Mark Ruskell
Scottish Green Party · Scotland
“I move amendment S7M-00434.3, to insert at end: “; recognises that, despite a media backlash, a majority of the public continues to back strong climate action, especially young people; further recognises that local communities and workers must have a meaningful participatory role in developing and implementing local climate action, with t…”
“I move, That the Parliament recognises that climate change constitutes an emergency; supports the goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius; notes the consequences of climate change that are currently impacting populations and places around the world; condemns any spread of misinformation about and denial of the impacts of clima…”
“Mark Ruskell was right to point out that we need a just transition, as we do not want to replicate the mistakes of the 1980s. However, we need action on electricity prices.”
“We cannot cut ourselves off from the impacts of global climate change, as Reform would want us to do, just as we cannot opt out of global action by pretending that Scotland does not have huge advantages over other countries when it comes to reducing emissions.”
“A study that was commissioned by the Institute for Public Policy Research a couple of months ago showed that 62 per cent of the UK public back strong climate action, and individual policies such as traffic reduction measures, frequent flyer taxes and low- carbon home heating remain popular.”
“We need to accelerate that action, because as we do so, we will build market certainty and create new markets that will provide new jobs and boost businesses. I think that I have made quite a lot of mention of the amount of GVA that it is bringing to Scotland.”
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“Willie Rennie mentioned other sectors that want to go further and faster, but they need certainty now about what will be in the plan. I do not believe for one minute that the draft climate change plan is not ready. Of course it is. Of course it has been signed off by the Cabinet, because it will be laid in a matter of weeks. Why does the Government refuse to let Parliament see its proposed action ahead of setting the carbon budget? Is it because the plan spells out policies that are so radical that the fear is that members of the Scottish Parliament would not back the budget, or is it that the commitment to real action on buildings, transport and agriculture is so weak? Time will tell, but we are being asked to back a level of ambition without a clear, credible plan for action.”
“I find it incredible that Parliament is being asked to back a set of carbon budgets with no accompanying plan that spells out the action that is needed to deliver them. Members have talked about learning the lessons from 2019. Surely the biggest lesson from that was that, if we are going to set ambitious targets, we need to face up to the action that is required to deliver them and the benefits that will come from doing so. I must tell the cabinet secretary that, when Douglas Lumsden, Sarah Boyack, Patrick Harvie and Willie Rennie are all reflecting the same concern, she has lost the confidence of the chamber on the issue. It is really important that we give sectors the confidence to go forward, but that requires detail. We have sectors that are prepared to step up, such as the air-source heat pump industry.”
“As the First Minister made clear earlier, this Government will make sure that everything is done to keep the campus open so that students in the area have access to the first- rate services and learning that the college provides. As has been stated to Parliament, the Scottish Funding Council is working incredibly closely with the college on those matters, and we will seek to keep members with a local interest and Parliament more widely informed as the SFC continues that engagement. I look forward to further engagement with the member, and I thank him for constructively bringing that important matter to the chamber.”
“I very much welcome the minister to his new role, but I point out to him that a number of members across the chamber have written to him about the proposed closure of the Alloa campus of Forth Valley College—a move that would be devastating for the community. Will he commit to coming to Alloa to meet us, unions and others who are concerned about the closure, and to work on a cross-party basis to ensure that the college can remain open to serve the community for generations to come? Ben Macpherson: The member is right to raise the importance of the contribution of the Alloa campus of Forth Valley College to the local community and the wide social and economic benefits that it provides.”
