Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government continues to support investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, both for plug-in battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Across a range of programmes, we have invested £90 million in infrastructure related to battery electric vehicles and over £12 million in hydrogen electric transport projects.

Investment in public charging infrastructure has enabled the development of the ChargePlace Scotland network, now one of the largest in the UK. Investment has also included schemes to support installation of business and domestic electric car chargers, infrastructure to enable decarbonisation of light and heavy vehicles in the public sector, and decarbonisation of buses used for public transport.

The Scottish Government has also committed £50 million towards the Scottish Zero-Emission Bus Challenge Fund, (ScotZEB) which is currently open for bids until 04 November 2021. This £50 million is allocated to both vehicles and infrastructure on a whole-project basis.

Future funding programmes have yet to be determined but the Scottish Government Infrastructure Investment Plan published in February 2021 committed to £120m investment for net zero electric buses and £287m from the Future Transport Fund to support a range of low and zero carbon transport initiatives between 21-22 and
‎ 25-26.

Please note that the answer above reflects spending across distinct Scottish Government programmes for which we are able to determine spend. Investment will also occur across portfolios as part of business as usual activity.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02355 on‎ 13 September 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

We know how important agri-environment support is to farmers and crofters in helping them to deliver a wide range of environmental measures. That is why we have prioritised agri-environment support in the face of significant cuts to the budget resulting from the UK Government reneging on public commitments that farmers and crofters would not be worse off as a result of leaving the EU.

The latest application round of the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme closed at the end of June, decisions on approvals will be made by the end of 2021 and this will build on the £214 million of support committed to since 2015.

The farmer led groups also considered biodiversity and environmental outcomes and the recently announced Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board will carefully consider these recommendations, and those from other reports such as Farming for 1.5, as they contribute to our work to implement policy reform. We are also working closely with NatureScot on their pilot programme on a range of approaches, including a farmer-led outcomes based approach to inform what rural support could look like after CAP.

The Scottish Government is aware of the paper published by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) on the use of rubber granulates in artificial sports pitches. Also that ECHA, through its EU REACH process, has placed some restrictions on the use of rubber granules in the EU.

We recognise the impact the deliberate introduction of these granules has on the natural environment and that the EU restrictions might have an impact on the supply of rubber granules.

Our National Agency for Sport, sport scotland, will be participating in a UK Sports Agency meeting in September where the use of the infill will be discussed.

The construction of the A77 Maybole Bypass project is progressing well and recently achieved a significant milestone on 23 July 2021, as Contractor Wills Bros Civil Engineering completed the beam installation of the third, and final, bridge on the project. A link to the news article on the Transport Scotland website is as follows:

Bridging the gap for the Maybole Bypass (transport.gov.scot)

The project is anticipated to be complete in winter 2021 as confirmed in the Infrastructure Investment Plan update published in February 2021. This date is subject to any unforeseen circumstances such as the effects of exceptional weather.

2019/2020 identified savings were as follows:

The completed bids are published on the Transport Scotland website. The manufacturer that has been contracted by the Bus Operators to supply the battery electric buses is noted at https://www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/buses/scottish-ultra-low-emission-bus-scheme/scottish-ultra-low-emission-bus-scheme-completed-bids/  207 of the total 272 buses funded under SULEBS have been ordered from Alexander Dennis Ltd, the bus manufacturing company based in Larbert, Scotland.

Under the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the UK and EU the Scottish Government is unable to set subsidy rules that restrict support solely to domestic manufacturers. Scotland is bound by TCA and World Trade Organisation rules as is the rest of the UK.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) are the Scottish Government's vessel asset owning company.

CMAL conduct regular and rigorous worldwide searches across the available vessel charter and sale markets.

The A9 in the Dunkeld area and the associated junctions are busy particularly in summer carrying the combination of strategic commercial, commuter and tourist traffic. Transport Scotland is aware that at the busiest times, which often align with periods of good weather, gaining access onto the A9 trunk road can take some time. This situation is found across the country at many locations popular with tourists.

An investigation was carried out at the A9/A822/A923 staggered junction following identification of the location through the trunk road Annual Road Safety Review. Transport Scotland is introducing a series of measures to improve safety and operation within the current physical constraints until the A9 Dualling programme significantly changes the road layout at this location. These upgrades have included traffic sign and road marking improvements, in early 2020, to enhance direction finding and to upgrade signs to current standards. We are monitoring the effects of these measures in reducing accidents.

In addition, installation of illuminated bollards to improve the visibility of the road layout in darkness and to highlight the junction to turning motorists will be carried out later this year, along with the Birnam (B867) and Dalguise junctions.

A scheme to progress resurfacing of the A9/A822/A923 junction serving both Dunkeld, Strathbraan and Inver is to take place in late Autumn/Winter of the current financial year. This will provide the road surface at this location with improved surface grip and a consistency of appearance throughout. New high performance road markings and highly reflective road studs will be installed to define turning areas. A double white line system is proposed to deter overtaking through the junction.

I have commissioned consideration of what further measures might be deployed to improve safety at the junction.