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Showing 56 of 2,354,908 contributions. Latest 30 days: 0. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 25 Mar 2026.

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab) Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

Mr Simpson, you mentioned point heaters. With the severe weather warning, were all your point heaters switched on well in advance? Did they all function continuously throughout the severe weather?14:15

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): Lab Chamber

I press the cabinet secretary on a point that I put to him when he telephoned me earlier this week. The unusual longevity of the current emergency has meant that hard-working road workers have had to continue to concentrate their efforts on main roads. In previous, shorter spe...

Charlie Gordon: Lab Chamber

In a shorter spell of bad weather, we would have turned our attention by now to side roads and minor roads, and—this is crucial—to pavements. Given the social consequences for vulnerable people of these exceptional circumstances, and given the cost impact on the health service...

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab) Lab Chamber

We are here because we have just seen the worst gridlock in living memory. Hundreds of drivers spent the night in their vehicles on the M8, hundreds more bus passengers were stranded on the M80 and many others endured a similar grim experience in sub-zero temperatures across S...

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab) Lab Committee

I want to ask a wee bit more about the handling of the incidents on the morning of Monday, 6 December. I have an incident management question for Mr Barton. The cabinet secretary has told us that the contracted companies gritted in the early hours of Monday 6 December in light...

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Convener, can the chief constable tell us what his response would have been if a similar request had been made the night before, when the weather forecast was received?

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

You have just let the chief constable answer one hypothetical question from Mr Swinney. How about letting him answer my hypothetical question about what would have happened if exactly the same request had been made the night before, when the weather forecast was received?

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

The rail network seemed to struggle a bit in last week’s severe weather. The flagship Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk High service was reduced to a timetable that notionally represented 25 per cent of capacity. Other delays occurred. Yours truly was stranded in Edinburgh for ...

Charlie Gordon Lab Chamber

Winter Resilience

That is a welcome intervention. Any budget for winter maintenance is an estimate at best, but we do not stop when we run out of money—we carry on to help people and sort out the financial implications later. That is in the nature of this area of public policy implementation, s...

Charlie Gordon Lab Chamber

We are not making a U-turn, because a derogation for rural areas is not in the Government’s motion. That does not mean that the Labour Party is not still very interested in the idea, but it is—unfortunately—for another day.In September 2010, the Office for Budget Responsibilit...

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

How about charging slightly lower fares on the routes that are not key and which are liable to severe disruption if we get more severe weather?

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

Can you cite any examples from the severe weather operations of the effectiveness of your snowploughs in enabling you to get a route or part of a route reopened? Did they fire a shot in anger? Did they help?

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

We turn now to rail, minister. What was the nature of the interaction between Transport Scotland, Network Rail and First ScotRail during the severe weather?

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

You will be aware that we heard from the rail operators during the previous evidence session. Without going over everything that they said, which presumably you support, you will have heard them promise at the end that they will do better. The guiding philosophy that came thro...

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

Notwithstanding the acceptance of the key route approach, are there sanctions that might apply to franchisees or Network Rail for their performance during the recent severe weather?

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

I take Frances Duffy’s latter point and the minister’s point about the ORR being the lead regulator for Network Rail. However, the Scottish Government has powers of direction over Network Rail. I fully accept the minister’s point that it would be better to have a devolved sanc...

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

Minister, in your opening statement, you mentioned the development of the multi-agency response team. I am not clear how often that meets—you can tell us in a minute. It has on it eight police officers from the different police forces, who I presume are all traffic officers. D...

The Convener: Lab Committee

Item 1 is declarations of members' interests. The weather's impact on members' travel arrangements last week make it necessary for me to invite Willie Coffey MSP to declare any interests that he might have that are relevant to the work of the committee.

Charlie Gordon: Lab Committee

Ferry Services Inquiry

But you cannot tell us a bit more about that. As you said in your introductory remarks, if people see the part of their journey that is by ferry as part of their holiday, perhaps their perception will change. With the best will in the world, when we talk about journeys to the ...

Charlie Gordon: Lab Chamber

Pre-budget Report<br />(Scottish Government Response)

No. The Tories, it seems, are worried about losing the next UK general election. Their stated enemy is Labour; their policies deserve the enmity of every Scot. I eagerly await the remaining instalments of John Swinney's package. In particular, I share the views of members of t...

Charlie Gordon: Lab Chamber

Concessionary Travel Scheme

When we are discussing future financial administration, real terms is the realistic way to look at things.The issue is not just the significance of smart cards. Leonard Cheshire Disability has pointed out the rather disappointing review when it considered including lower rate ...

Charlie Gordon: Lab Chamber

It would be cost effective and beneficial to the hard-pressed public to give emergency funds to councils to mobilise additional labour to clear pavements. Will the cabinet secretary do that now?

Charlie Gordon Lab Chamber

I am delighted by that intervention. Allowing for the fact that the minister is clearly unwell today, I missed his usual self-congratulatory tone. I am delighted to hear that the germs have not yet laid him quite that low. I take note and will try to make that bus journey some...

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

The snow was forecast for Monday morning, at about the time of the rush hour. How were the companies planning to use snowploughs in the rush hour?

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

I quote from the winter maintenance plan for the south-west division for the contractor Amey:“Snow and Ice Clearance ... Ploughing of snow will normally commence at a snow depth of 30mm—”which is 3cm—“and will be accompanied by salt applications.”My point is this: it is very d...

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

I am sorry, but you said 5cm, Mr Barton—

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

But the winter maintenance plan says 30mm, which is 3cm.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

No. Mr Barton corrected himself and said 5cm, which is also incorrect. I am quoting from the winter maintenance plan, which refers to 3cm.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

That is a very important distinction, convener.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Yes. Doing that would perhaps involve not letting people on to the motorway initially, for which the police would be needed.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Wait a minute—the cabinet secretary said that managing the incident was the officials’ responsibility. I agree with him. Mr Barton is presented here as a witness and I wish to ask him questions about how the incident was managed.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

So you think that it is a good idea to use snowploughs in rush-hour traffic.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

I am making no accusations; I am asking a question.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

The winter maintenance plan says:“Ploughing of snow will normally commence at a ... depth of”3cm. You worked on a forecast of between 2 and 5cm of snow, but you took the view that you should not hold traffic off the motorway in order to operate snowploughs. It is difficult to ...

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

It is an operational matter, cabinet secretary.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Convener, the cabinet secretary said—

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

—that the preparations were his shout—

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

—and that the management of the incident was the officials’ shout.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

As long as you are clear on what he said on the record.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

You told us that it took you 11 hours, because of the traffic.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

“Low Carbon Scotland”

I missed it, unfortunately; I was away dealing with the severe weather.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

I go along with that. I do not think that everything that we hear about the operators should be mediated through Transport Scotland. Sometimes you need to talk to the organ grinder.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Forth Crossing Project

I read into what you have said the suggestion that the weather has got better and is going to stay better for the foreseeable future, that it is FETA’s responsibility anyway and that, in the great scheme of things, we are not talking about a lot of people.You have anticipated ...

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Forth Crossing Project

You will agree that, if FETA is merged with Transport Scotland, Transport Scotland will have the responsibility for deciding what arrangements to make for cyclists and pedestrians when bad weather shuts the Forth road bridge.

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Patient Transport Service (Hospital Appointments)

13. To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital appointments have been cancelled due to operational problems other than severe weather conditions affecting the patient transport service in each year since 2007. (S3O-12542)

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

Were there any problems with point heaters in the vicinity of Edinburgh Waverley?

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

I presume that First ScotRail, as the train operator, buys into the key route strategy.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

Is it catered for in the franchise agreement?

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

Will you be able to leave information with the committee about, for example, what the key routes are?

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

Do you charge slightly higher fares on the key routes?

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

You will appreciate that on the road equivalent, which is the trunk road and motorway network, there is no key route strategy, as far as the committee is aware, and that best endeavours are expected to try to keep as many parts of the network open as possible. That is a slight...

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

Jumping back to Network Rail for a minute, and staying with the analogy of winter maintenance of trunk roads and motorways, can you clear up some confusion? At an evidence session in December 2010, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, Mr Swinney, gave the ...

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

Gentlemen, I gather that more snow is on the way later in the week. Are you all confident that you will do even better when you are faced with the next challenge?

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

On that last point, minister, the new rolling stock did not perform well but the old stuff that was in mothballs did rather better.

