Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-03513

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to take forward the recommendations in the Transport Scotland report, "There’s an app for that!" - Women’s Safety on Public Transport in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-27335

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board will submit its operational plan for delivery.

Question reference: S6W-27047

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on the delivery of recommendation 11 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to date, and what any funding has been used for.

Since the publication of the draft of STPR2 in January 2022, a multi-partner working group consisting of Transport Scotland (TS), Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and Glasgow City Council (GCC) has been established to better define the scale of work that Clyde Metro might represent and the associated resource and programme requirements. This is overseen by a Programme Steering Group comprising of the Chief Executives of those organisations. SPT are leading the current stage of Clyde Metro, known as the case for investment stage, working alongside Glasgow City Council and with Transport Scotland providing support in a project assurance role.

Since the publication of STPR2, Transport Scotland took a lead on delivering the recommendation on behalf of the Programme Steering Group and have spent approximately £921,000 on early consultancy services aimed at defining the scope, governance, programme and budget of Clyde Metro. This does not include spend incurred by SPT and GCC.

Question reference: S6W-27046

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the delivery of recommendation 11 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

Since the publication of the draft of STPR2 in January 2022, a multi-partner working group consisting of Transport Scotland (TS), Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and Glasgow City Council (GCC) has been established to better define the scale of work that Clyde Metro might represent and the associated resource and programme requirements. This is overseen by a Programme Steering Group comprising of the Chief Executives of those organisations. SPT are leading the current stage of Clyde Metro, known as the case for investment stage, working alongside Glasgow City Council and with Transport Scotland providing support in a project assurance role. This key stage, which is currently underway, will define the Clyde Metro network. I understand that SPT have recently appointed consultants for some early work, with procurement of a framework for multi-disciplinary consultancy services for later phases of the case for investment currently ongoing.

Question reference: S6O-03437

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when a decision will be made regarding the Scottish Funding Council’s recommendation to end the regional colleges arrangement in Lanarkshire and Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-27042

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence was used to support the statement in the appraisal summary for recommendation 6 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) that there has been “effective delivery of behavioural change initiatives in Scotland”, in light of the 2022 Active Travel National Indicator showing that journeys by active travel under two miles have fallen since 2012.

STPR2 Recommendation 6 considered a significant body of evidence from projects across Scotland and the UK. This demonstrated that with the provision of specific and targeted information there is potential to change people’s travel behaviour. This includes encouraging more people to walk, wheel and cycle for shorter journeys and to use public transport for trips that they previously used a private car for. The impact of these types of programmes can be more effective when supporting new related infrastructure projects.

The transport appraisal that supported Recommendation 6 considered the evaluation of projects in Scotland undertaken as part of the Smarter Choices Smarter Places programme. This noted that, of the schemes that promoted walking and cycling, around 40% of those people that were reached were more active as a result.

As part of Scotland’s National Performance Framework there is a ‘journeys by active travel’ National Indicator, which monitors the proportion of short journeys that are made only by the active modes of walking and cycling. This shows that whilst there has indeed been a small decline in the percentage of journeys under 2 miles by walking as the main mode, positively the percentage of journeys under 5 miles by cycling as the main mode, has increased since 2012. Transport Scotland will continue to monitor the impacts of all the STPR2 Recommendations, as part of its normal cycle of monitoring and review of the impacts of its investment in Scotland’s transport network.

Question reference: S6W-27052

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of rail passenger numbers, and what impact this has had on progress of recommendation (a) 15, (b) 16 and (c) 17 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

ScotRail, in public ownership, regularly monitors passenger numbers which enables it to deliver services which respond to the needs of people of Scotland.

Since ScotRail moved into public sector, we have added over 200 additional services each weekday, offering seven per cent more seats. Passenger numbers have increased by 75% from 46.7 million in 2021-22 to around 82 million in 2023-24.

In respect of STPR2, Transport Scotland’s programme of works continues to be reviewed against priorities in the context of available funding. This ensures Transport Scotland can deliver the right projects at the right time as we seek to progress our rolling programme of decarbonisation, whilst also delivering rail passenger and freight services that meet user expectations.

Question reference: S6W-27048

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that recommendation 12 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) will be progressed.

The delivery of many of the STPR2 recommendations is not the sole responsibility of Transport Scotland and will require a collaborative approach with Regional Transport Partnership and Local Authorities. This approach is already being taken in the other two mass transit recommendations for Glasgow (STPR2 Recommendation 11) and Aberdeen (STPR2 Recommendation 13).

Whilst STPR2 provides the strategic business case for enhancing the cross-boundary mass transit public transport system for the whole Edinburgh and South East region, the outline business case for Recommendation 12 remains to be developed.

The next appropriate step in this process will include agreement on a suitable way forward for development of the project, therefore Transport Scotland continues to work collaboratively with and advise the local authorities and SEStran on the mobilisation of this recommendation.

Question reference: S6W-26987

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Energy Savings Trust e-bike loan scheme is closing.

The increased scale and pace of Transport Scotland’s ambition in active travel is bringing wholesale reform of the delivery model for both active travel infrastructure - through the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF) - and for behaviour change - through the creation of the Regional Transport Partnership (RTP) led Active Travel People and Place Programme (ATPP). With public funds facing unprecedented levels of pressure, it is vitally important that active travel investment is targeted where it can make most impact.

Support for grass-roots community groups and charity-led projects is also being decentralised, with acknowledgement from everyone involved in active travel that decisions about how to support grass roots behaviour change work needed to be taken closer to communities, and in a way that’s more joined up with local and regional transport strategies. As part of this process, it was decided we would not be continuing with direct support for a number of programmes, including the ebike loan fund.

Question reference: S6W-26989

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26538 by Jim Fairlie on 19 April 2024, when it will publish its aviation statement.

Chamber and committees