- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 20 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to providing financial support for ferry travel for people living and working in the Western Isles, similar to that available for air travel.
Answer
The Scottish Government iscommitted to commissioning a study into Road Equivalent Tariff as a mechanismfor reducing ferry fares. We will announce our plans for that study in duecourse.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 20 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of interest was recorded when tenders were invited to provide a ferry service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle.
Answer
Fourteen expressions of interestwere received in respect of the 2005-06 Campbeltown and Ballycastle tendering process.Eight of these companies completed a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire, of whichfour met the pre-qualification criteria set and were invited to submit a full tenderproposal. Unfortunately the four companies involved did not follow their initialinterest up by submitting a tender within the deadline set.
It was agreed early in 2006 thatefforts should continue, as part of a negotiated procedure, to identify a suitableoperator for the route. Procurement rules allowed for this on the strict understandingthat any contract signed complied fully with the key terms set out in the 2005 tender.Two companies expressed continued interest in providing the service on that basis.However, in October 2006 the Northern Ireland administration withdrew their financialsupport for the project and no further progress was made at that time.
Discussions on this subject haverecently been resumed with the Northern Ireland Executive as a result of discussionbetween the First Minister and the First Minster of the Northern Ireland Executive.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commit to construction of the North Clyde Development Route.
Answer
The construction of the North Clyde Development Route is a matter for West Dunbartonshire Council andGlasgow City Council as the local roads authorities responsible for the areawithin which the scheme would be constructed.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been carried out into the economic and social benefits that would accrue to West Dunbartonshire following construction of the North Clyde Development Route.
Answer
Any studies conducted inconnection with the construction of the North Clyde Development Route are a matterfor West Dunbartonshire and Glasgow City Councils.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of reported comments by Councillor Ian Chisholm that SNP councillors in Fife favour a tunnel under the Forth and his statement in a letter to the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change that “I think the consensus view with the public at large is for a tunnel”.
Answer
It is Scottish ministers’ responsibilityto make the correct decision on the type of replacement Forth crossingbased on a factual analysis of the evidence available. Transport Scotland willhold Public Information Events over the summer to hear the views of the people whowill be affected by the crossing.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration will be given to the study commissioned by the South East of Scotland Transport Partnership and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport concerning a high-speed rail link between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Answer
The study commissioned bythe South East of Scotland Transport Partnership and Strathclyde Partnershipfor Transport will be considered as part of the wider options for the Edinburghto Glasgow route to improve reliability, attractiveness and journey timesthrough the Strategic Transport Projects Review.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 17 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been economic advantages to the Scottish economy as a result of implementation of the Air Route Development Fund and the reduced need for short-haul flights through hub airports.
Answer
The Scottish Executive’sRoute Development Fund has contributed substantially to the growth of direct internationalair routes to and from Scotland. As a result, Scotland is now much betterconnected to the rest of Europe and served by a growing number of intercontinentalconnections to key markets in North America, the Middle East and beyond, reducingthe reliance on connecting internal UK flights and providing journey time savingsfor both business and inbound tourists.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 17 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its priority road projects are in the west of Scotland.
Answer
Details and timescalesfor our major and important planned road projects can be found on the TransportScotland website at:
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/uploads/documents/Scottish-Motorways-Trunk-Road-Programme-June2007-final.pdf.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 17 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following the transport strategic spending review, it is satisfied with the (a) accuracy of the cost of and (b) assessment of risk involved in dualling the A9.
Answer
The review relatedto the current inherited programme as set out in the Transport Scotland websiteat:
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/uploads/documents/Scottish-Motorways-Trunk-Road-Programme-June2007-final.pdf.Future investmenton the trunk road network, including the A9, will emerge from the Strategic TransportProjects Review which is due to report in summer 2008.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 17 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with finance and construction companies regarding funding options for a new Forth crossing.
Answer
There have been informaldiscussions with banks, Partnerships UK and both construction and consulting engineersas part of the Forth Replacement Crossing Study. These discussions have includeddiscussions about the construction methodology for the crossing, risks to deliveryand the wide range of procurement and finance options available.
