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Campaign group Transform Scotland says Scottish ministers have got their priorities wrong when it comes to transport policy.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-19564702
Hear, hear!
The Scot Gov response was the usual old flannel, of course. The poor old 'hard-pressed construction industry' needs all these motorways and dual carriageway projects I suppose.
I don't really understand why spending £500m on "liveable streets" would boost the construction industry less than £500m on a few hundred yards of motorway, though. Do the streets just build themselves, with no economic benefit?
I read the whole thing this morning (and had a good argument with a colleague about it). Interesting to read alongside (not the Beach Boys) Brian Wilson's article in the Scotsman which puts that 'talk left, act right' that Transform Scotland show but don't name in terms of who benefits / suffers from transport options into a broader perspective.
It's a long quote but it answers Dave's question:
We have for some time been puzzled by the insistence that funds be made available for major new infrastructure projects when it is often the case that funds are not available for maintaining the existing asset base. Despite encouraging trends towards tackling trunk road maintenance from 2000 to 2005 (see Table 4.1), this has now declined in favour of building new roads. Making road maintenance rather than road-building the focus of the Government’s roads policy would have a greater impact in supporting Scottish companies and public bodies. We note that none of the four companies that comprise the consortium for construction of the unnecessary and unsustainable ‘Forth Replacement Crossing‘ project — Scotland’s largest construction project — are headquartered in Scotland. Should the Scottish construction industry require financial stimulus then this would be better served by the prioritisation of capital expenditure more likely to be recouped by Scottish companies (e.g. tackling the £2bn+ road maintenance backlog) rather than by companies headquartered outwith Scotland.
hard-pressed construction industry
they really did say that. wow.
talk about vested interests...
Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian, said:
"This government has its foot to the floor on the most polluting and unfair transport policies imaginable, cutting funding for buses and cycling and scrapping vital rail projects. If this is the minister's idea of balance I suggest he gets his inner ear inspected.
"Keith Brown tried to defend his daft choices by claiming maintenance is required. But the reality is our streets are littered with potholes while the councils responsible are constrained in their spending by his Government. The backlog will only get worse with new roads.
"He also claimed his spending on roads would help cyclists but who in their right mind would want to cycle on the M74 or a dual carriageway A9? Bikes will in fact be banned from using the new Forth Road Bridge.
"Politics is about trust and it's clear the SNP simply can't be trusted on transport. They have an opportunity to do a U-turn and start to make amends when they put forward their budget proposals next week."
A good effort from Transform Scotland. While it might all appear obvious, it never hurts to have these things laid out in black and white. The Government's response is disappointing but predictable, it was hardly going to admit to getting it all wrong.
I would like to query the £1bn invested in public and active travel. £700m is just to keep ScotRail and the Scottish rail infrastructure running - no new services or infrastructure. £200m is to maintain the concessionary fares scheme for elderly and disabled people. £60m is BSOG (effectively a fuel duty rebate for bus operators). Actual "investment" in these modes is a less impressive £40m - even this is likely an overestimate as it includes low carbon cars etc.
"Scottish Greens are astonished by the claims of Transport Minister Keith Brown that his government is ‘finding the right balance‘ on transport spending."
http://www.greenmsps.org/poor-choices-show-snp-cant-be-trusted-on-transport
'it was hardly going to admit to getting it all wrong' or being a puppet for that matter.
Yeah, not surprising, but still disappointing. Why can't they get it?
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