This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Sarah Boyack Announces £33 Million Boost For Public Transport
09/11/2000
Nineteen new projects to improve public transport across Scotland are to receive a ?33 million boost from the Public Transport Fund Transport Minister, Sarah Boyack announced today.
The 19 new projects include measures to improve rail, bus and air travel as well as specific measures to improve facilities for cycling and walking.
The ?33 million bumper package was unveiled today by Ms Boyack during a visit to Alloa where Clackmannanshire Council will receive ?6.5 million towards reopening the railway between Stirling and Alloa to passenger services. Ms Boyack said:
"This is our largest ever round of awards from the Public Transport Fund and is a major commitment to boosting public transport across Scotland. The awards I am announcing today sends a clear message that the Executive is committed to making a significant improvement to public transport infrastructure. This brings the total number of projects we are assisting to over 50 in less than 2 years totalling some ?90 million. I am pleased to have been able to make awards to 19 authorities, from the Borders in the south to Orkney in the north.
"The reconnection of Alloa with the rail network recognises the importance of public transport to Clackmannanshire. For too long the Wee County has been cut off from high quality public transport links. This will restore a direct link from Alloa to Glasgow with excellent connections to Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness. This is a clear demonstration that the Executive is on track to invest in all parts of Scotland.
"We have particularly recognised the needs of traffic congestion in our 4 cities. The highest award of ?8.5 million will go to Edinburgh to take forward the introduction of bus priority measures on two bus corridors and a park and ride site on the south of the city.
"We have not forgotten our towns or rural communities, Perth, Rutherglen and Falkirk will all benefit from bus priority measures or park and ride, and facilities to improve transport interchange in Inverness and Aviemore will be of assistance to rail and bus passengers while a new instrument landing system at Kirkwall Airport in Orkney will improve the reliability of lifeline air services on which the island communities greatly depend.
"We are also providing the largest single investment in improving facilities for cyclists and pedestrians with awards totalling ?4.3 million and many of the bus priority measures also providing increased safety for cyclists.
"I believe that the number of bids to our Public Transport Fund demonstrates the commitment by local authorities to tackle traffic congestion and reduce social exclusion. The Public Transport Fund is providing authorities with substantial resources to take forward projects which they might otherwise be unable to afford.
"But we are not stopping the process - much more work needs to be done to bring our public transport system up to the standards demanded in the 21st century. In September I announced that the Public Transport Fund would be increased to ?150 million between 2001 and 2004, I believe that this significant boost in resources together with my announcement today clearly demonstrates the Executive's commitment to improving public transport in Scotland. I look forward to seeing more bids in the future and we will issue details in the New Year about seeking bids to the next round of the Fund."
BACKGROUND
1. In April local authorities and the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority were invited to bid to the third round of the Public Transport Fund for projects commencing in 2001-2002.
2. Awards from the first two rounds of the Fund were announced in March 1999 and October 1999, with a total of 33 projects successfully securing funding totalling ?58 million.
3. For the third round, bids were received from 26 authorities. Nineteen bids have been approved. They are:
Aberdeenshire - ?0.3 million for railway station improvements at Dyce, Inverurie and Stonehaven
Argyll and Bute - ?1.9 million for cycling and walking in the Helensburgh and Lomond area
Clackmannanshire - ?6.5 million for integrating rail into Alloa
Dumfries and Galloway - ?0.943 million for cycling, walking and bus priority in Stranrae
Dundee - ?1.465 million for Bus Priority
East Ayrshire - ?0.670 million for cycling and walking in Kilmarnock
East Dunbartonshire - ?0.250 million for creation of a local travel pattern database
East Lothian - ?0.642 million for bus priority measures in Musselburgh
East Renfrewshire - ?0.450 million for cycling and walking measures
Edinburgh - ?8.468 million for Bus Priority, Park and Ride and Real-time information
Falkirk - ?1.6 million for park and ride and public transport access to the Falkirk Wheel
Fife - ?1.551 million for a Transport Interchange at Markinch and dedicated bus link between Leven and Glenrothes via Markinch
Glasgow - ?2.136 million for Bus Priority
Highland - ?1.727 million for transport interchange facilities at Inverness and Aviemore
Orkney Islands - ?0.6 million for instrument landing system at Kirkwall Airport
Perth and Kinross - ?1.175 million for park and ride site and cycle commuter routes
Renfrewshire - ?0.268 million to improve bus travel and cycling and walking access to Inchinnan Business Park and Glasgow Airport
Scottish Borders - ?1.865 million to assist with the development costs of the Waverley Railway project
South Lanarkshire - ?0.725 million for bus priority measures in Rutherglen
4. Successful authorities will be required to submit action plans showing how their projects are being implemented, taking account of the levels of additional consent offered. All allocations will be on top of the block allocation issued to each authority as part of the agreed distribution process.
News Release: SE2887/2000
9 Nov 2000