Charlie Gordon Lab Committee

Transport (Severe Weather)

I see. I had misunderstood that.

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Committee

Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee 08 March 2011

08 Mar 2011 · S3 · Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee

Item of business

Transport (Severe Weather)

Gordon, Charlie Lab Glasgow Cathcart Watch on SPTV

Mr Simpson, you mentioned point heaters. With the severe weather warning, were all your point heaters switched on well in advance? Did they all function continuously throughout the severe weather?14:15

In the same item of business

The Convener (Patrick Harvie) Green

Good afternoon. I welcome you all to the fifth meeting in 2011 of the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee. I remind members, witnesses and...

Ron McAulay (Network Rail)

I have a brief opening statement on behalf of First ScotRail and Network Rail.Thank you for inviting us to appear before you and for the opportunity to make ...

The Convener Green

I suggest that we proceed with questions. Further written evidence can be handed out a little later rather than disrupting things at the moment.

Ron McAulay

I will close my remarks at that then.

The Convener Green

Okay. I open the questions by asking about the extent of closures across the rail network during the severe weather and in the period afterwards. What were t...

Ron McAulay

During the period of severe weather, we adopted what was called a key route strategy. My colleague David Simpson will take you through that.

David Simpson (Network Rail)

Closures fell into two categories: one was planned closures and the other was unplanned closures. That second category involved situations in which the volum...

The Convener Green

How far in advance are you able to make the plans for planned closures? Are they based on forecasts or on actual events as they unfold?

David Simpson

They are based on both. The plans exist; they are agreed way in advance. We spend a lot of time with industry partners preparing for winter. It is fair to sa...

The Convener Green

Some people have suggested that the possibility of penalties for services that do not run or that run late is an issue that could have contributed to the pro...

David Simpson

No; that is certainly not the case. All the decisions that we took jointly with our customers were based firmly on what was best for the passenger. We took s...

Ron McAulay

The mindset was very much about keeping people and trains moving.

The Convener Green

Obviously, you cannot predict how severe a winter will be and it would be strange if there were nothing that with hindsight we might wish to have done differ...

David Simpson

In the review we are concentrating on three areas, the first of which is the infrastructure’s resilience to the extreme conditions that we experienced. Acros...

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD) LD

I am particularly interested in the key route strategy as it seemed to impact quite significantly on my constituents in the north-east of Scotland; it certai...

David Simpson

You are quite right to observe that some operators chose not to go west of Edinburgh but I must draw a distinction between the key route strategy, which keep...

Alison McInnes LD

In correspondence with me, East Coast and CrossCountry cited the key route strategy as the reason for their disruption and did not say that they had made tho...

Ron McAulay

It is worth emphasising that the reasoning behind the key route strategy is the need to keep as much as possible of the network open and available for people...

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab) Lab

Mr Simpson, you mentioned point heaters. With the severe weather warning, were all your point heaters switched on well in advance? Did they all function cont...

David Simpson

We have a programme of pre-winter checks, which includes point heater operation. We perform those checks in a variety of ways, including aerial surveys with ...

Charlie Gordon Lab

Were there any problems with point heaters in the vicinity of Edinburgh Waverley?

David Simpson

Largely speaking, the point heaters were checked and were operational. However, as I mentioned earlier, the volume of snow and ice that we experienced often ...

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) SNP

How much of the country is covered by heated points?

David Simpson

The whole country. The odd private freight depot or siding may not have them but they are standard on main line routes—the passenger network.

Rob Gibson SNP

Including up to Thurso and Wick?

David Simpson

Yes, although I draw a distinction because on the far north lines, some of the points are hydraulically operated and therefore work by the train, so there is...

The Convener Green

I have some final questions for Network Rail on the provision of information to passengers. People understand that the weather cannot be wished away and that...

David Simpson

We have huge sympathy with that observation. We all use the network frequently, and we all get frustrated if we are trying to get from A to B in those condit...

The Convener Green

The provision of real-time information online—whether people are seeing it at their desk or on their phone—is hugely valuable but only if it is updated with ...

David Simpson

That point is fully acknowledged. I am aware how frustrating it is if the board looks as though services are running normally when they are not, and if train...