Chamber and committees

It will be conducted by a project team led by Transport Scotland with support from consultants where necessary.

We will embark on detailed business case planning early in 2013. The detail of this will be shared with Parliament before any decision to give formal approval to the project.

The business case analysis will depend on evaluation of route alignment options. We anticipate being able to share the outcome of those processes in 2014.

Any future high speed line between Scotland and London should serve both Edinburgh and Glasgow city centres. The alignment of routes to Scotland is yet to be determined.

We will consider all feasible route options between Edinburgh and Glasgow which are consistent with the criteria that the line must provide opportunities to link to the proposed development of high speed rail lines in England.

An extension application has not been submitted for the Glasgow Urban Area zone. However, an action plan outlining how compliance will be secured by 2017 was submitted to the Commission for information and a response to this is expected shortly.

The whole of Scotland is expected to be compliant with the targets by 2015 with the exception of the A8 between Newhouse and Baillieston. As set out in S4W-11154, on 22 November 2012, this road is to be upgraded to motorway standard and as a consequence modelling predicts this section of the network will become compliant following completion of the project in 2017.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Scottish Government has not requested an extension, as full compliance with the nitrogen dioxide limit value in the Glasgow Urban Area zone is not expected until 2017, after the maximum extension deadline for 2015 is allowed under the ambient air quality directive. A further 15 zones across the UK are not expected to comply until after 2015. Most other member states also have zones which fall into this category. Modelling data suggests that compliance will be secured by completion of the upgrade to motorway standard of the missing link on the M8, between Baillieston and Newhouse.

The Scottish Government has been engaging with stakeholders on a range of issues in relation to environmental justice, including in relation to proposals for court rules for Protective Expenses Orders and civil courts reform. These discussions will be taken into account in developing an options paper on an environmental court.

Scottish Planning Policy (2010) identifies the protection and enhancement of the natural and built environment as part of the purpose of planning. The current engagement on a review of Scottish Planning Policy seeks views on what should change and what should remain. A form on which views can be submitted is available from the Scottish Government’s website.