“The bonds between owners and their pet cats and the feelings of anxiety and distress if they are stolen are not different from those of dog owners, and they also deserve access to justice if they are victims of theft. I am aware that a number of other members’ bills in this session of Parliament relate to dogs. With hindsight, it might have been better if, as Rhoda Grant outlined, the Government had introduced a consolidating bill to bring together different aspects of animal law. However, we are where we are. In the months to come, I hope that a shared legacy of members in this session will be a significant improvement in the lives of dogs in Scotland, and I hope that the bill can play a part in that. 16:04”
“In the committee, witnesses repeatedly expressed the view that a stand-alone statutory offence would not necessarily be an effective deterrent to dog theft in Scotland, as the proposed penalties are similar to those that are already outlined in common law. South of the border, since the introduction of the Pet Abduction Act 2024, the number of dogs reported stolen has dropped by 21 per cent, although whether that is a direct result of the bill is unclear, especially when we factor in the data collection issues around dog theft. If the intention of the Parliament is to align with the 2024 act, the bill needs to be broadened to include cats and other animals that are typically kept as pets. Charities including Cats Protection and Blue Cross have called for that.”
“As the Dogs Trust highlights, the current legal framework disregards the sentience of dogs and the importance of the human-canine bond. It puts a greater emphasis on financial value than on the emotional value of dogs—it treats them merely as commodities. With only one in five dogs reported stolen being returned to their families, and a chronic underreporting of dog thefts, it is clear that there is a case for change through legislation. Although the bill is rooted in good intentions, and the Greens are content to support its general principles at stage 1, some areas should be addressed as it progresses. In particular, we note that, currently, dog theft is covered in common law. Although we know that it is not a perfect system, we need to be absolutely clear that the bill will make a tangible difference.”
“There is an even more significant impact if assistance dogs are stolen, as that can have a life- altering impact on those who rely on them, and that potential for heightened harm is not accounted for in the current law. The Greens therefore support the proposal in the bill to make the theft of an assistance dog an aggravated offence, which will reflect the more serious impact that that has on the owner. To ensure that that specific principle covers all dogs who provide assistance and support, we agree that a relevant amendment should be lodged at stage 2, as outlined by the minister in her most recent correspondence with the committee. I look forward to that amendment being lodged and to other amendments that would widen the definition further to other working dogs.”
“I acknowledge the hard work and effort that Maurice Golden, his team and stakeholders have put into getting the bill to this stage. It is not to be underestimated. Animal charities have spent many years calling for dog theft to be a specific offence in Scotland, because the current legal framework is felt to be inadequate. As we have heard, the current framework classes pets merely as property, which means that the theft of a pet has the same legal standing as the theft of personal property, such as a phone or a television. However, the theft of a pet is a fundamentally different crime, because pets are members of our families. Although the theft of a TV is distressing, it does not come with the same feelings of anxiety or grief that are felt with the theft of a beloved pet.”
“Will the cabinet secretary join me in meeting residents in Tillicoultry? Màiri McAllan: I will respond to the last part of Mark Ruskell’s questions first: yes, I shall. My officials are currently in touch with campaigners to agree to a date. On Mark Ruskell’s question about possessions, there will be a safety issue when entering dangerous buildings, but local authorities would normally allow facilitated access. I would expect local authorities to keep those who have been affected up to date, provide them with advice and, where possible, facilitate access. I take away Mark Ruskell’s points about residents’ remaining possessions and will raise them with my officials. I will also ask that they be raised with Clackmannanshire Council. RAAC (Tillicoultry) 7.”
“Following my commitment to meet residents who have been affected by RAAC, my officials are in the process of agreeing an appropriate date to meet residents and Clackmannanshire Council. Mark Ruskell: The owners of the flats in Tillicoultry feel bitterly let down by Clackmannanshire Council, and it is very important that they are heard. They were given barely two hours’ notice before they were evacuated from their homes by the council. In the two years since then, none of them have been allowed to re-enter their homes. Residents’ remaining possessions will probably be bulldozed into the ground along with the flats. That is a brutal way to treat people who have lost their homes. What can the cabinet secretary do to help residents to get their remaining possessions back?”
“To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with residents in Tillicoultry who were evacuated from their homes two years ago when reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete was discovered. (S6O-05022) The Cabinet Secretary for Housing (Màiri McAllan): When residents are notified that their home may contain RAAC, it is the responsibility of individual local authorities to lead on providing advice and support to them. Scottish Government officials have been in regular contact with all local authorities that have been impacted by RAAC to discuss progress. On 4 September, Clackmannanshire Council representatives attended the first meeting of a new RAAC in housing leadership group, which I convened and which I chair, to share best practice and expedite progress.”
