SNP vanity projects a major threat to Glasgow Subway

For immediate release 17 June 2010

Speaking ahead of a debate on Glasgow's Subway tonight at Holyrood (on motion S3M-6195), Green MSP for Glasgow Patrick Harvie heavily criticised SNP transport policy and its impact on Glasgow's public transport projects.

Patrick Harvie MSP said:

"Glasgow's Subway is much loved and much relied upon, but it's also desperately in need of investment in stations and rolling stock. Beyond that there are also opportunities to extend services and even consider expanding the network, opportunities Ministers should at least look at.

"Unfortunately, the SNP have a roads-first transport policy, and Glasgow's paying a heavy price for that. Ministers are blowing hundreds of millions on the M74 Northern Extension despite all the evidence that it will fail to meet any of their objectives, while their plans for an unnecessary and deeply unpopular additional Forth road bridge will squeeze out funding for public transport projects not just in Glasgow but across Scotland.

"Stewart Stevenson's extraordinary wastefulness on these other schemes is a major threat to the current investment plan for the Subway. Ministers must now reassure Parliament and the people of Glasgow that this investment programme won't go the way of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link."