Mentions:
1: Rowley, Alex (Lab - Mid Scotland and Fife) crucial infrastructure investment, and calls for a clear delivery plan for active travel, bus, ferry and rail - Speech Link
2: Burgess, Ariane (Green - Highlands and Islands) instead of our looking at all the transport options that we need to invest in, from buses to bikes, rail - Speech Link
3: Burgess, Ariane (Green - Highlands and Islands) Compared with the eye-watering overspends that are associated with road projects, recent rail projects - Speech Link
4: Chapman, Maggie (Green - North East Scotland) reduce the amount of freight and commuting traffic on our roads by shifting goods and passengers to rail - Speech Link

Mentions:
1: Hyslop, Fiona (SNP - Linlithgow) of peak rail fares.However, not everywhere is served by rail, so we have to think about other modes - Speech Link
2: Hyslop, Fiona (SNP - Linlithgow) I will be meeting the new managing director of ScotRail and the chief executive of Network Rail. - Speech Link
3: Hyslop, Fiona (SNP - Linlithgow) I think that all political parties at UK level are interested in having an integrated rail body. - Speech Link
4: Lennon, Monica (Lab - Central Scotland) As you will be well aware, the four rail unions—the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers - Speech Link
5: Lumsden, Douglas (Con - North East Scotland) Will it be a choice between decarbonisation and reducing the rail journey time? - Speech Link

S6W-27644

Asked by: Kerr, Liam (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - North East Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on (a) what the outcomes were of the Lifting the Spirit trial at Elgin in 2013 and (b) whether it was operationally successful, and what it did to build on that trial.

Answered by Hyslop, Fiona - Minister for Transport

The movement of freight is a commercial matter and the Scottish Government’s leadership in support for rail freight is outlined in our 2016 rail freight strategy, and put into practice with significant investment, a freight-first approach, and through our regulatory rail freight growth targets. The Lifting the Spirit Trial at Elgin in 2013 was led by regional transport partnership HITRANS, in partnership with the Scotch Whisky Association, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Moray Council and the EU Food Port. Their report is publicly available with lessons learnt. It is for the industry to lead on any follow up activities and Network Rail remains engaged with the industry through the Scotland Freight Joint Board and works with Freight Operating Companies and Freight End Users to enable modal shift to rail.

S6W-27645

Asked by: Kerr, Liam (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - North East Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the trial in 2020 of bringing timber out of Caithness by rail has not been meaningfully followed up, in light of it reportedly being successful.

Answered by Hyslop, Fiona - Minister for Transport

The movement of freight is a commercial matter and the Scottish Government’s leadership in support for rail freight is outlined in our 2016 rail freight strategy, and put into practice with significant investment, a freight-first approach, and through our regulatory rail freight growth targets. The 2020 timber by rail trial in the Far North of Scotland proved the concept and provided lessons for the industry on the Scottish timber market, rolling stock/wagon capability and availability, operational considerations and the finances/economics of moving timber by rail. It is for the industry to lead on any follow up activities and Network Rail remains engaged with the industry through the Scotland Freight Joint Board and works with Freight Operating Companies and Freight End Users to enable modal shift to rail.

S6W-27663

Asked by: Kerr, Liam (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - North East Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the ScotRail rolling stock procurement plan is paused; whether procurement of new railway rolling stock is on track to deliver on the decarbonisation action plan, and whether diesel-powered passenger trains will be removed from the ScotRail network by 2035 as planned.

Answered by Hyslop, Fiona - Minister for Transport

The ScotRail rolling stock procurement plan has not been paused.

The Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan, which was published in July 2020 is currently being refreshed which will include consideration of the timescales for removal of ScotRail diesel stock.

S6W-27667

Asked by: Kerr, Liam (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - North East Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering adopting the European Train Control System (ETCS) on Scotland's Railway, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answered by Hyslop, Fiona - Minister for Transport

The Scottish Government High Level Output Specification for Network Rail required Network Rail to develop a Scottish signalling strategy. This work considered the costs and benefits of ETCS carefully, but did not recommend immediate adoption in Scotland.

Correspondence Jun. 03 2024

Found: suggesting around one- third of existing rail users have made at least one rail journey previously

S6W-27643

Asked by: Kerr, Liam (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - North East Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on freight movements commencing or ending at (a) Craiginches Down and (b) Raith’s Farm, and what it is doing to increase the use of these facilities.

Answered by Hyslop, Fiona - Minister for Transport

The movement of freight is a commercial matter and the Scottish Government’s leadership in support for rail freight is outlined in our 2016 rail freight strategy, and put into practice with significant investment, a freight-first approach, and through our regulatory rail freight growth targets. The Scottish Government does not hold detailed information on day to day rail freight movements but is aware that for both sites there is currently no traffic. Network Rail remains engaged with the industry through the Scotland Freight Joint Board and works with Freight Operating Companies and Freight End Users to enable modal shift to rail.

Report May. 31 2024

Found: Since then, the Committee has kept a watching brief on the performance of rail services in Scotland by