“New and altered crossing loops, double tracking and freight-specific enhancements could be planned to meet the needs of industry and passengers for generations to come. Reflecting on Richard Leonard’s point, I would suggest a step-by-step process, with electrification coming first before we start looking at dualling and other enhancements. In conclusion, the Highland main line is the key to unlocking the industrial potential of the Highlands. We must shift the focus to rail and invest in a line that is low-carbon and competitive, but that work really needs to start now. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We come to the final speaker in the open debate. 13:16”
“We can have better, faster, more frequent services with more capacity for people and freight, but only with full electrification. I recognise the Government’s priorities. Making progress on electrifying the Fife and Borders services is a priority, especially given that new battery electric trains have been ordered and are on the way. After those projects are complete, we must shift the focus on to the Highland main line, partly because this is also about keeping railway engineering jobs in Scotland through a pipeline of electrification projects that can support young people joining the industry. With electrification of the Highland main line agreed, the route could then be redesigned to maximise the benefits.”
“If it is to compete with the A9, the railway needs to be fully electrified from Dunblane through Perth to Inverness as soon as possible to deliver major benefits for passengers and freight. Electric trains will reduce journey times. They accelerate faster, will climb Drumochter pass far quicker than diesel locos and will be able to haul heavier freight loads. We have already seen the major benefits of using class 93 electric trains to haul test freight on the west coast main line—it is now time to bring those advantages to industry in the Highlands. Electrification will also enable more trains to run on the Highland main line, because faster running times on single lines between passing loops will allow more trains on the network.”
“The context of the A9 is important, and not just because it shares the same corridor as the Highland main line. The prioritisation of road over rail will be damaging unless there is a matching investment in the railway—an important point that has already been raised by John Mason. Dualling the A9 will result in an increase in car mileage at a time when the Government still has a commitment to bringing it down. Moreover, the Government is now pointing to transport as a sector where even deeper cuts in carbon emissions will have to be made in the forthcoming climate change plan, and I am interested in hearing the cabinet secretary’s view on how we start to square that circle.”
“However, all of the improvements that have been made so far have been about maintaining the railway; they are not game-changing investments that can deliver the real potential of the Highland main line. The work at Dunkeld and Birnam is only one step in the right direction; the station itself remains cut off from the community by the A9, and it needs to be fully reconnected. So far, the community’s proposals to have the road enter a short underpass have been rejected. I am sure that, if Dunkeld and Birnam were in the Alps, the authorities would not think twice about making the road fit the landscape and the community, and it is disappointing that, after years of consultation, the proposals have been rejected, even though they would represent a tiny fraction of the total cost of the A9 dualling project.”
“I thank my colleague Ariane Burgess for lodging the motion. As we celebrate 200 years since the birth of the railways, it is a great time to look at that vision for Scotland’s railways, and Ariane Burgess has laid out an exciting vision for the economy of the Highlands and for communities. I welcome the fact that some small improvements that have been made to the Highland main line in Perthshire in my region. The £3 million upgrade of Dunkeld and Birnam station is very welcome, with extended platforms allowing longer train services to stop, improvements in access by raising platforms and improvements to waiting areas. The partnership working with the community station group has been very positive.”
“Gulls are in overall decline in Scotland. Three out of five of the species face an extinction risk. Gull populations are increasing in urban areas because of the availability of food but, in the natural environment, food sources are declining because of climate change and overfishing, and natural breeding sites are also declining. What action, summits and funding will be available to ensure that gulls have a home and food in the natural environment, where they belong? Jim Fairlie: As I have said, that is part of the process that we are going through right now. We are looking at the complexity of gull movements and gull populations—that will all be part of our thinking as we go forward, and I hope that we will get the correct answers so that we can ensure that we have a supported population of gulls, as well as safe towns and cities.”
