10/12/2008The Scottish Government has outlined its major proposals for public transport.
Announcing 29 Scotland-wide packages resulting from the Strategic Transport Projects Review, Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson identified a series of initiatives for Strathclyde.
Of these packages, which will be actioned between 2012 and 2022, many involve strategic road improvements but there is also significant investment in public transport.
SPT has welcomed plans for extension of the electrification of the rail network beyond Glasgow and Edinburgh and integrated ticketing proposals, alongside light rapid transport and hard shoulder running plans.
Councillor Alistair Watson, chair of SPT, said: "The government wants to spend £100m to create one ticket for public transport in Scotland. This is long overdue but it is a great step forward which is another step to bring Scotland into the 21st Century for transport."
Major highlights for the west of Scotland include:
- A massive development of Park and Ride projects in the west of Scotland to ease the commute into central Glasgow.
Speaking following the minister's announcement at Holyrood, Councillor Watson said: "SPT has blazed a trail for Park and Rides including our state of the art Park and Ride at Shields Road. The six projects proposed for Bargeddie, St James, Glasgow Southern Orbital, Fullarton, Robroyston and Ayr (M77) are a massive shift in this direction which will make a significant change in the pattern of the commute into Glasgow and should mean much less car and much more bus and rail."
- A promise to develop major projects for hard shoulder bus running on the M77, M74 and M8.
Councillor Watson said: "SPT is already working on a possible pilot project for the M77 for hard shoulder running and we look forward to delivering that with our partners and the support of the government now promised."
- Development of a rapid transport system to link public transport across Glasgow.This project could be a light transport system which would link the centre of Glasgow to the Southern General Hospital in the south west of the city and beyond.
Councillor Watson said: "This would take the west of Scotland into the modern transport era to match anything in Europe, especially if the system goes east and north as well as south and west."
- Rail station options for Glasgow.
The government proposals are not specific at this stage. The STPR says that a new station or stations could be linked to the rapid transit system or be a single new city centre station which in effect would link Glasgow Central and Queen Street. If the latter is the case this would be a hugely ambitious promise which could involve the creation of a new station in central Glasgow. This contrasts with SPT's standing Crossrail plans for a new station in the east of the city at High Street.
Councillor Watson said: "What we want to ask is would this project ever be delivered or is it an attempt to make a big promise but in effect kick the Crossrail proposal into the long grass? Nonetheless, as we have already said, if this is linked to the new rapid transit system then this would be a major development."
The minister also announced significant development for roads including big investments in the M74, M77 and M80. There are further proposals for the A77 around Ayr, the A737 at Dalry and the A82.
Mr Stevenson revealed that the cost of the Forth Crossing has been reduced from a £3.2bn to £4.3bn estimate to an estimated £1.7bn to £2.3bn, thus freeing up money for other major initiatives.
Commenting on the STPR, Councillor Watson said: "There is much here which promotes and develops public transport. Casting its shadow over everything, however, is the new Forth Crossing. The savings in the cost of that promised by the minister mean there are Christmas presents under the tree for SPT and other transport agencies. We pledge to work with the government to deliver on these promises. Scotland cannot expect anything less."
