Chamber and committees

It is intended that the M77 Malletsheugh to Fenwick scheme will be constructed using Public/Private Partnership, provided that value for money of this procurement method can be demonstrated. It is too soon to know what financial resources will be committed to the project in which financial years.

Construction of the M77 between Fenwick and Malletsheugh could be completed by 2005 on the basis of current programme considerations. This is the same programme that I announced following the Strategic Roads Review. It is too soon to provide a more definite estimate of the completion date.

Responsibility for cycling infrastructure rests with local authorities. Information on the number and location of projects carried out by local authorities is not held centrally.

In 1998-99, however, the Scottish Office funded 35 projects through the Cycle Challenge Fund. The locations of these projects are listed in Table 1 below. The total project costs were just under £2 million and the grant awarded was £0.58 million. An evaluation of the outcome of the fund is currently underway.

In addition, the Scottish Office, and now the Scottish Executive, has, through the Trunk Roads Cycling Initiative, funded those stretches of the National Cycle Network which interface with or cross the trunk road network. Completed works are valued at over £6 million. Details are given in Table 2 below.

Finally, the Scottish Executive can use the Public Transport Fund to enable authorities to carry out projects which assist cyclists. Dumfries and Galloway Council were awarded £0.9 million over three years (1999-2002) for an integrated package of measures for Dumfries which included a large element to improve cycling and walking infrastructure in the town. Midlothian Council were awarded £0.802 million from this fund for a pedestrian and cyclists' overbridge at Sheriffhall.

Most recently, I announced on 9 November that six further projects to improve facilities for walking and cycling will receive a total of £4.3 million from the Public Transport Fund. Those projects which include a cycling element are located in East Renfrewshire, Stranraer, Kilmarnock, the Helensburgh and Lomond area, Perth and Kinross, and Renfrewshire.

Table 1: Location of Cycle Challenge Initiative Projects

1. Aberdeen (3 projects)

2. Aberdeenshire ( 2 projects)

3. Forfar, Carnoustie and Montrose

4. Clackmannanshire.

5. Cycle Touring Club National Cycle Database Website.

8. Dundee (3 projects)

9. East Dunbartonshire (2 projects)

11. Glenrothes

12. Peebles

13. Edinburgh (3projects)

14. Glasgow (4 projects)

15. Nairn

16. Inverness ( 2 projects)

17. Inverclyde

18. Loch Leven

19. Lothian

20. Moray

21. Orkney

22 Dunfermline

23 Scotrail - projects benefited large area

24. Shetland

25. East Kilbride

26. Dumfries and Galloway and Aberdeenshire

Table 2: Location of trunk road interface sections and crossings for the national cycle network and other trunk road cycling facilities.

A1	2 locations
A701	3 locations
A737	1 location
A75	1 location
A76	5 locations
A77	5 locations
A8/M8	1 location
A82	2 locations
A82/A9	1 location
A828	1 location
A86	2 locations
A876	1 location
A889	1 location
A9	10 locations
A90	3 locations
A95	1 location
A96	8 locations
M77	2 locations
M8/M9	1 location
M90	1 location
M74 Corridor	Various Locations

Responsibility for walking infrastructure rests with local authorities. Information on the number and location of projects carried out by local authorities is not held centrally.

The Scottish Executive can, however, use the Public Transport Fund to enable authorities to carry out projects which assist pedestrians. Dumfries and Galloway Council were awarded £0.9 million over three years (1999-2002) for an integrated package of measures for Dumfries which included a large element to improve cycling and walking infrastructure in the town. Midlothian Council were awarded £0.802 million from this fund for a pedestrian and cyclists' overbridge at Sheriffhall.

Most recently, I announced on 9 November that six further projects to improve facilities for walking and cycling will receive a total of £4.3 million from the Public Transport Fund. Those projects which include a walking element are located in East Renfrewshire, Stranraer, Kilmarnock, the Helensburgh and Lomond area and Renfrewshire.

Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Commission have also funded or carried out projects to improve access facilities for walkers and other users. Information on these projects is not held centrally.

The proposed ferry service for Rosyth is intended to operate on a purely commercial basis, with no recourse to public funds to meet operating costs. No discussions have therefore been held with the Scotland Office with regard to the availability of funding.

The development of air services, which is the key to the promotion of an airport as a hub, is a matter for airlines and airport operators.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) holds information on waste management issues obtained from a number of sources. Examples are data on licensed activities, exemptions, waste carriers and waste brokers which are held on public registers. Data on the amount of different wastes produced are obtained from specific surveys such as the joint Scottish Executive/SEPA survey carried out in 1999, to establish waste management data for 1997 and 1998.

During this year, as part of the implementation of the National Waste Strategy: Scotland, baseline assessments of waste management activities in each of 11 Waste Strategy Areas have been prepared. These will form part of the final Area Waste Plans.

SEPA is currently developing a system to ensure that all data on waste management issues are integrated within a co-ordinated waste management database. This forms part of SEPA's Information Systems Strategy.

Yes.

Yes

No.