“From the start, he brought his forensic attention to detail, demanding weekly updates of Gantt charts and critical paths, and he chivvied contractors to completion while delivering endless walk-throughs and interviews in multiple languages, explaining the challenges and progress of the project. Colleagues remember a kind, shrewd, organised and tireless leader. We can only imagine what might have been if he had been able to take a more central role in the yes campaign for independence. We celebrate the unique and remarkable life of Sir George Reid, a proud son of the wee county— much loved, and now much missed. [Applause.] 14:21”
“He would pull every thread of conversation in the room together, ensuring that no one was left behind. You had to sing for your supper, but you always left feeling part of something a wee bit special. I have met so many staff in this building who loved working with George, in his time both as an MSP and then as Presiding Officer. Arguably, his greatest achievement in politics was steering this building—this village, as he loved to call it—to its completion. George was the right person at the right time to navigate the huge challenges of getting the building project on track and communicating that to a critical media.”
“I learned how his work had helped them, just as he had helped me and so many others. We remember fondly how George could hold any gathering in the palm of his hand. He had a natural and formidable power of convenership—an essential skill in that rainbow Parliament of the second session, when shenanigans were rife. We remember how he chaired a major global conference in the Parliament, opening proceedings in not just one but two African languages before addressing delegates in Gaelic and then, finally, in English—it was classic George. His wit, charisma and gravitas could lift any gathering, however small, into a major event, making people feel special and connected to one another. I remember attending dinners with international delegations that George hosted in his role as PO. They were enthralling.”
“I said that I had voted for him to be my constituency MSP and that I would be voting for him again to become the Presiding Officer of this Parliament. He was so warm and generous, and he was full of useful advice, which was offered kindly—and sometimes very directly. He helped me to make sense of those early days in the Parliament, and I know that many other MSPs also benefited from his mentoring. Later, when I lost my seat at Holyrood, I valued his encouragement, which, again, drew on his personal experience of moving between so many different roles, both in and out of politics. I recently met his colleagues at the University of Stirling, where he worked right up until the final few weeks of his life—teaching, mentoring and challenging students, while drawing on that vast experience.”
“I join colleagues across the Parliament— members and staff—in mourning the loss of Sir George Reid and in celebrating his life. We send our condolences and love to Dee, Morag and the family—not forgetting the dogs, of course. George led a remarkable life as a journalist, politician, humanitarian and academic. He was a true polymath, and he drew on his unique breadth of experience to touch the lives of so many. Every chapter of his career left a lasting legacy. He remains the only MSP to have received the Soviet medal of honour for his outstanding work with the International Committee of the Red Cross in leading the response to the Armenian earthquake in 1988. I first met him when I was a very nervous new MSP in 2003. We had lunch.”
“Of course, it can draw down the furlough scheme only if there is evidence of an order book. We need to keep working intensively to ensure that we do not end up back here in a few years’ time, for the reasons that others have set out. Ultimately, there needs to be a secure long-term order book for the company to give its workforce the confidence that it needs.”
“It is really welcome that jobs have been saved through the introduction of the furlough scheme for 26 weeks, but what assurances can the cabinet secretary give that Scottish Enterprise, which has worked with Alexander Dennis for the past 10 years, will ensure that the company has a viable future in Scotland after 26 weeks? What will Scottish Enterprise do differently compared with its work over the past 10 years? What will it do more of to ensure that there is a viable future? Kate Forbes: I do not think that the company has at any point complained about the support that it has already received from Scottish Enterprise, because that support has helped it to make improvements and drive productivity growth. The challenge that the company referenced was about securing an order book.”
“Although the Covid pandemic delayed the delivery of free bus travel, we now have a hugely successful scheme that has been expanded to all young people under the age of 22. I thank the Scottish Youth Parliament for its continued inspiration and hard work, and I look forward to further conversations ahead of the next Holyrood election. 13:12”
“I enjoyed reading about the impact that the scheme has had on the lives of young people across the country, and I agree that we should look to extend the scheme up to the age of 26 and that, ideally, it should not be limited to buses. The policy originated from the Scottish Young Greens, whose members lodged a motion to our party conference asking our members of the Scottish Parliament to make progress on delivering it. I was pleased that, in 2020, we were able to agree with Kate Forbes that, as part of her first budget, free bus travel for under-19s would be delivered. At the time, I was able to discuss with her the findings of the Callander Youth Project report, which highlighted the isolation and the lack of opportunity that results from young people having to spend so much of their income on unreliable rural buses.”
