Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with ATCO and COSLA in developing the Community Bus Fund (CBF). We are currently running proposals through the COSLA governance process with a view to launch the fund later this year.

Our thoughts remain with the family of the person who died in a collision with a heavy goods vehicle on the A85 between Crianlarich and Lix Toll on 23 August 2021.

Each year Transport Scotland, through its Operating Companies, undertakes a review of collisions on the trunk road network to identify cluster sites, or routes with recorded collisions that may be worthwhile of further investigation. This evidence led approach ensures that resources can be targeted at locations where the greatest potential for casualty reduction is available.

The most recent screening process did not identify the A85 between Glen Ogle and Crianlarich as a priority site for further investigation for safer active travel provision. The fatal accident referred to above was the only accident involving a pedal cyclist on this part of the A85 since 2014, which does not indicate a trend of injury accidents. Transport Scotland will continue to monitor road safety at this location.

Scotland’s climate change obligations include emissions from domestic and international aviation. ‘Scottish greenhouse gas statistics 2021’, published in June 2023, show that emissions from international aviation dropped by 23% between 2020 and 2021. Domestic aviation emissions increased by 12% in the same period, but are 59% below 1990 levels.

Work is ongoing across government to develop a Scottish Government aviation strategy. The public consultation on developing the strategy covered a range of topics including the transition to low and zero-emission aviation. This transition is also relevant to preparation of the Government’s 2023 Climate Change Plan and Just Transition Plan, and it is essential that this work be fully joined up.

The Bathing Water (Scotland) Regulations 2008 require at the end of the bathing water season each year that the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) assesses each bathing water on the basis of samples collected during the season, plus the preceding 3 bathing seasons, and classifies the bathing waters for the coming season. SEPA must advise Scottish Ministers of the classifications and SEPA also publishes the classification results on its website at https://www2.sepa.org.uk/bathingwaters/Classifications.aspx . SEPA is required to monitor water quality at each bathing water during the bathing season and the first water quality sample at each designated bathing waters must be taken shortly before the start of the season, usually, around 15 May and SEPA publishes the results on its website.

Public Health Scotland recently published guidance with information on the risks and the steps the public can take to wild swim as safely as possible, available at https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/wild-swimming-how-to-swim-safely-in-scotlands-outdoor-water/ .

Freshwater rivers and lochs that are not designated as bathing waters are managed for the purpose of protecting fish and wildlife. SEPA publishes its water quality classification for each water body online at https://www.sepa.org.uk/data-visualisation/water-classification-hub/ .

SEPA classifies 84% of Scotland’s rivers and lochs at good or better for water quality and 98% of classified bathing waters meet bathing water quality standards with more being rated excellent than ever before.

Under the Bathing Water (Scotland) Regulations 2008, Scottish Ministers designate bathing waters where they expect a large number of people to bathe, having regard to past trends and infrastructure and facilities provided, or other measures taken to promote bathing. Across Europe the meaning of a large number of bathers ranges up 300 bathers per day, which is much higher than Scotland’s 150 bathers.

Following extensive bather surveys across Scotland and a public consultation, the Scottish Government developed a policy regarding the designation of bathing waters. That policy states that 150 people per day, or thereabouts, using the water for bathing regularly throughout the season would be considered to be a large number of bathers.

In determining whether a large number of bathers are expected to bathe there, Scottish Ministers must also have regard to past trends, infrastructure and facilities and promotion of bathing at any proposed bathing water.

The Delivery Plan is currently in preparation, including the consideration of how best to engage with delivery partners and other interested parties.

Significant action is being taken by this Government to develop, deliver and invest in Scotland’s strategic transport infrastructure for the long term. For example, work is already underway to deliver 38 of the 45 recommendations in STPR2, with consideration ongoing on how best to mobilise the remaining seven.

Decarbonisation of Fife rail services was not planned to complete by 2024. Development work for future electrification in Fife is currently underway. Some advance work is being carried out between Haymarket to Dalmeny to facilitate the future electrification of Fife.

