 Delivering rail links to Edinburgh and Glasgow airports.
| On track. The Private Bill for the Glasgow link was agreed by Parliament in November and Royal Assent is expected in January. The Bill for the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link is in its consideration stage and is expected to be completed in early 2007. Construction should begin soon after this, with the Glasgow link complete by end 2010 and Edinburgh by end 2011. |
Re-opening the Airdrie to Bathgate railway. | On track. The Private Bill required is currently before Parliament and is expected to be completed in early 2007. Construction should begin in 2007 and is expected to be completed in late 2010. |
Re-opening the Kincardine-Alloa-Stirling rail link. | On track. Work has begun reconnecting the Alloa link and is expected to be completed in late summer 2007. |
Constructing the Larkhall to Milngavie line. | Achieved. Trains have been operating on the new line since December 2005. |
Redeveloping Waverley station in Edinburgh in co-operation with the Strategic Rail Authority. | On track. Physical works began at Waverley station in January 2006 and are due to be completed by the end of 2007. |
Investing in a tram network in Edinburgh. | On track. The Executive has committed substantial funding, and the legislation required received Royal Assent in late Spring 2006. Construction is due to begin in 2008, and the first tram line due to be open in 2011. |
Extending direct air routes through the Air Route Development Fund. | Achieved and requires sustaining. 35 new air routes from Scotland are continuing to operate as a result of intervention by the Fund. |
Improving Scotland's ferry links to mainland Europe. | Unable to be achieved. The Executive has provided support through its Freight Facilities and Waterborne Freight Grant Schemes to support the growth of direct ferry links to mainland Europe. However, the provision of international ferry links is a commercial matter outwith the direct control of the Executive and subject to EC State Aids rules. |
Completing the central Scotland motorway network: | |
M74. | Delayed. The Friends of the Earth appeal to Court of Session collapsed in June 2006. Tenders for the main construction contracts were invited in October and the contract is expected to be awarded in Spring 2007 and completed in 2010. |
M80 Stepps to Haggs. | On track. The scheme has been approved following a public local inquiry, road orders were made in October 2006 and the tendering process is to begin Spring 2007. Construction should begin in Summer 2008. |
M80 Baillieston to Newhouse. | On track. A public local inquiry may be required in early 2007 to achieve construction start in 2008. |
Completing the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Road. | Delayed. A revised scheme was taken forward following major consultation exercise and a Ministerial decision in December 2005. Draft road orders were published in December 2006. Construction could start in 2009 and complete in 2011-12. |
Extending concessionary fare schemes on public transport, including a national free off-peak bus scheme for older people and people with disabilities. | Achieved. The extended scheme for all older people and people with disabilities allows free travel throughout Scotland with no peak time restrictions was introduced in April 2006. |
Assessing improved public transport concessions for people with disabilities. | Achieved and requires sustaining. Research on how transport needs to be improved to increase the mobility of disabled people 'Improved Public Transport for Disabled People' was published in May 2006. We are looking at ways to improve confidence in the system and to address the other challenges identified. The recommendations from the research report will guide strategies and initiatives to improve accessibility and opportunities for travel. |
Progressively introducing a scheme of national bus, rail and ferry concessionary travel for young people, initially for all in full time education or training. | On track. The new scheme for all 16-18 year olds and full-time volunteers up to the age of 25 will come into effect in January 2007. All those eligible will have access to discounted fares on bus and rail. Those living on islands will also receive two free return tickets to the mainland. |
Supporting construction of the Borders Rail Line. | On track. The legislation required received Royal Assent in July 2006. The Executive is supporting the rail line by providing £115 million at 2002 prices (taking account of inflation this figure is expected to be £155 million at outturn). Transport Scotland is currently working with the Waverley Railway Partnership to progress the scheme towards opening the line at the end of 2011. |
Continuing to support feasibility studies into the Glasgow Crossrail project. | On track. The Executive supported a technical feasibility study into proposed Glasgow Crossrail Project and gave £500,000 to Strathclyde Passenger Transport to undertake a study into the scheme. Further feasibility work on the demand for and operation of services has been commissioned by SPT and we are working closely with them on this. |