“I would point out to Sue Webber that they do not have free bus travel for under-22s in England. We need to take a joined-up approach to this. Earlier this week, I spoke of the Green Party’s ambition to abolish first-class tickets on ScotRail. Today’s debate underlines why we need such a measure. We all deserve to have reliable, cheap and safe services. People do not want to be squeezed like sardines on to a busy commuter train while 98 per cent of first-class tickets go unsold. I appreciated the acknowledgement in the SYP manifesto of the success of the under-22s free bus travel scheme that my party pushed so hard for.”
“I commend that work, but I have also been told by constituents with physical disabilities about how, at times, they feel let down that ScotRail has not been there for them, and how vulnerable that makes them feel when they are on a platform. When we think about the people who are most dependent on public transport, we think most often about the vulnerable, who might also be young and, in some cases, disabled. That is why having staff available when they are needed is critical. It is important to empower people to feel safe and welcomed on our whole public transportation network. I am also aware that we are now seeing innovation across the United Kingdom. A number of English councils are trialling transport safety officers on buses, for example, because there has been a rise in antisocial behaviour on buses in England.”
“We need to take on board the challenge of making public transport fit for purpose for all. That does not just mean able- bodied people in the central belt, so we must invest in transport that provides opportunities for young rural people to have equity of access to work, education and socialising. Disabled young people across the country need services on which they can rely, with joined-up timetabling and ticketing. When I visited the ScotRail customer service centre recently, I heard about the excellent work that it does using platform information to ensure that people are not left isolated at stations.”
“I join others in thanking Sarah Boyack for her motion and the Scottish Youth Parliament for its excellent manifesto. I was struck by the amount of work that has gone into the manifesto, so I commend the MSYPs who have been involved and the staff and volunteers who have helped them with it. The process of producing my party’s manifesto for next year’s Holyrood election is under way, and I am looking forward to discussing with MSYPs how their asks can be delivered in the next session of the Scottish Parliament. I give a special mention to Islay Jackson MSYP, who has been a regular contributor to the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party group on sustainable transport. Two areas are covered in the transport section of the manifesto: accessible and reliable public transport; and the need to maintain and expand free travel for young people.”
“Sue Webber: Right now, there is a great opportunity to allow our young people and their voices to influence our transport for the future, and I am delighted that the debate has taken place this afternoon. I again thank Sarah Boyack for the opportunity to speak on this important issue. 13:05”
“Will the member take an intervention? Sue Webber: With due respect, Mr Ruskell, I have only 30 seconds left and I have tons to say. I have no doubt that the removal of the free bus pass for under-22s would make a difference. Therefore, I would like the pass to be taken away from those who are responsible for significant antisocial behaviour. I hope that the minister will provide an update on where we are with that. The First Minister has said that work is under way to develop a system that would strip under-22s of their entitlement following repeated bad behaviour, and I look forward to that being implemented. First—I was going to call you First Minister, Presiding Officer. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Do not do that.”
“Those regulations will come to the Parliament and there will be a chance to scrutinise and consult on them. The consultation by the Scottish Government is already taking place, but the Parliament will also have that opportunity. I once again ask members of the Parliament to support the motion. The Presiding Officer: That concludes the debate on the motion on legislative consent for the Bus Services (No 2) Bill, which is UK legislation. Business Motion 17:26”
“I particularly thank Simon Lightwood, the UK minister, who has been very helpful in that co- operation. It is a good example of co-operation when we want to do something collectively with the UK Government. I would like to see more of that rather than less, which would be for the benefit of all. Douglas Lumsden: Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention? Fiona Hyslop: I really have to finish. We are encouraged that the UK Government has taken action to legislate on this method. The amendment reinforces the Scottish Government’s climate change ambitions by setting out that timeline and restricting the use of new non-zero- emission buses from a date—I emphasise—no earlier than 2030. The amendment provides the framework for the prohibition of those buses, and the detail of implementation will be delivered through regulations.”
