EA(P)37

FURTHER INFORMATION FROM TAVISH SCOTT MSP, MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT

ANNEX A

INFORMATION ON MAJOR RAIL PROJECTS

Airdrie to Bathgate

This project proposes re-opening the Airdrie to Bathgate passenger rail link after 50 years of closure. The project also involves upgrading the existing Bathgate to and Airdrie to Drumgelloch line. Once completed, the line will be double-tracked and electrified throughout.

The new line will mean a direct service between Edinburgh and the East, and Glasgow and the West, bringing considerable benefits to the communities along the proposed route.

The estimated cost is between £300 million and £375 million in outturn prices and is due to be completed in 2010. The vast majority of the costs will be met by Transport Scotland.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh's trams are a strategic investment in tackling congestion and promoting modal shift in Edinburgh. The proposed network will provide direct links from the city centre to key economic growth areas in the west of Edinburgh and .

The estimated total cost of phases 1a (Leith Waterfront to via Princes St) and 1b (Haymarket to Granton) is £500-600m. Firmer prices will be obtained through the procurement exercises for vehicles and tram infrastructure that tie ltd are currently undertaking on behalf of City of Edinburgh Council.

Transport Scotland’s is committed to funding between £450 million and £500 million in outturn prices towards the capital cost of the tramline from Ocean Terminal to Edinburgh airport.

The project due to be completed in early 2011.

Glasgow

The Glasgow Airport Rail link will connect Glasgow Airport with Glasgow Central Station via Paisley Gilmour Street Station.

The project is due to be completed by the end of 2010 with a cost in the range of £170 million to £210 million in outturn prices.

As with the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link project, the funding commitment of Transport Scotland depends on negotiations taking place with BAA on their contribution to the project.

The promoter Strathclyde Partnership for Transport has also submitted a bid for Trans European Networks Funding to the EU, with further applications expected when the project moves to the implementation phase.

Larkhall to Milngavie

Reconnected Larkhall to the rail network and involved: 4.7 km of new railway from Larkhall to Hamilton; new stations at Larkhall, Merryton and Chatelherault; 1.6 km of new railway from Maryhill to Anniesland; and a new station at Kelvindale plus an additional platform at Anniesland.

It was opened on 9th December 2005, patronage figures are 34% above project estimates.

The Scottish Executive made a contribution of £25 million to the project.

Scottish

The Scottish Borders Railway project will reinstate a railway between Edinburgh and the Central Borders, at Tweedbank via Midlothian

The Scottish Executive is committed to providing £115m in 2002 prices, which translates to approximately £155 million in outturn prices. The project is due to be completed in 2011.

Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine

The project will re-open approximately 13 miles of existing, disused and abandoned railway lines providing a non-passenger service to Alloa and a better freight route to Longannet Power station in Kincardine.

Work began on site in October 2005 and will be completed by summer 2007. The project will cost within the range of £65 million to £70 million, the range is due to mine workings and land valuation. Transport Scotland has committed £60 million to £65 million to fund the project.

Waverley Station Upgrade

The project will provide two extra platforms at Waverley Station which, combined with track re-laying and re-modelling, will accommodate four more train paths per hour through the west end of the station. The project will also deliver better access for passengers from with escalators and lifts up Waverley Steps

Work began on site in January 2006 and is due to be completed by December 2007 within a cost of £150 million. Transport Scotland is providing the funding for the project.

STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT ON 16 MARCH 2006

The Minister for Transport (Tavish Scott): When I took office as Minister for Transport and Telecommunications, I took responsibility for the greatest sustained investment in Scotland's transport system in decades. Transport spending has increased substantially since devolution. In 1999, transport spending was £345 million. Since then, as a result of our commitment to and focus on investment and the transfer of new rail powers to Scottish ministers, the transport budget has risen to £1,649 million in 2006-07 and £1,694 million in 2007-08.

The programme of public transport investment has arisen from the major commitments on infrastructure investment in our partnership agreement. It is a major opportunity for Scotland to improve our infrastructure, improve our economy and improve the travel choices for passengers and freight.

We need to be bold to make the projects happen, but we must have realistic and credible delivery plans to turn the plans into reality. I stated in Parliament last year that I wanted our capital transport plan for new rail and road investment to deliver on time and against budget.

I am here today to update Parliament on progress. Before I turn to the programme of major public transport projects, I will say a little about progress on the significant investments that we are making in improving strategic roads. Our major roads programme is aimed at reducing congestion on the network, tackling pinch points and completing the strategic motorway and road links. The investment supports the Government's principal objective of growing Scotland's economy.

We will build the Aberdeen western peripheral road. Detailed engineering and environmental work is now progressing, with the aim of narrowing down the line of the road corridor next month. I understand the obvious worries of local people and can say today that the Stonehaven link will not be an upgrade of the existing Netherley road. Where the corridor reaches Milltimber, we are working hard to reduce the impact of the route. I can confirm that the route will not affect any properties in Peterculter village and that where the route passes Milltimber village no options are being considered to the east of the route that was previously consulted on. We will bring forward draft road orders at the end of the year.

The contract for the new Kincardine bridge was let earlier this month. Construction work is expected to be under way by the summer and we will complete the bridge in 2008. Proposals for upgrading the A8 between Baillieston and Newhouse will be published in the next few weeks.

I expect the major roads programme to hit budgets and be delivered on time.

For our major public transport projects, I am establishing—for the first time—a rigorous baseline against which I expect projects to be delivered. I will today present a programme that is realistic, affordable and deliverable. It is all about delivery. We need to be clear about what stands in the way of delivery and must overcome those obstacles. That is the challenge that I have laid down to Transport Scotland, the promoters of the major projects and the rail industry as a whole. It is a challenge that I expect them to meet.

In presenting the programme today, I tackle one of the perennial problems that face the construction industry as a whole and the rail industry in particular: establishing the expected price of a scheme. By stat