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Scottish Budget 2014/15

(16 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by Morningsider
  • Latest reply from crowriver

  1. Morningsider
    Member

    Draft Scottish Budget just out - key headline figure is an increase of £10m in the "Support for sustainable and active travel" budget line for 2014/15 - £29m instead of £19m as set out in the last budget document. Not clear at present what this money will be spent on - £10m earmarked for the Glasgow Fastlink bus scheme, plus funding for car clubs etc.

    I think any extra money for cycling has already been announced, as increased support for Sustrans expenditure over the next two years. So in effect, this is at least partial re-announcement of extra funding for sustainable travel.

    No change to CWSS.

    More to follow.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. SRD
    Moderator

    "No change to CWSS."

    Keith Irving ‏@keithirving1
    Pleased that Cycling, Walking&Safer Routes and Vacant&Derelict Land Funds up 46% in 14-15. #Budget2014 Here's why: http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/sites/default/files/content/library/consultationresponses/Scotland/121022%20ICI%20written%20evidence%20Living%20Streets%20Scotland.pdf …

    ???

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. crowriver
    Member

    Good question just now (live BBC feed) from Patrick Harvie on this requesting a clear budget line for active travel, and asking for better transparency. John Swinney responds that he will clarify this in further information to Mr. Harvie and feels he has taken "an approach on cycling which is stronger, better and more effective than previous provisions".

    Interesting!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. SRD
    Moderator

    Nicola Sturgeon promised last year to 'look into' a clear budget line....

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. SRD
    Moderator

    Cycling Scotland ‏@CyclingScotland
    Budget details: Cycling Walking and Safer Routes funding up from £5.6m in 13/14 to £8.2m in 14/15 and £8m in planned 15/16 budget #cycling

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. crowriver
    Member

    Also: "The Future Transport Fund will reduce the impact of transport on our environment, reducing congestion and supporting better public transport, active travel and low carbon vehicles. This investment provides a platform for increasing support thereafter for a range of sustainable transport initiatives, including cycling infrastructure and freight modal shift."

    Up from 7.7m to 18.7m in 14/15; 20.2m in 15/16.

    http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/09/9971/10

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. Morningsider
    Member

    CWSS - The budget published in September 2012 set out CWSS spnding of £5.6m in 2013/14 and £8.2m in 2014/15 - the exact same figures as included in the budget published today. I don't make this stuff up you know - there is no increase.

    There is an increase in the total Scottish Futures Fund for 2014/15 in this year's budget. However, it's impossible to say how much the Future Transport Fund has been increased by, as last year's budget document didn't disaggregate the component parts for the total fund.

    It is important to note that just because a budget is higher in 2014/15 than 2013/14 that does not necessarily mean there has been an increase in the planned budget. Last year's budget set out spending plans to 2014/15, you need to compare the figures in the two documents to see whether there has been an actual increase.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. crowriver
    Member

    Maybe the change is in the sums allocated to Sutrans and channelled through the Future Transport Fund?

    I will be interested to see what Patrick Harvie makes of the "simplified" information John Swinney will apparently be sending his way.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. SRD
    Moderator

    @morningsider Keith Irving of Living Streets was trumpwting the CWSS 'increase' as being all down to them.

    I took far too much pleasure in pointing out that there hasn't in fact been an increase.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. crowriver
    Member

    Patrick Harvie is rather critical:

    "Despite growing calls for investment in cycle infrastructure the Sustainable and Active Travel budget is due to fall from £35million this year to just £15million in 2015-16, and there is no clarity over where the shortfall will come from."

    http://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/news/show/6871/flat-budget-needs-work-to-show-scotland-s-ambition

    Posted 11 years ago #

  11. Morningsider
    Member

    crowriver - the "Active and sustainable transport budget" line is only £35m this year (13/14) and £29m next year (14/15) as it includes £20m in 13/14 and £10m in 14/15 for the Glasgow Fastlink bus scheme - an albino pachyderm if there ever was one. Strip this out and you get a better idea of the real budget - i.e it is the same this year and in 15/16 (cash terms - excluding inflation). In addition, this budget line covers lots of different programmes/projects - it's never really clear what it is all spent on, certainly not all walking and cycling.

    I think the Green press release highlights how difficult it is to make any real judgement of what is really spent on cycling by the Scottish Government - as the figures are hidden in larger budgets.

    SRD - you are very naughty!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  12. chdot
    Admin

    "
    Budget bewilderment

    "

    http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2013/09/budget-bewilderment

    Posted 11 years ago #

  13. chdot
    Admin

    "
    Scotland will give £20m to mitigate effects of bedroom tax

    "

    http://www.theguardian.com/p/3ty3t/tw

    Posted 11 years ago #

  14. chdot
    Admin

    "
    Keith Brown MSP (@KeithBrownMSP)
    11/09/2013 15:41
    An additional £20m for active travel over the next two years #Budget2014

    "

    Must be true.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  15. Calum
    Member

    Why is Fastlink being funded out of that laughably small pot of money? There's nothing remotely "sustainable" about buses. They still run on oil, don't they?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  16. crowriver
    Member

    Oh the above Spokes link now features two cycling related extracts from the transcript of the budget debate. The aforementioned exchange with Patrick Harvie, and this:

    "Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP): Does the cabinet secretary agree that the additional £20 million investment in cycling will be widely welcomed by cycling organisations throughout Scotland? That increase is not an accident but has come about as a result of a Government that is willing to listen and act upon the concerns that were expressed by cyclists in Scotland.

    John Swinney: I appreciate Mr Eadie’s comments. Mr Eadie has been vociferous—along with Alison Johnstone—when coming to see me about cycling and cycling investment issues and I am glad that we have been able to make some progress on that question in the budget settlement. There are opportunities for us to ensure that that money is used effectively to strengthen cycling infrastructure in Scotland and I assure the Parliament that ministers will be keen to do so as part of the discussions around the budget and the implementation of the commitments that we have made."

    All sounds positive. Let us see what transpires...

    Posted 11 years ago #

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