13 November 2013
Modernising Scotland's Transport Infrastructure
Transform Scotland have today circulated a briefing in advance of today's Scottish Government debate.
In the briefing Transform Scotland make these key points:
- The Government’s own transport indicators demonstrate that its policies have failed to move people on to public transport, failed to reduce congestion, and led to an increase in climate emissions.
- The Government’s transport expenditure plans will worsen the ability of public transport and rail freight to compete against car and lorry use on Scotland’s key transport corridors.
- As the First Minister said in 2008, “railways must at least compete with roads”. In order for the Highland Main Line and Aberdeen-Inverness railway line to be able to provide competitive and sustainable alternative to dualled A9 and A96 roads, the Scottish Government should deliver, at the same time, dualling and electrification of these rail routes. Anything less leaves the Scottish Government with a transport investment programme massively skewed in favour of encouraging increased road use.