Scottish Infrastructure Commission — Scotland’s future investment priorities EVIDENCE SUBMITTED by CLEAR Buckhaven & Methil ([email protected]) A. There is persistent neglect of large ex mining urban communities in terms of public transport provision, despite recent Scottish Government policy and strategy commitments to inclusive growth and similar. The simple Levenmouth rail reinstatement which would directly and simply address the isolation of this deprived former mining community is continuously delayed. Infrastructure, specifically public transport is conspicuously absent from national Scottish Govt policies and strategies suggesting both mere lip service and a lack of joined up thinking across sectors and regions. Selected examples are shown 1. Scottish Economic Strategy : https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-economic- strategy/ includes as one of its four priorities: “Our approach to delivering Scotland's Economic Strategy is underpinned by four priorities for sustainable growth including • Investing in our people and our infrastructure in a sustainable way; • Promoting inclusive growth and creating opportunity through a fair and inclusive jobs market and regional cohesion; and 2. Scottish Labour Market Strategy (https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-labour- market-strategy/pages/5/ Includes 2. Strengthening Inclusive Growth as a leading theme: Improving Scotland's competitiveness and inclusivity requires us to develop the human capital and productivity of our entire workforce, to invest in Scotland's infrastructure and to increase the ability of all people to participate effectively in the labour market through quality employment. This process cannot simply be left to market forces. That is why it is crucial that we have a Strategy in place that takes into account the unique opportunities and challenges for growth and inclusion, to ensure that all of Scotland can flourish Yet it does not mention necessary improvements in accessibility for populations of deprived or lagging areas such as the Levenmouth conurbation (where, for example unemployment is among the worst in Scotland and 8.7% in the core Methil and Buckhaven areas https://knowfife.fife.gov.uk/profiles/profile?profileId=902 3. Fairer Scotland Action Plan https://www.gov.scot/publications/fairer-scotland-action- plan/pages/7/ “An important part of [the Scottish Govt’s] its commitment to create 'inclusive growth', a fairness priority set out in Scotland's Economic Strategy and built upon in our recent Labour Market Strategy includes 50 actions t “Inclusive growth cuts right across the 1 Scottish Government's priority areas. It is built into how we invest and how we operate…... Shared growth will help the most disadvantaged people and places in Scotland to prosper. This kind of 'inclusive' economy will improve outcomes for people and is vital for strong economic performance and a prosperous Scotland over the long- term.” Transport, especially public transport, links are not mentioned throughout. None of the actions relate to the infrastructure, especially public transport barriers to inclusion 4. The Socio-Economic Duty Public sector to do more to reduce inequalities. https://news.gov.scot/news/socio-economic-duty In a UK first, public bodies in Scotland will be required to put reducing poverty and inequality at the heart of their decision making Action 01 “In 2017, we will introduce a new socio-economic duty on public bodies. The public sector is key to delivering a fairer Scotland and this new duty will help make sure that the sector takes full account of poverty and disadvantage when key decisions are being made. We will also look to make the most of the connection between this duty and those on equality and human rights, and a similar duty on education authorities.” Action 05 We will take action to tackle the poverty premium. The 'poverty premium' is shorthand for the fact that lower income households often have to pay higher prices for basic necessities like gas, electricity and banking than better-off families. The poverty premium was a major concern in the Fairer Scotland conversations. Despite its Central Belt location, travel by Levenmouth residents to employment and study opportunities in the cities carries a premium of at least 20% due to the need to change travel modes (bus to train) and the corresponding fares and additional journey time involved B. Continued exclusion of Levenmouth, the poverty premium in time, cost and opportunity and the relatively low cost and technical simplicity or reinstating rail services This large ex-mining community on the Fife Coast (population 37,288) is `served’ by a mothballed railway line owned by Network Rail, and still appearing on their maps. Hence buses provide the only public transport including to the City Region centre Edinburgh which offer greater economic, educational and leisure opportunity (or to Dundee) 1. Deprivation/exclusion: The Levenmouth area is the most deprived area of Fife, with 23 of 51 datazones in the area featuring in the 20% most deprived for Scotland (SIMD 2016). Across the Levenmouth area, 19.0% of the total population is income deprived (compared to 12.4% for Fife), while 17.1% of the working age population is employment deprived (compared to 11.0% for Fife). https://know.fife.scot/wp- content/uploads/sites/44/2018/12/LSA-2018-Levenmouth-FINAL.pdf 2 2. Journey time and poverty premium due to the lack of a rail connection: currently average journey time from Methil (central Levenmouth) to Edinburgh where job opportunities and higher salaries are available is 103 minutes by bus and train and. 120 minutes by bus. This journey time is unrealistic in terms of daily commuting. Estimated train journey tome from a reopened Leven-Edinburgh services would be 60-65 minutes (data from Traveline). Fares for the fast current journey time between Methil and Edinburgh (ie bus and train) are 18.7% higher than to/from Markinch (a similar distance). The current poverty premium arising from a lack of rail service is thus financial, in time and in opportunity – for a poor community (see attached pdf) 3. Strong case for rail reinstatement: In terms of passenger and freight potential, encouraging tourism, scope for regeneration, reduced carbon emissions and road congestion, there is a strong simple and business case for reinstating rail services. Cost as estimated by experts £37-£55 million: http://www.lmrc- action.org.uk/webs/397/documents/LMRC%20booklet%20v1%20medium%20resolution -1.pdf. Recent STAG Report have indicated a positive BCR from reinstating rail (1.3-1.51 excluding wider economic benefits http://www.lmrc- action.org.uk/webs/397/documents/LevenmouthSTAGExecutiveSummaryFinal.pdf CONCLUSIONS Scottish Govt policy and strategies in relation to inclusive growth, poverty and fairness are either misleading or not sufficiently integrated and general omit entirely omitting public transport considerations.. Large urban communities such as Levenmouth suffer exclusion and its resident a poverty premium from the lack of rail services despite the existence of a mothballed stretch of line and a strong business case to reopens 3 Fastest Journey—multimode Bus Onl Methil—Edinburgh City centre Markinch—Edinburgh Methil– Edinb Waverley City Centre £21.40 £19.50 Bus standard adult day Adult period re- return turn 48 minute journey Methil– Edinb C Cent £25.40 Meth-Kirk £8.10 Adult period return Kirkc– Edin £15.30 Average 1hr 43 mins = 103 mins Average 2hrs 00 mins = 120 mins Fastest Journey—multimode Bus Only Edinburgh – Methil Return Leg Average 1hr 35 mins = 105 mins Average 2hrs 00 mins = 120 min .