Graham Simpson

4 May 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when a decision will be made regarding the Scottish Funding Council’s recommendation to end the regional colleges arrangement in Lanarkshire and Glasgow.

30 Apr 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to protect the welfare of wild bees.

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of rail passenger numbers, and what impact this has had on progress of recommendation (a) 15, (b) 16 and (c) 17 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: ScotRail, in public ownership, regularly monitors passenger numbers which enables it to deliver services which respond to the needs of people of Scotland. Since ScotRail moved into public sector, we have added over 200 additional services each weekday, offer…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) kilometres of bus priority lanes and (b) other strategic bus priority measures have been put in place since the adoption of recommendation 14 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

Answer · Jim Fairlie: a) The length of carriageway or lane reserved for the use of buses (and other vehicles as identified) delivered through the Bus Partnership Fund is 12.16km. This includes bus gates in Aberdeen City Centre, which the North East Bus Alliance has reported to hav…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on the delivery of recommendation 13 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to date, and what any funding has been used for.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The North East Bus Alliance has spent £9.94 million from the Bus Partnership Fund. This includes funding for the business case for Aberdeen Rapid Transit (ART) and bus priority on its associated corridors. This also includes £0.33 million for the development …

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the delivery of recommendation 13 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

Answer · Jim Fairlie: Nestrans and its partners Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and the North East Bus Alliance, are working to develop the business case for Aberdeen Rapid Transit (ART). Building on work undertaken to support the Regional Transport Strategy and the s…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that recommendation 12 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) will be progressed.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The delivery of many of the STPR2 recommendations is not the sole responsibility of Transport Scotland and will require a collaborative approach with Regional Transport Partnership and Local Authorities. This approach is already being taken in the other two m…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on the delivery of recommendation 11 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to date, and what any funding has been used for.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Since the publication of the draft of STPR2 in January 2022, a multi-partner working group consisting of Transport Scotland (TS), Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and Glasgow City Council (GCC) has been established to better define the scale of wor…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the delivery of recommendation 11 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Since the publication of the draft of STPR2 in January 2022, a multi-partner working group consisting of Transport Scotland (TS), Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and Glasgow City Council (GCC) has been established to better define the scale of wor…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring is undertaken to understand how active travel behaviours supported at primary school continue into secondary school.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There is a known and growing gap when it comes to active travel modes to travel to school between primary and secondary school pupils in Scotland. Sustrans’ Hands Up Scotland Survey, that looks at how pupils travel to school and nursery, shows that in the pas…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools have participated in active travel behaviour change projects aimed at delivering recommendation 8 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), and what proportion of schools in Scotland this represents.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We do not currently record data across our behaviour change programme in a way that would allow us to establish how many different schools or what proportion of schools have participated in projects. This is possible, however, on an individual project basis.…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding recommendation 8 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), what proportion of children currently travel actively to get to school, and how this has changed since STPR2 was adopted.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: According to the Scottish Government’s classification of school locations, 31% of the students attending publicly funded schools went to a school in a large urban area, and 42% attend schools in smaller urban areas. The remaining 27% attend schools in accessi…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence was used to support the statement in the appraisal summary for recommendation 6 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) that there has been “effective delivery of behavioural change initiatives in Scotland”, in light of the 2022 Active Travel National Indi…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: STPR2 Recommendation 6 considered a significant body of evidence from projects across Scotland and the UK. This demonstrated that with the provision of specific and targeted information there is potential to change people’s travel behaviour. This includes enc…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding recommendation 6 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), how much has been spent on (a) active travel infrastructure and (b) behaviour change initiatives since 2012.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Active Travel Budget is an annually set allocation from the overall Scottish Transport Budget. The Active Travel Programme contains a blend of Grants awarded in accordance with the Scottish Public Finance Manual, contracts drawn down from Scottish Governm…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding recommendation 6 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), what the timescale is for (a) allocating and (b) spending the travel behaviour change grant funding by Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs).