Continuing to support other public transport initiatives in Glasgow. | Achieved and requires sustaining. The Executive has supported a range of public transport initiatives in Glasgow, including the Partick Interchange; Shields Road Underground Interchange; Quality Bus Corridors; the new Glasgow-Airdrie-Bathgate-Edinburgh line; and funding feasibility studies into a Clyde corridor public transport system. |
Continuing to support the Aberdeen cross-rail link. | On track. In June 2005, the Executive awarded additional funding of £400,000 for further detailed feasibility studies. The final report is due to be completed in early 2007. |
Reviewing existing bridge tolls in Scotland and entering into negotiations with a view to ending the discredited toll regime for the Skye Bridge. | Achieved. Phase one of the review was published December 2004. The Skye Bridge tolls were removed in December 2004; the Erskine Bridge toll was removed in March 2006. We are carrying out a further examination of the impacts of the tolls on the Forth and Tay Bridges. |
Expanding the Rural Transport Initiative and developing its qualifying criteria innovatively to meet further identified needs. | Achieved and requires sustaining. Rural Community Transport Initiative funding has increased from £1 million in 2003-04 to £1.9 million in 2007-08. Almost 60 new projects have been supported across Scotland since 2003. Since early 2004, the focus has been on enabling more communities to access funding. |
Working to reduce the cost of lifeline air links within, to and from the Highlands and Islands by suitable use of Public Service Obligations to improve services, increase frequency and reduce the cost to individuals, businesses and public agencies. We will fully evaluate the current HITRANS proposals for a Highlands and Islands air network. | Achieved and requires sustaining. The Executive has allocated £11.2 million each year for 2006-07 and 2007-08 for the reduction of the cost of air services to Scotland's most far-flung communities and a new scheme was launched in May 2006. It provides residents of the most remote areas with a 40% discount on core air fares to the main Scottish airports. |
Ensuring sufficient resources are available for the non-trunk road network, particularly recognising the needs of pressured rural roads affected by timber production and other primary industries. | Achieved and requires sustaining. An additional £60 million Grant Aided Expenditure each year has been allocated in 2006-07 and 2007-08 to help local authorities address maintenance on the local road network. In addition £35 million in capital funding will be allocated to the new Regional Transport Partnerships from 2006-07 to invest in significant public transport and regional roads projects. |
Taking more action to get freight off our roads, by using Freight Facilities Grant to encourage freight carrying by rail and water. | Achieved. The Freight Facilities Grant has continued to invest in projects to take freight off the roads. Four awards of grant totalling £8.2 million were made in 2006. |
Introducing Green Transport Plans. | On track. £1 million has been allocated to Regional Transport Partnerships to fund Travel Plan officers and Travel Plan activities in 2006-07 and 2007-08. The Advisers promote Travel Plans in their regions, focusing on local authorities and health boards. |
Introducing 20 mph speed zones around schools and safer routes to school for walking and cycling. | On track. Nearly £50 million has been provided to local authorities from 2003 to 2008 for schools safety projects, including safer routes to school and home zones. By June 2006 20 mph speed limits had been implemented outside two-thirds of schools. |
Providing a national framework for safe walking to school and walking buses. | Achieved. National Guidance, 'How to Run Safer Routes to School' was published and new funding to provide school travel co-ordinators within local authorities was announced in July 2003. Co-ordinators have been involved in working with over 2,000 schools since then and over 200 schools are already implementing plans. We have also provided over £55 million dedicated resources to local authorities for cycling, walking and safer streets projects over the period 2000-08. |
Supporting the development of Homezones to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists in residential areas. | On track. Four pilot Homezones were developed in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Ormile. The Edinburgh pilot scheme has been suspended due to the high cost and lack of support for the project from residents. Progress on the Aberdeen pilot scheme has been stopped as alternative future plans for the area have been announced. The Dundee pilot has not been completed - but evaluation will be carried out on the work done so far. Research and consultations on the projects will run until early 2007. |
