both north and south of the city. It is an innovative and ambitious part of the strategy to provide more public transport options for commuters and to cut congestion in the centre of Aberdeen. It is widely agreed that there must be concerted efforts to address that issue.

An incremental approach to delivering crossrail is proposed. First, services from the south, which currently terminate at Dyce, would be extended to terminate at Inverurie. In the medium term, a half-hourly cross-Aberdeen service would be achieved, with more services to Inverness, too. There would also be a new station in Kintore. In the longer term, a new, dedicated local service with trains every 15 minutes between Inverurie, Aberdeen and Stonehaven would be introduced. That would enable further new stations to be opened in the city and in Aberdeenshire. The 2003 Scottish strategic rail study even looks to the possibility in the long term of expanding the crossrail network to other destinations to the north and west.

The timescales for completion of the stages range from the end of next year to beyond 2012, for the full scheme. However, I hope that we can have a more ambitious timescale for implementation. There is no doubt that action is needed if we are to tackle the problem of congestion in Aberdeen in the years to come. Even with the construction of the western peripheral route, traffic forecasts suggest that car usage is set to increase, which will impact on congestion. Measures such as improved rail services in the area are crucial. We have sustainable transport schemes to encourage car sharing and cycling, but we need to give commuters more options—specifically, a rail service that complements the bus network. That works in other parts of the country, and I have no doubt that it will work well with Aberdeen crossrail.

Improving passenger numbers could lower the costs of travelling by rail, which would significantly increase the use of public transport in the north-east. The crossrail project could involve park-and-ride facilities, bus stops and access for cyclists and walkers beside each station. We need to take that kind of approach if we are to have a multi-modal, sustainable and integrated transport policy that will tackle congestion.

One might ask why I have raised the need to go ahead with the construction of crossrail before the feasibility studies have been completed. Although those studies are important, I believe that there is an overwhelming case for crossrail to go ahead, and the Executive is consulting right now on its national transport strategy. It is vital that we flag up the importance of this project at an early stage of that process. I will certainly be making a submission in support of the crossrail project, and I have today launched a petition that I hope will command a high level of support for the scheme.

When I asked a question on crossrail recently, people queried whether the minister's response showed a weakening of the Executive's commitment to the scheme, as he said that crossrail would have to compete with other transport projects for priority in the transport strategy. That seemed a perfectly reasonable answer. As the Executive embarks on its consultation, it is up to us in the north-east to make the case for Aberdeen crossrail. The strength of our argument is clear.

In other parts of Scotland, the Executive is making the biggest investments in new rail services for decades. I know that from my own happy experience on the private bill committee that considered the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine Railway and Linked Improvements Bill. There are also the new stations in Edinburgh, the airport rail links and the Borders railway, to name just some of the projects. The Executive knows the value of investing in new rail services in other parts of Scotland.

It is very clear that new rail projects are proving to be very successful, as can be seen with the new services in Edinburgh, where passenger numbers on the crossrail service have risen by up to 72 per cent on last year. The stations at Newcraighall, Brunstane and Edinburgh Park have taken hundreds of cars off the roads, with 42 per cent of people who use the trains saying that they used to drive to work. That indicates that the level of investment that would be required to construct Aberdeen crossrail would have an excellent return.

I believe that Aberdeen crossrail will be hugely successful. Not only will it make a valuable contribution to the development of the transport infrastructure in our part of Scotland, but it will be crucial to our ensuring that we have an effective transport network in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. That is vital to the people of the area and to our economy.

For many people in the area, commuting by rail is too often an unrealistic option. I believe that if they had that option, people would welcome the service and make full use of it. That is why I believe that developing an improved rail service should be not only a local transport priority, but a priority for the Executive.

I commend Aberdeen crossrail to the chamber and to the minister, and I hope that we can look forward to the Executive pledging to make it a key part of Scotland's national transport strategy.