Chamber and committees

The criteria for the design of lighting column layouts for trunk roads and motorways, including the M8, are set out in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges. There is currently a temporary reduction of lighting on the M8/A8 corridor during maintenance works. However, I am not aware of any permanent reduction in the number of lighting columns on the M8.

The Scottish Executive supports school transport by providing funding each year to local authorities to assist them to meet their statutory duty to make transport arrangements for certain pupils.

The Executive is committed to reviewing existing bridge tolls and entering into negotiations with a view to ending the discredited toll regime for the Skye Bridge. We have made initial contact with Skye Bridge Ltd and hope to start discussions shortly.

There are no plans to introduce tolls.

The Scottish Executive has allocated around £15 million from the Transport Budget to the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) for the promotion of the necessary private bills which will allow the construction of the proposed Edinburgh tram lines. Iain Gray, former Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning, also confirmed the future availability of £375 million provided the council produce a robust final business case. This was announced on 3 March and would secure the completion of at least the first tram line.Transport Initiatives Edinburgh (TIE) which is delivering the project on behalf of CEC expect the necessary powers for the first two lines to be obtained by 2005 and have indicated that trams could be running by 2009.

The Scottish Executive part-funds City of Edinburgh Council to undertake the development of transport projects. The detailed funding arrangements between the council and Transport Initiatives Edinburgh are a matter for those bodies.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-250 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The information requested covers a large number of road schemes, and takes the form of a summary table running to several pages. The Information is therefore given in Summary of trunk road construction proposals since 1999, a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 27668).

As the partnership agreement, A Partnership for a Better Scotland, makes clear, we are determined to act against crime and vandalism. The travelling public and those who provide public transport services have the right to go about their business in safety, without fear of violence or injury. The police have a duty "to guard patrol and watch so as to prevent the commission of offences, to preserve order and to protect life and property". Regular discussions take place between the Executive and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland which cover a wide range of issues, including crime and vandalism. However, it is for each Chief Constable to determine how he uses the resources at his disposal to police his area. As regards public transport, I understand that Lothian and Borders Police, for example, plan to appoint a dedicated Public Transport Liaison Officer whose role will be to liaise with transport providers in promoting the implementation of specific schemes and projects aimed at enhancing safety on public transport.

The Scottish Executive recognises that women are currently under-represented in the public transport workforce. While the Executive does not have any specific schemes to encourage the employment of women in public transport, we would welcome appropriate initiatives on the part of operators to encourage women to seek employment in the sector.