Before 2007, beginning work on the next 10 year Transport Plan and, as part of that process, conducting a strategic projects review for all transport modes, against clear criteria on safety, environmental impact and meeting the economic needs of Scotland. | Achieved. Work is already in progress and consultants have been commissioned to carry out the detailed technical transport analysis and appraisal. The final report and recommendations from the Review will be submitted to Ministers by summer of 2008. |
Bringing forward proposals for a Strategic Transport Authority, as an agency within the Executive directly accountable to Ministers, focusing on: delivery improvements in transport infrastructure; co-ordination of national concessionary fare schemes; better investment balance between transport modes and monitoring of the delivery of national targets and standards to secure sustainable transport; taking responsibility for the delivery of quality bus contracts; securing improved working with local authorities as partners in delivery; the development of effective regional delivery partnerships; overseas routes promotion; and oversight of currently tolled bridges. The Ministerial role would be to set policy direction and budget allocation. | Achieved. Transport Scotland started work as an agency in January 2006 and is responsible for helping to deliver the Executive's £3 billion capital investment programme over the next decade. It is also responsible for overseeing the safe and efficient running of Scotland's trunk roads and rail networks and establishing and running a national scheme for concessionary travel in Scotland. The Scottish Executive's Transport Group remains responsible for - - Coordinating the National Transport Strategy for Scotland
- Liaison, monitoring and funding with regional transport partnerships
- Sustainable transport, road safety and accessibility
- Local roads policy and casework
- Aviation, bus, freight and taxi policy
- Ferries, ports and harbours
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We will negotiate UK Government support to develop Scottish bids to be the UK's international container hub port. | Unable to be achieved. There is no bidding process in the selection of sites for international container hub ports but the Executive continues to work closely with the various parties involved with a view to the development of commercially viable transhipment proposals. Ultimately, however, investment decisions and funding arrangements are matters for the commercial judgement of the port authorities and shipping operators themselves. |
We will continue to support local authority provision of park and ride facilities linked to fast means of transport in and out of town and city centres. | Achieved and requires sustaining. We have continued to support park and ride facilities through the Public Transport Fund and the Integrated Transport Fund, as well as through allocations to the Regional Transport Partnerships. Remaining projects yet to complete include Sherrifhall, Todhills, Banchory, Croy and Straiton. |
We will learn from experience overseas with a view to setting a minimum standard for the planting of trees to act as carbon sinks beside new road developments. | On track. A number of studies have been commissioned to look at the scope for carbon sinks in Scotland. The final outcomes of these studies are currently being considered, with a view to publishing in early 2007 and implementing a standard during 2007. |
We will continue to ensure that bus timetable information is easily available and that bus services offer convenient links between communities and other types of public transport. | On track. We have ensured that bus timetable information is easily available through Traveline Scotland and Transport Direct. Local bus information strategies are being rolled out by transport authorities across Scotland. An assessment of progress is one of the actions included in Moving into the Future: an Action Plan for Buses in Scotland which was published on 5 December 2006 to complement the National Transport Strategy. |
We will continue to support easy to use through-ticketing schemes, including time-limited tickets. | On track. The Executive is committed to providing integrated ticketing which makes public transport easier for passengers to use. We have already provided legislative powers and are working with Regional Transport Partnerships and transport operators to investigate options. An Integrated Ticketing Strategy will be drafted by Transport Scotland by early 2007. |
We will continue to invest in high quality travel information. | Achieved and requires sustaining. Executive has funded Traveline Scotland and worked with the Department for Transport on the UK-wide internet based Transport Direct, which includes real time travel information on road, rail and bus services. |
We will ensure that the needs of cyclists are properly taken into account in future rail and ferry franchises. | Achieved. The Executive announced that it would fund the fitment of cycle racks on 50 turbostar rail units and the new Scotrail franchise ensures that provision for cyclists cannot be reduced. The needs of cyclists have been taken into account in the new contract for the Northern Isles ferry services which came into force in July 2006. They will also be taken into account in all other ferry tendering exercises, including that for the main Clyde and Hebrides routes. |
