Chamber and committees

The Information requested is not held centrally.

Extensive consultation with local and national companies has been undertaken over the past two years.

No advice has been given to the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) about such a service between Edinburgh and London, nor are there any plans to do so.Journeys from Edinburgh to London currently take around four and a half hours. The SRA indicate that there is potential for track improvements on the east coast main line which, if implemented, could lead to a saving of around 30 minutes on journey time.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29122 on 27 September 2002. 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. There are no representatives from Scottish Enterprise or the Department for Transport on the steering group.

The Scottish Executive meets representatives of rail industry operating companies in Scotland on a regular basis, including English, Welsh and Scottish Railways.

The Scottish Executive, and the UK Government with its reserved responsibilities, work together to provide integrated shipping, ports and transport policies. These offer a framework for the shipping industry to develop transport opportunities and create employment. The Executive liases with representative bodies seeking to promote the industry but does not provide funding to support specific interest groups.

The Scottish Executive is a member of the steering group which has been established to ensure a co-ordinated approach to delivering a vision for Waverley. Other members of the group are the Strategic Rail Authority (which chairs the steering group), Railtrack (the owners of Waverley Station) and the City of Edinburgh Council (as the local planning authority). Before any detail design work can begin, considerable investigative and preparatory work is required. The Executive has made up to £1 million available to enable that preparatory work to begin. This work will help inform the final design of the station and determine the necessary funding required to develop it. Until this work is completed, it is too early to determine responsibility for project management, construction and where the necessary funding for the project will be obtained.

It is the responsibility of the relevant local authority to consider what steps should be taken to meet any public transport requirements it considers appropriate and which would not otherwise be met. I understand that City of Edinburgh Council have put in place a range of contingency measures in the event a bus strike, and I welcome this approach. In addition, I understand that the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland has indicated that he will accept emergency local bus registrations if other bus or coach companies wish to run replacement services for the duration of any strike action.

The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including mobile phones and driving.

The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has been leading a detailed review of plans to modernise the West Coast Main Line, in conjunction with Railtrack, Virgin Trains and other users of the route. This work is nearing completion and the SRA has indicated that it will be publishing a long-term strategy for this route by October. It will include full details of the modernisation programme and the benefits this will bring, including faster train services for Scotland.The SRA's strategy will be the subject of extensive consultation and the Scottish Executive is already in contact with the SRA on this matter.