“On that point, at the bus manufacturing panel that I attended, I spoke with the UK Government about the Procurement Act 2023, which reflects a lot of the principles that we implemented in 2016 and other measures that we have taken. On the investment that we have put in, we have put £150 million of capital into zero-emission buses. That intervention is to provide certainty and confidence in future demand, and ensure that all areas of Scotland are included so that that transition can take place. I say to Douglas Lumsden that this has been done in co-operation with the UK Government. We saw the opportunity. At one point, the UK bill process would have finished earlier, but our recesses are different from the UK Government’s recesses, so it has taken a bit of co-ordination.”
“The Confederation of Passenger Transport has been generally supportive of similar proposals in England, stating in its Commons stage briefing on the bill that the industry supports the transition away from fossil fuel and continues to make progress in that regard. Of course, the progress that we are making in Scotland is in advance of that in the rest of the UK, with 14 per cent of our public service buses in Scotland being zero- emission vehicles, compared with a Great Britain average of 8.1 per cent. However, there is more to be done, and I have spoken with local authorities about their positions. I would point out to Paul Sweeney a very important distinction: the Scottish Government is not a procurer of buses. We do not order buses. It is the operators who order buses, and we provide support to them.”
“We could have delayed the process and waited until the new parliamentary session, but that would have taken time, and there is a requirement now to provide confidence to bus manufacturers on our policy direction and to give them reassurance with regard to when the procurement of fossil fuel buses will end. The bill says that that will happen no earlier than 2030. Mark Ruskell makes a point about whether it should be before that, but I think that that provision allows us time to make the preparations. Importantly, regulations will come before Parliament through the affirmative procedure, and that will allow the necessary scrutiny that everybody wants.”
“I hope that the Conveners Group can discuss this recurring issue of expedited LCMs, and that the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee can continue to reflect on the continued unravelling of parliamentary protocol in this Parliament. 17:22 Fiona Hyslop: I thank members across the chamber for their contributions to the debate and, indeed, their forbearance. On the issue of good governance, I have been in this Parliament since 1999 and I served as deputy convener of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, and anyone who knows me will know that I take our processes very seriously indeed. I am engaging in the process around this expedited LCM only because I feel that it is important to do so at this time.”
“That is all fine, and I agree with many of the comments about bus policy that were just made by Paul Sweeney. However, I cannot genuinely reflect in this debate on the views of Scottish bus operators and manufacturers about the provision, and I cannot say in this debate whether 2030 is too late or too soon. The reason why I cannot do that is that there has been zero scrutiny by a committee. I also cannot reflect on whether there were other opportunities through this UK bill to, for example, expedite the simplification of the bus franchising process in Scotland or any other related issues—again, because there has been no scrutiny. The Scottish Greens will be voting for this LCM, but I have to say that patience is wearing very thin.”
“I want to make a couple of brief comments in relation to the LCM. At the outset, it is deeply disappointing that the LCM has come to the chamber without any proper scrutiny at all. It appears that these expedited LCMs are becoming part of routine practice. Every time that this happens, it undermines the Parliament while strengthening the executive power of the Scottish Government and the Westminster Government. From what I understand, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill wants to simplify the bus franchising process in England; his bill now includes a provision to end the procurement of fossil fuel buses no earlier than 2030; he wishes to extend this power to Scottish ministers; and the Scottish Government has worked with the UK Government on an amendment to achieve that.”
