This Bill seeks to:
This is a Government bill
The Bill became an Act on 15 November 2019
This Bill was passed and is now an Act of the Scottish Parliament.
This Bill seeks to:
Transport is key in helping people live full lives and contributing to sustainable economic growth.
The Bill aims to ensure Scotland’s transport network operates more efficiently and is more accessible. It also aims to improve the air quality in towns and cities. It will help to empower Scotland’s councils and establish consistent standards to make transport easier, cleaner and smarter than ever before.
Covering different transport issues in this one Bill makes it easier rather than lots of smaller Bills, so the issues can be addressed more quickly.
Transport (Scotland) Bill as introduced (846KB, pdf) posted 15 April 2019
Explanatory Notes (1MB, pdf) posted 28 March 2019
Policy Memorandum (747KB, pdf) posted 28 March 2019
Financial Memorandum (772KB, pdf) posted 28 March 2019
Delegated Powers Memorandum (870KB, pdf) posted 29 March 2019
Statements on legislative competence (106KB, pdf) posted 28 March 2019
All Bills introduced in the Parliament must be accompanied by specific documents. For most Bills, this includes:
Explanatory Notes: this document provides an overview of what the Bill does, plus a more detailed explanation of individual provisions.
Policy Memorandum: this sets out the objectives of the Bill. It also lists any alternatives considered, details of consultations, and an assessment of the effects of the Bill on a range of areas.
Financial Memorandum: this sets out estimates of costs, savings, and any changes to revenues expected to result from the Bill.
Delegated Powers Memorandum: this is needed if a Bill gives powers to make subordinate legislation or allows Scottish Ministers to issue directions, guidance or codes of practice.
Statements on legislative competence: two short statements, one by the Presiding Officer and one by the Member introducing the Bill. “Legislative competence” means the powers the Parliament has to make law.
The Presiding Officer has decided under Rule 9.12 of Standing Orders that a financial resolution is required for this Bill.
The Scottish Parliament's Information Centre (SPICe) prepares impartial research and analysis to assist MSPs in their examination of Bills and other parliamentary business.
Research briefings for specific parts of the Bill:
Ticketing arrangements, Regional Transport Partnership finance and Scottish canals
The Bill was introduced on 8 June 2018
At Stage 1, the Bill is given to a lead committee. This is usually the committee whose remit most closely relates to the subject of the Bill. The lead committee will consider and report on the Bill. Other committees may also examine the Bill and report to the lead committee. Finally, there is a debate and vote by all MSPs on the general principles of the Bill. If the general principles are not agreed to, then the Bill ‘falls’ and can’t become law.
The lead committee for this Bill is the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee. The lead committee considers and reports on the Bill.
The lead committee will usually examine the Bill through evidence sessions. This will involve contributions from individuals and organisations, known as 'witnesses', with knowledge of the subject matter. The committee might also discuss the Bill in private sessions.
The deadline for sharing your views on this Bill has passed.
Read the responses
Read the report by the Delegated Powers and Law Reform committee published on 6 November 2018.
Finance and Constitution Committee
The committee questioned the Scottish Government team that looks at the costs of the Bill on 14 November 2018.
A Stage 1 debate took place on 4 April 2019 to consider and decide on the general principles of the Bill.
See further details of the motion
The Bill ended Stage 1 on 4 April 2019
At Stage 2, MSPs can propose changes to a Bill. These are called 'amendments'. Any MSP can suggest amendments but only members of the Stage 2 committee can decide on them.
Documents with the amendments considered at this meeting held on 5 June 2019:
First Marshalled List of Amendments for Stage 2 (439KB, pdf) posted 04 June 2019
Revised First Groupings of Amendments for Stage 2 (318KB, pdf) posted 04 June 2019
Documents with the amendments considered at this meeting held on 12 June 2019:
Second Marshalled List of Amendments for Stage 2 (488KB, pdf) posted 12 June 2019
Revised Second Groupings of Amendments for Stage 2 (350KB, pdf) posted 12 June 2019
Documents with the amendments considered at this meeting held on 5 June 2019:
Third Marshalled List of Amendments for Stage 2 (369KB, pdf) posted 18 June 2019
Third Groupings of Amendments for Stage 2 (355KB, pdf) posted 18 June 2019
Documents with the amendments considered at this meeting held on 26 June 2019:
Fourth Marshalled List of Amendments for Stage 2 (293KB, pdf) posted 22 July 2019
Fourth Groupings of Amendments for Stage 2 (478KB, pdf) posted 22 July 2019
A Stage 2 'Marshalled List' is a list of all the amendments that have been lodged at Stage 2 (or, if the Stage is mid-way through, all those still to be dealt with). They are listed in the order in which they will be called by the convener and then decided on.
A 'Groupings' list shows how the amendments that are listed in the Marshalled List have been grouped together for debate. Each group contains amendments that are related to each other, even if they are at different places in the Marshalled List.
Transport (Scotland) Bill with Stage 2 amendments (983KB, pdf) posted 22 July 2019
Revised Explanatory Notes (685KB, pdf) posted 11 September 2020
Supplementary Financial Memorandum (369KB, pdf) posted 12 September 2019
Supplementary Delegated Powers Memorandum (272KB, pdf) posted 06 November 2019
Sometimes an amendment at Stage 2 makes substantial changes to a bill. If this happens, the Accompanying Documents need to be updated to explain what these changes are.
The Bill ended Stage 2 on 26 June 2019
At Stage 3, MSPs can propose further amendments (changes) to the Bill. These are debated and decided on in the Debating Chamber. At this stage, all MSPs can vote on them. There is then a debate on whether to pass the Bill. If the Bill is not passed, it ‘falls’ and can't become law.
Documents with the amendments considered in the Chamber on 9 October 2019:
Marshalled List of Amendments for Stage 3 (3 October 2019) (223KB, pdf) posted 04 October 2019
Correction Slip to the Marshalled List of Amendments for Stage 3 (7 October 2019) (167KB, pdf) posted 11 October 2019
Groupings of Amendments for Stage 3 (8 October 2019) (345KB, pdf) posted 04 October 2019
A Stage 3 'Marshalled List' is a list of all the amendments that have been proposed at Stage 3 and that have been selected by the Presiding Officer. They are listed in the order in which they will be called by the Presiding Officer and then decided on.
A 'Groupings' list shows how the amendments that are listed in the Marshalled List have been grouped together for debate. Each group contains amendments that are related to each other, even if they are at different places in the Marshalled List.
‘Timed Groupings’ are usually produced at Stage 3 and set out how long Parliament expects to spend debating the groups of amendments.
Once MSPs have decided on the amendments, they debate whether to pass the Bill.
Result 56 for, 29 against, 18 abstained, 26 did not vote Vote Passed
See further details of the motion
Transport (Scotland) Bill as passed (1MB, pdf) posted 11 October 2019
Printing Changes
Printing changes are changes to the text of a Bill. They will not change the legal effect of the Bill.
Transport (Scotland) Bill printing changes after the Bill as passed (118KB, pdf) posted 06 February 2020
The Bill ended Stage 3 on 10 October 2019
If the Bill is passed, it is normally sent for Royal Assent after about 4 weeks. Royal Assent is when the Bill gets formal agreement by the King and becomes an Act of the Scottish Parliament. Some Acts become law straight after Royal Assent. Some only come into force on a later date. Sometimes different bits of the same Act become law on different dates.
This Bill was passed on 10 October 2019 and became an Act on 15 November 2019.