Motion
Twenty Years of Scotland's Railway Providing a Strong Platform for the Future
S6M-18763 · Motion For Debate · lodged by Hyslop, Fiona
Lodged on
08 Sep 2025Heard / answered on
09 Sep 2025Watch the chamber session on SPTV · lands on the meetings recorded on 09 Sep 2025
That the Parliament recognises that it is now 20 years since the devolution of executive powers over rail funding, specification and strategy for Scotland’s railway; celebrates the 15th anniversary of the completion of the Airdrie-Bathgate route, instigated by the Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition and completed under the Scottish National Party, the 10th anniversary of the reopening of the Borders Railway and the first anniversary of the reopening of the Levenmouth route; recognises the many significant achievements over those 20 years, including electrification of over 570 kilometres of track, the opening of 30 new stations, and an increase of a fifth in ScotRail passenger numbers; welcomes the consistent delivery of operational performance and passenger satisfaction under public ownership and control, which are among the best levels in Britain; notes the need to continue to improve those performance levels; welcomes the investment of £13 billion over this period to sustain and grow the network through value-for-money projects, including the complete renewal of the Caledonian Sleeper fleet and operation; notes the cross-party support for the removal, for good, of ScotRail peak fares, first piloted while Scottish Green Party ministers were part of the Scottish Government; looks forward to the benefits from developments such as the completion of the electrification of the East Kilbride route, and the progression of procurement of new train fleets and further electrification, including the recently announced Fife and Borders routes; recognises that the UK Government’s current proposals for rail reform draw heavily on the widely recognised success of the devolved approach to rail in Scotland; notes the Scottish Government’s position that full devolution of rail is the optimal position but, in the absence of full devolution, Scotland’s railway must benefit at least as much from those reforms as is promised for England and Wales, and agrees that any reforms that would diminish the Scottish Ministers’ powers and the role of the Scottish Parliament already constrained by current UK legislation would be unacceptable to the Scottish Parliament, given the success the delivery model in Scotland has produced over the last two decades.
Backed by
Supported by 1 additional MSP
SNP 1
Lodged by
Hyslop, Fiona
(Scottish National Party).
- Fairlie, Jim (SNP)
Final vote on motion (no amendments carried)
09 Sep 2025
Carried
Show MSPs
For
69Against
44Abstain
1Not voted
15Amendments were lodged but none were carried; the motion was decided as originally lodged.
Computer-generated best guess
Possible final motion text as originally lodged
This is a computer’s best guess at applying carried amendments to the original motion text. It uses simple text rules for phrases such as “insert at end”, “after X insert Y”, and “leave out from X to end and insert Y”. Treat it as an aid, not the official motion text.
That the Parliament recognises that it is now 20 years since the devolution of executive powers over rail funding, specification and strategy for Scotland’s railway; celebrates the 15th anniversary of the completion of the Airdrie-Bathgate route, instigated by the Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition and completed under the Scottish National Party, the 10th anniversary of the reopening of the Borders Railway and the first anniversary of the reopening of the Levenmouth route; recognises the many significant achievements over those 20 years, including electrification of over 570 kilometres of track, the opening of 30 new stations, and an increase of a fifth in ScotRail passenger numbers; welcomes the consistent delivery of operational performance and passenger satisfaction under public ownership and control, which are among the best levels in Britain; notes the need to continue to improve those performance levels; welcomes the investment of £13 billion over this period to sustain and grow the network through value-for-money projects, including the complete renewal of the Caledonian Sleeper fleet and operation; notes the cross-party support for the removal, for good, of ScotRail peak fares, first piloted while Scottish Green Party ministers were part of the Scottish Government; looks forward to the benefits from developments such as the completion of the electrification of the East Kilbride route, and the progression of procurement of new train fleets and further electrification, including the recently announced Fife and Borders routes; recognises that the UK Government’s current proposals for rail reform draw heavily on the widely recognised success of the devolved approach to rail in Scotland; notes the Scottish Government’s position that full devolution of rail is the optimal position but, in the absence of full devolution, Scotland’s railway must benefit at least as much from those reforms as is promised for England and Wales, and agrees that any reforms that would diminish the Scottish Ministers’ powers and the role of the Scottish Parliament already constrained by current UK legislation would be unacceptable to the Scottish Parliament, given the success the delivery model in Scotland has produced over the last two decades.
In the Official Report
Debated in chamber — 5 contributions reference this
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The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Chamber
· 09 Sep 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 09 September 2025
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-18763, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on 20 years of Scotland’s railway providing a strong platform for the future. 15:09
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The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
Chamber
· 09 Sep 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 09 September 2025
There are three questions to be put as a result of today’s business. I remind members that if the amendment in the name of Sue Webber is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Claire Baker will fall…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 09 Sep 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 09 September 2025
The next question is, that amendment S6M-18763.3, in the name of Claire Baker, which seeks to amend motion S6M-18763, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on 20 years of Scotland’s railway providing a strong…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 09 Sep 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 09 September 2025
The final question is, that motion S6M-18763, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on 20 years of Scotland’s railway providing a strong platform for the future, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 09 Sep 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 09 September 2025
The result of the division on motion S6M-18763, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, is: For 69, Against 44, Abstentions 1. Motion agreed to, That the Parliament recognises that it is now 20 years since th…
Amendments and how the chamber decided
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S6M-18763Selected itemCarried 69/4408 Sep 2025 · Motion For Debate · Hyslop, FionaThat the Parliament recognises that it is now 20 years since the devolution of executive powers over rail funding, specification and strategy for Scotland’s railway; celebrates the 15th anniversary of the completion of the Airdrie-Bathgate route, instigated by the Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition and completed under the Scottish National Party,...
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S6M-18763.1Linked amendment/itemDefeated 32/8008 Sep 2025 · Amendment · Webber, SueAs an amendment to motion S6M-18763 in the name of Fiona Hyslop (Twenty Years of Scotland's Railway Providing a Strong Platform for the Future), leave out from first "welcomes" to end and insert "urges the Scottish Government to ensure that value-for-money and passenger satisfaction remain at the forefront of railway delivery in Scotland; notes that the c...
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S6M-18763.2Linked amendment/item08 Sep 2025 · Amendment · Ruskell, MarkAs an amendment to motion S6M-18763 in the name of Fiona Hyslop (Twenty Years of Scotland's Railway Providing a Strong Platform for the Future), insert at end ", and believes that delivering value and quality of service for the public will require more new rail stations, the removal of First Class ticketing on overcrowded commuter services and public fina...
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S6M-18763.3Linked amendment/itemDefeated 23/8908 Sep 2025 · Amendment · Baker, ClaireAs an amendment to motion S6M-18763 in the name of Fiona Hyslop (Twenty Years of Scotland's Railway Providing a Strong Platform for the Future), leave out from "that the UK Government’s" to end and insert "the benefits of public ownership and welcomes proposals from the UK Government for the rest of the UK, including cross-border travel into Scotlan...
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S6M-18763.5Linked amendment/item08 Sep 2025 · Amendment · Greene, JamieAs an amendment to motion S6M-18763 in the name of Fiona Hyslop (Twenty Years of Scotland's Railway Providing a Strong Platform for the Future), insert at end “; believes that further exploration of new lines must be carried out and presses the Scottish Government to make a positive decision on Newburgh train station; considers that more flexible ti...