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: A new model for delivery of active travel behaviour change interventions has been introduced for 2024-25. The People and Place programme will be delivered by Scotland’s seven Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs). Grant offer letters have been issued to all …

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding recommendation 6 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), what behaviour change theory underpins the criteria under which Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) must allocate projects in the current financial year's funding settlement for behaviour change, an…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As part of the policy development for the Active Travel People and Place programme 2024-25, evidence was considered from a range of sources, including the recommendations from the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2). The policy is underpinned by a be…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding recommendation 6 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), what changes have been made to travel behavioural change initiatives grant funding allocated to Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) for the current financial year in terms of capital and revenue all…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The current financial year marks a very significant change in our delivery model for active travel behaviour change initiatives, being the first year the Scottish Government has allocated grant funding for this purpose across all seven Region Transport Partne…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been allocated for projects under recommendation 4 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), and where these projects are.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Government funding for active travel projects is not allocated based on STPR2 recommendation delivered. We fund a range of projects throughout Scotland that deliver on recommendation 4 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to conn…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many village to town routes have been funded under recommendation 3 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), and what proportion of the total possible routes this represents.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government funding for active travel projects is not allocated based on STPR2 recommendation delivered. We fund a range of projects throughout Scotland that deliver on recommendation 3 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to …

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been undertaken to determine "the most appropriate prioritisation approach", as described in the affordability section of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) in relation to recommendation 3, and where the results of any such assessment can be found.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: STPR2 is a national appraisal and identifies recommendations to be delivered over the long term. The delivery of the recommendations is subject to the funding allocations agreed by Parliament each year through the annual budget process. In the case of Recomm…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria will need to be met for the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) recommendation 2, which is a recommendation that scores highly across the STPR2 objectives, to be taken forward into action.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The strategic case for investment in Recommendation 2 (see recommendation-2-active-freeways-and-cycle-parking-hubs.pdf (transport.gov.scot) has already been met through the STPR2 appraisal process. Work is ongoing under this recommendation, but it remains …

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is recording growth in active travel along routes funded by the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) recommendation 1 on "connected neighbourhoods".

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government funds a range of projects throughout Scotland that deliver on recommendation 1 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to create connected neighbourhoods. This includes funding provided to local authorities via the Su…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been allocated to the delivery of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) recommendation 1, and how many kilometres of "connected neighbourhoods" this delivers.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government funds a range of projects throughout Scotland that deliver on recommendation 1 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to create connected neighbourhoods. This includes funding provided to local authorities via the Su…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what cost-benefit analyses have been undertaken in relation to the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) recommendations regarding (a) health, (b) carbon mitigation and (c) economic development outcomes, and which recommendations produce the best cost-benefit result in each …

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: STPR2 follows the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG). STAG is based on HM Treasury’s Green Book “5 Case Model” for business cases, developed for use in Scotland. A transport appraisal using STAG generally considers the strategic and socio-economic c…

23 Apr 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its work to secure a sustainable future for Ferguson Marine, what discussions the net zero secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding potential plans for a direct award of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme contract to Ferguson Marine.

23 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26538 by Jim Fairlie on 19 April 2024, when it will publish its aviation statement.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government still intends to publish its Aviation Statement shortly and we will confirm details as soon as possible.

23 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what will replace the Energy Savings Trust e-bike loan scheme when it closes.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There are no plans for Transport Scotland to replace the Energy Savings Trust e-bike loan scheme. Through the Active Travel Transformation Project (ATTF), support for grass-roots community groups and charity-led projects is being decentralised, with acknowled…

23 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Energy Savings Trust e-bike loan scheme is closing.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The increased scale and pace of Transport Scotland’s ambition in active travel is bringing wholesale reform of the delivery model for both active travel infrastructure - through the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF) - and for behaviour change - through…

23 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26534 by Fiona Hyslop on 17 April 2024, when it will “develop implementing actions” to deliver its Vision for Scotland’s Public Electric Vehicle Charging Network.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In response to the UK Climate Change Committee’s recommendation, by the end of 2024 we will publish an Implementation Plan identifying the key actions to be taken to deliver our Vision for public EV charging.

23 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26535 by Fiona Hyslop on 17 April 2024, when it will publish the study that it has commissioned that "will look at EV adoption to-date and will model future demand across a number of scenarios".

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In response to the UK Climate Change Committee’s recommendation, by the end of 2024 we will publish an Implementation Plan identifying the key actions to be taken to deliver our Vision for public EV charging. The key findings of the study will be published as…