We will agree a new ScotRail franchise and improve on the current level of service. | Achieved and requires sustaining. First Scotrail took over the franchise in October 2004. First ScotRail is expanding levels of service and is currently outperforming on its target to improve punctuality and reliability by 2% year on year throughout the franchise. |
We will continue to support and invest in lifeline ferry links. | Achieved and requires sustaining. We have continued to support the development of improved services including: subsidising Caledonian MacBrayne at record levels (over £34 million in 2006-07) to allow it to provide improved services and keep fares at affordable levels; three new CalMac vessels since 2003; improved ferry services to the Northern Isles, with three new vessels offering faster journeys; and continued high levels of investment in harbour improvements. |
We will ensure that, under the new contract for CalMac ferries, encouragement is given for innovation on existing ferry routes and for new or shorter crossings to islands. | Achieved. The service specification for the new Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract will encourage innovation and, in particular, the development of timetables with additional sailings, increased frequency of service and a longer operating day. In addition the contract allows Ministers to approve changes to the routes and services during the contract period. |
We will monitor whether the Quality Partnership powers included in the Transport Act 2001 are adequate to protect and enhance evening, weekend and rural bus services. | On track. To date no Quality Partnerships have been put in place in Scotland. There are, however, many examples of voluntary partnership working between transport authorities and bus operators. Moving into the Future: an Action Plan for Buses in Scotland, published in December 2006 to complement the National Transport Strategy, sets out 17 actions to improve bus services. The actions include measures further to encourage partnership working and to protect the more vulnerable services, including evening, weekend and rural services. |
We will pilot new kick-start plans to create better value bus services, provided over an 18 month period to promote particular under-used routes through enhanced frequency and marketing. | Achieved. The Bus Route Development Grant was established in 2004 to offer a means to support the improvement of local bus services on such routes. 46 projects have been supported and £24.2 million has been allocated to them. |
We will promote quality contracts for bus services. | On track. Quality Contracts for bus services will be promoted where the partnership approach is unable to deliver a step change in quality. The Bus Action Plan, which is being produced to complement the National Transport Strategy, will determine how processes relating to the use of Quality Contracts can be improved. |
We will support demand-responsive transport ( DRT) initiatives, particularly in rural areas. | Achieved and requires sustaining. The Executive has supported 14 rural DRT schemes and DRT projects in four city areas. In February 2006 the Executive announced that most of these projects would continue to receive funding until 2008. |
We will support initiatives to improve safety at railway stations and the satisfaction experienced by passengers. | Achieved and requires sustaining. The First ScotRail franchise contract, worth 1.9 billion over the seven years October 2004 to 2011, contains provisions to drive forward investment and improvements in performance and service quality. These will deliver significant benefits for passengers. The £40 million of capital expenditure included within the franchise contains £4 million for initiatives which contribute to improved safety and security. These include installation of CCTV, customer information and help points. In addition the Small Rail Projects will fund CCTV installation at over 20 stations in 2006-07. |
We will continue to invest in road improvements to reduce casualties. | Achieved. Around £3.5 million per year is being invested in Accident Investigation and Prevention Schemes. Other road improvements like the M77 and the A77 time/distance speed cameras also contribute to improving safety. Road traffic casualties continue to fall and we are on track to achieve our overall Casualty Reduction Targets by 2010. |
We will ensure that car fumes are reduced by supporting the use of emission reducing equipment. | Achieved and requires sustaining. Over 630 vehicles received funding to fit emission reducing equipment from the CleanUp Programme, which ran in Scotland from November 2002 until March 2005. It aimed to cut pollution by providing grants towards the cost of fitting vehicles with the equipment. We are exploring the feasibility of providing additional funding to local authorities to help them clean up their existing vehicle fleet. |
We will reduce light pollution and save energy by specifying appropriate lighting standards. | On track. Guidance document setting out standards for new schemes will be published in March 2007. |