Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11074 on 5 October 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I can confirm that, Network Rail Scotland, has developed a plan for installing platform edge tactile paving at all Scottish stations by the end of the current Rail Regulatory Control Period 6 (end of March 2024). The work is being completed over two phases. Phase 1 installed tactile paving at 18 high priority stations by the end of March 2022, phase 2 will address the remaining 148 stations.

The Scottish Government introduced the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 to provide an enhanced suite of options for local transport authorities to improve bus services according to their local needs. Local Authorities now have the power to run their own bus services, and secondary legislation to enable bus franchising and partnership options will be introduced before the end of 2023.

It is important that the options within the Transport Act 2019 are fully explored to ensure they are appropriate for the area, and are sustainable for local authorities long term. As such, the Community Bus Fund aims to support local authorities to explore their powers under the Transport Act 2019, and enable options to be trialled on a smaller scale.

The Scottish Government remains committed to medium and long term solutions to address landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful.

I can confirm that design and assessment work for both medium and long term solutions at the Rest and be Thankful is being taken forward from the Capital Land and Works allocation as part of the Scottish Budget: 2022-23.

Around 170 representatives from a wide range of stakeholder groups were invited to attend events across Shetland, Orkney, Stornoway, Oban, Glasgow and Benbecula in direct reference to the work highlighted.

Over the past decade the Scottish Government has invested more than £55 million in electric vehicle charging. ChargePlace Scotland (CPS), a publicly available network of chargers, now consists of over 2,300 charge points across Scotland.

Responsibility for repairing charge points rests with the host or owner, which may be a local authority, other public body, third sector, or business. The CPS back office, which is a contracted service, advises hosts of faults as they arise.

Most faults on the network are short-lived and in the majority of cases require no physical intervention. Overall reliability across the CPS network is typically very good: on average 95% - 97% of charge points are operational each day.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on all public charge points in Scotland, only those on CPS.

(a) Information on the location of faults on the CPS network is not held by Scottish Ministers. Transport Scotland works with the CPS back office to enhance data provision and information, and I will ensure that members are kept updated on those improvements.

(b) Information on the costs of repairing broken or out of service charge points is not held by Scottish Ministers. Charge point maintainers provide quotes and issue invoices directly to the owner of the charge point.

With funding from the Scottish Government, SEPA has contracted an environmental consultant to manage the construction of a leachate management system at the former landfill site at Tarbolton Moss, to prevent the ongoing discharges of landfill leachate to neighbouring watercourses and make it possible for leachate disposal to the public sewerage system. The design phase is now complete.

SEPA continue to monitor ongoing environmental risks at the site and completed their latest survey in August 2022. This found no significant increasing trends associated with the migration of landfill gas or impact to groundwater from leachate.

My officials are working closely with our public partners to consider further actions for the long-term restoration of the site.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11074 on 5 October 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I can confirm that today Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited has been advised that its proposal to rebase the Franchise Agreement with Scottish Ministers for the provision of Caledonian Sleeper rail services has been rejected on the grounds of not representing value for money to the public.

Additionally, I can confirm that a notice was served today which confirms that the Scottish Ministers will terminate the Franchise Agreement with Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited on 25 June 2023.

Work is underway to determine arrangements for the continued provision of Caledonian Sleeper rail services beyond 25 June 2023 and this will be updated to Parliament once determined.

It is worth noting that Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited has, broadly, delivered well and significantly improved Caledonian Sleeper services over the last 7 years.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11074 on 5 October 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers