NEWS RELEASE - Wednesday 22nd January 2003

Central Scotland Transport Corridor Studies announcement: Executive's road-building plans spiral to almost £800 million

Responding to today's Ministerial announcements on the Central Scotland Transport Corridor Studies [1], TRANSform Scotland have highlighted that the Study's announcements that the majority (55%) of new funds will go on more motorway building will take the Scottish Executive's road-building programme to almost £800 million [2], far ahead of committed spend on new public transport projects [3].

Colin Howden, TRANSform Scotland Campaign Manager, said:
"This announcement means more money wasted on road-building, more road traffic, and more greenhouse gas emissions from Scotland's transport. The Executive has little hope of meeting its target of stabilising road traffic levels when it is still prepared to spend the majority of its available funds on new motorway building. [4] These announcements demonstrate that the Executive has given up on trying to manage demand for road space on the Central Scotland trunk road network, refusing either to implement trunk road charging or put in place priority lanes for car sharing."

TRANSform Scotland are also concerned whether the public transport commitments in the Study will be delivered, given the absence of firm timescales for delivering the projects. Colin Howden said:

"After four years of delivering road-building and more road-building, we have to suspend belief for the moment about the public transport commitments being made today by the Transport Minister. There is a danger that this is window-dressing by the Scottish Executive in advance of the May elections. Given the Scottish Executive's dismal record at delivery on new public transport projects, we are sceptical that rail schemes such as a new Airdrie-Bathgate railway will ever happen. The Executive must demonstrate that this project will not go into limbo like other projects the Executive has expressed enthusiasm for in recent years - for example, the Borders railway, the Larkhall line, or the Stirling-Alloa-Dunfermline line."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

[1] SE press release, 22/01/03: "Gray announes package of investment for Central Scotland transport."

[2] Scottish Executive committed spend on new road-building since 1999:
A1 Haddington-Dunbar £40 million
A78 Bypass of Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston £33.1 million
A830 Arisaig - Kinsadel £10.8 million
A96 Fochabers - Mosstodloch £17.3 million
M74 Northern Extension £250 million
A1 additions south of Dunbar £11.4 million
A876 Kincardine Bridge £60 million
M77 Fenwick-Malletsheugh & Glasgow Southern Orbital £130 million
A8 Bailieston-Newhouse £105-123 million
A80 Stepps-Haggs £120 million

The total cost of these projects is £777.6-795.6 million. (References available on request.)

[3] Scottish Executive committed spend on new public transport through the Public Transport Fund 1998-2002 totals £235 million - see SE press release SEET181/2002: 'Final Awards from Public Transport Fund.'

[4] The Scottish Executive has set itself the target of stabilising road traffic levels at 2001 levels by 2021. The Scottish Executive forecasts increases of 27% in Scottish road traffic levels between 2001 and 2021 if no action is taken to stop this increase. The Executive also believes that 80% of this growth will happen in and around the four cities. Glasgow City Council is planning for a 40% increase in traffic levels between 2001 and 2021, while Edinburgh is forecasting a 13% reduction [ÔScotlandÕs Transport: Delivering ImprovementsÕ (2002:7)].