“Perverse incentives to scrap new electric trains while running older diesel fleets into the ground have been created across the UK. All the while, money is leaking out of the system to foreign owners, while we worry about whether the Scottish Government can justify the relatively small sums to help ScotRail to scrap peak rail fares. We should be proud of ScotRail, but we should also be listening to passengers, communities and unions about their vision for the next 20 years: a people’s railway for everyone. 15:44”
“Around a quarter of the cost of every rail ticket goes to servicing rolling stock companies that pay dividends to private shareholders. By issuing Government bonds tied to the investment of proceeds back into rail services, Governments could create a virtuous cycle of investment and reinvestment in a public rail service that we all value and want to grow and develop. ASLEF believes that moving to a public financing model could make 40 per cent savings on rolling stock costs. That is the approach that most of the rest of the world uses to procure new trains. It is clear that the privatised model has been disastrous. Levels of investment have been far lower than expected, and additional private financial initiatives have been needed to top up investment.”
“I have been pleased to support four rail campaigns in Fife over the years. One of those—Levenmouth—has now been built; Newburgh is, I hope, on the cusp of a positive decision; and the St Andrews and Dunfermline to Alloa project is waiting for the right moment to progress. Across Scotland, from the north-east to the Borders, communities are developing business cases for new stations. They are building the vision of Scotland’s railways from the bottom up, and they need our support. Listening to the workers who run our railways is just as important as listening to the communities that they serve. The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen’s most recent report into the financing of rolling stock reminds us that the job of nationalisation and delivery of a people’s railway is not yet complete.”
“For example, in Newburgh, where I was very pleased to join the cabinet secretary on a recent cross-party visit, which I helped the community to host, people have for decades seen train after train go past on the way to Perth and Edinburgh. Children at the local school who dreamed of the railway coming back have now grown up. However, the town is set for major housing growth and the community has its sights set on exciting new opportunities, including the use of the railway and the River Tay together for new ecotourism business. There is a slot in the current railway timetable for a Newburgh rail halt with a low-cost modular station, and that outlay could be recouped easily through increased passenger numbers. However, Newburgh is not alone, and the demand for more stations is growing.”
“Perhaps, as I have done in the past, the member would encourage people to use those empty seats. Mark Ruskell: I am very much aware of that, because I regularly sit in such seats when I travel from Stirling. However, the reality is that, on some of the busiest routes, we still have a nonsensical first class. It is time to look at that again. An affordable, quality rail service is of use only if people have a station at which to board the train. Many stations that were abandoned in the Beeching era are gone and are not coming back; however, there are still other places within the reach of Scotland’s rail network that would benefit from being reconnected.”
“Anyone who has got on a busy commuter train from Glasgow to Edinburgh during the festivals in August knows that that can be particularly uncomfortable in the heat and can lead to people feeling unwell. Rail companies across the UK are reducing their first- class services, and it is time for ScotRail to do the same. If we are to have a rail renaissance in Scotland, we need low-cost, reliable and accessible rail. Fiona Hyslop: Is the member aware that ScotRail has already declassified its first-class carriages on most commuter routes? For example, services between Dunblane and Edinburgh Waverley, Alloa and Glasgow Queen Street, and Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central via Shotts, and in Fife and the Borders, all operate with trains that have first-class seats but no first- class fares, meaning that any customer is free to sit there.”
“They do not want complex, overpriced ticketing whereby they have to sprint to the ticket barriers to get the last off-peak train. The days of making rail exclusive and only for the few are coming to an end, but we need to go further. Research from the Scottish Greens shows that the vast majority of ScotRail’s first-class capacity goes unused. Last year, 98 per cent of first-class tickets were unsold. Our railways should be for all of us. Every journey on a ScotRail service should be a first- class experience. It should not be determined by our ability to pay extra. We have all been in the situation of struggling to find seats or being forced to stand in cramped carriages while the first-class carriage is almost completely empty.”
“I thank the Scottish Government for giving us the opportunity to acknowledge the progress that has been made in the devolution era to restore our railways and to run them in the public interest. It is a timely debate, coming just one week after peak fares were finally scrapped for good. The debate is also an opportunity to look forward to the kind of railway that everybody in Scotland wants and can feel proud of: one that is genuinely affordable, safe and accessible, low carbon and pollution free; that provides a reliable service that is welcoming and comfortable; and that reaches many of the communities that were abandoned after the Beeching cuts and need to be connected once again. There is much to be said about our railways, but I will start where we left off last week. The scrapping of peak fares is what people want.”