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On 24 May 2016 officials made me aware that Network Rail had advised that they were unlikely to deliver the electrification of the Edinburgh-Falkirk High-Glasgow Queen Street line by December 2016, as confirmed in the Office of Road and Rail's Network Rail Monitor. I was not prepared to simply accept this and challenged Network Rail to revisit their analysis. In addition I ordered Transport Scotland to undertake an intensive review of major rail projects being delivered by Network Rail, which will report back shortly.

The first Bus Stakeholder Group meeting was held on 3 April, 2012. Eight further meetings were held on the following dates:- 26 June 2012; 26 October 2012; 26 February 2013; 30 October 2013; 26 March 2014; 11 November 2014; 26 January 2016 and 31 August 2016.

The following have been present at meetings: Transport Scotland, Confederation of Passenger Transport, Regional Transport Partnerships, CoSLA, Association of Transport Co-Ordinating Officers, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland, Bus Users Scotland, the Scottish Traffic Commissioner, Community Transport Association and the Scottish Road Works Commissioner.

I chaired the most recent meeting on 31 August 2016.

The aim of these meetings is to bring together representatives from across the bus industry to discuss bus policy issues. A range of issues have been discussed over the life of the Group with recent focus being on congestion, smart and integrated ticketing and engagement with bus users among other things.

The report is attached to SPICe - BIB number 58193

The report highlights every service schedule which resulted in a penalty for being below the benchmark. It must be underlined there is a tolerance level between the ceiling level and benchmarks before recorded fails actually result in a financial penalty.

Disability legislation is reserved to the UK Parliament. The timetable by which buses must be fully accessible is set out in the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) 2000. All new buses have had to be fully accessible since 31 December 2000. All other single decker buses had to be fully accessible by 1 January 2016 at the latest, all double decker buses by 1 January 2017 at the latest and all coaches by 1 January 2020. Until then, fleet renewal and deployment is a discretionary operational matter for individual bus operators. The Scottish Government is committed to encouraging bus operators to meet these regulations within the timetable.

The timetable has been agreed with the transport industry and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (the Department for Transport's statutory advisers on the transport needs of disabled people).

That said, the Accessible Travel Framework published on 21 September 2016, includes accessibility issues for bus which will be an important focus of work through the 10 year lifetime of the Framework.

Following the publication of the Bus Action Plan (BAP) in 2006 a steering group was set up to consider how the 17 action points from the BAP should be delivered and was composed of regulators, public sector representatives and bus operators.

In June 2010 it was accepted that the actions had been delivered and the steering group was wound up. To maintain progress since then a Bus Stakeholder Group was established to consider and take forward bus policy development and implementation.

A review of the Bus Investment Fund process is currently underway. The report will be published and made available on the Transport Scotland website on completion.

Interconnectivity of rail passenger services with other transport modes, including active travel, is key to encouraging people to travel by train. ScotRail are progressing with their ambitious programme to deliver an additional 3,500 cycle spaces across the network by spring 2018, and have installed Bike and Go facilities at ten locations across Scotland. Additionally ScotRail continue to engage with local authorities and expert sustainable travel organisations to improve walking and cycling routes to stations.

The next Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services Contract, due to commence on 1 October 2016 for a period of eight years, was awarded to CalMac Ferries Limited and was formally signed on 22 August 2016. As part of their contractual obligations the operator will endeavour to provide improved customer service and transport integration. Calmac have also committed to a Transport Integration Manager who will specifically engage with all transport modes to ensure, where possible, better customer connections.

The regional transport partnerships and local authorities continue to work in partnership with wider delivery bodies and fund programmes of work to improve uptake and integration of public transport with other modes. For example, the roll out of real time passenger information, funding of active travel paths between trip attractors and public transport, bikes on buses projects, and installation of bike shelters and bike parking at train stations. Behaviour change projects including promotion of active and public transport are funded through the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places programme.

The cost estimate for the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) is part of the independent review on major rail projects. That review is expected to conclude later this month following which a revised EGIP cost estimate will be provided to the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee.

On 5 July 2016 I announced Network Rail had informed Transport Scotland that the delivery of certain major rail projects were at significant risk of not meeting the previously committed delivery milestones and were increasing in costs.

At my instruction, Transport Scotland has been undertaking an intensive review of the programme, including the governance structures for the delivery of major rail projects. This work is expected to conclude in September 2016.

I have also already made clear to the member my intention to bring the review findings and senior Network Rail officials before the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee to answer any questions and to set out clearly when Network Rail will deliver the promised improvements and how much they will cost.

In my statement on the delivery of rail projects in Scotland on 5 July 2016, and reiterated in my answer to the recent Topical Question S5T-00043 on 6 September 2016 found at,

http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=10498&i=96642&c=1929093&s=S5T-00043

I confirmed that Network Rail have advised the introduction of electric services on the Edinburgh-Falkirk High-Glasgow Queen Street line is now planned for July 2017.