Transport: Libdem Minister Presses on with Polluting Scotland
Thu., March 16, 2006. 17:25.
Greens say programme promotes climate change and ill-health
The Executive today confirmed its intention to cause more pollution and more congestion at the taxpayers' expense, Greens said following a Ministerial statement on transport in parliament today. Despite new figures published this week revealing record levels of climate change pollution, Ministers continue to stick to a discredited 1960s 'predict and provide' roadbuilding approach which will encourage an increase in traffic levels.
Tavish Scott claimed today that his programme of investment "supports the government's principal objective of growing Scotland's economy," despite the fact that more major roads means more congestion, adding to the £20 billion cost congestion inflicts on the UK economy every year.
Tavish Scott also made an unsubstantiated claim about spending 70% of the transport budget on public transport. He also omitted to mention the 'mortgage' finance arrangements on major road projects which commits the taxpayer to pay out millions every year for decades, and helps to 'fiddle' the figures on the 70% spending claim.
Green Glasgow MSP Patrick Harvie challenged the minister to explain why there was no mention of the Glasgow and Aberdeen cross-rail projects, despite these projects' potential to genuinely relieve congestion and reduce pollution - unlike the Aberdeen WPR and Glasgow M74 extension which ministers are pressing on with at a cost of around £450 million and £500 million respectively.
Mr Harvie said, "The Executive is enthusiastically presiding over ever-increasing traffic levels and rising pollution. There is no mention in this statement about cross rail projects in Glasgow and Aberdeen - these are the schemes that would deliver genuine value for public money and help prevent pollution and congestion."
Greens welcomed commitment to some public transport projects, including the £375 million plus inflation for Edinburgh trams projects, but argue that the overall programme was half-hearted. Greens say the Waverley upgrade falls short and does not aim to make the Capital's station the world-class one that it should be.
Greens added that the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link, funded with £550-650 million of public cash, was the wrong project because the cash would be better channelled into ensuring all three tram lines go ahead to give Edinburgh a world class public transport network.
Mark Ballard, Lothians Green MSP said: "The argument for the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link is based on a trebling of the number of passengers using air transport which is environmentally unsustainable. The business case for EARL does not add up either given rising fuel costs and the likely imposition of aviation fuel duty. Given the fact that over 60% of flights from the airport are to London, money committed to EARL should be spent on improving the rail link to London instead which would give a much greater strategic boost to public transport."
The Lothians MSP said that alternative public transport projects, including an additional rail station at Turnhouse, could serve the airport adequately, and more cost-effectively, and that the plan would actually lengthen the journey time from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Ballard added: "The existing proposal for Tram Line 2 provides a perfectly sufficient public transport link to the airport. I see no adequate justification to spend vast sums on an additional public transport link to the airport, when the money could be much better spent elsewhere."
Contact the Scottish Greens' press team on 07909 933 074.