The timescale for decarbonisation of the Fife Circle route will be considered through the Final Business Case submission of the project and as part of the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan refresh scheduled for later in 2023.

The Scottish Government has authorised the investment of c.£30m for a new feeder station at Thornton in Fife. This will provide power to the planned electrification. This feeder station is scheduled to be operational in 2026.

In 2021, through the first phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB), the Scottish Government supported operators to acquire 276 zero-emission buses and their supporting infrastructure, with awards of £62 million. This hugely successful grant programme brought the number of zero-emission buses in Scotland supported by the Scottish Government to 548. These vehicles have been brought in to service across the country, including in the mid Scotland and Fife region with the recent fleets of zero-emission buses being brought into service in Perth and Dunfermline.

Through the opening of the second phase of ScotZEB, the Scottish Government has made up to £58 million available to further support the bus sector to decarbonise. This is in addition to the £113 million already invested through ScotZEB 1 and its predecessor the Scottish Ultra Low Emission Bus Scheme (SULEBS), meeting our commitment to invest £120 million into zero-emission buses; taking us closer to realising a fully decarbonised future for Scotland’s bus fleet and supporting the Scottish supply chain. Currently Scotland has around double the proportion of its fleet running on zero-emissions, compared to the proportion in England, and ScotZEB 2 will allow Scotland to continue to be a leading example of bus decarbonisation.

We have always been clear that the bus decarbonisation target was an ambitious target that the Scottish Government could not meet alone. We all have to play our part in the collective endeavour to end Scotland’s contribution to climate change. The launch of ScotZEB 2 is the next phase of the Government’s contribution, to encourage collaborative proposals and bring about necessary change in the market, and deliver a Just Transition to net zero for the bus and coach sector. We will continue to challenge the bus sector to deliver excellence for Scotland, and by working in partnership with private financiers, manufacturers, SMEs and community operators, I have every confidence that Scotland’s bus sector will rise to this challenge. The role of the Bus Decarbonisation Taskforce has been crucial in bringing key players in the sector together to tackle the shared barriers in the way of decarbonisation, which is why I am happy to confirm that the Taskforce has reconvened after the launch of ScotZEB 2.

The Scottish Government expects the bus sector to deliver highly transformational projects, with Government support, to deliver rapid change to the bus market in Scotland, making zero-emission vehicles the default choice for operators. Scotland is the perfect place for innovative financiers and technology start-ups to invest in a zero-emission future. The Scottish Government is putting policies in place which will support these businesses to transition at pace to zero-emissions; grow our green wellbeing economy; provide opportunities for good, green jobs in Scotland; and better, healthier communities.

Positive progress continues to be made with the electrification of the Glasgow to Barrhead Route and with plans for the electrification of the East Kilbride route now at an advanced stage. Plans for further electrification continue to be developed across the rail network in Scotland including Fife and the Borders.

The Scottish Government has been clear about the extent of the financial pressures the public sector as a whole is facing. The Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan is planned as a dynamic document, with a refresh of the Plan scheduled for later in 2023. The refresh will ensure Transport Scotland continue to prioritise the right projects, in the right place, and at the right time in line with available budgets.

Despite this, significant investment is also under way across Scotland in the form of new feeder stations required to provide the power needed to support the electrification of the network across Scotland.

As outlined in the Scottish Budget 2023-24, the Scottish Government remains committed to introducing Air Departure Tax when a solution to the Highlands and Islands exemption issue has been found. The Scottish Government is carefully considering the implications for this of the UK subsidy control regime that was introduced by the UK Government in January 2023.

Until Air Departure Tax is introduced, the UK Government will maintain the application of Air Passenger Duty in Scotland.

We will review Air Passenger Duty rates and bands ahead of the introduction of the devolved Air Departure Tax to ensure that our policy aligns with our climate change goals, including the possibility of a higher tax for more polluting aircraft, while maintaining our commitment to retain the Highlands and Islands exemption.