Abolition of Bridge Tolls (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Speech by Alison McInnes delivered to The Scottish Parliament on Sat 17th Nov 2007

As we have heard, the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee report recommends that Parliament agree to the general principles of the bill, but it also makes several important recommendations. The report attacks the SNP's simplistic approach and advises that the bill's environmental impacts must be dealt with. The Liberal Democrats support the sensible removal of tolls as part of an overall plan, with careful consideration of the cost, the impact on demand management, the environmental issues and congestion. However, that is not what the SNP is doing.

So far, from evidence given to the committee and from the minister's written response to the committee this week, the indication is that the Government intends to pay no heed to the issues that the committee raised. The minister has insisted that the bill is purely a financial arrangement, and he commented to the committee that he was pursuing "the simplest method of removing the bridge tolls".-[Official Report, Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee, 2 October 2007; c 179.]

However, the simplest and quickest solution is not necessarily the best one...

Perhaps it is because the SNP has been in opposition for so long that it does not understand that a Government carries responsibility for its decisions. The soundbite policies of which the SNP is so fond do not work in government-they just come back and bite the party. The SNP likes to blame others-problems are always someone else's fault, be it Westminster or the previous Administration-but the present problem is down to the SNP. If the SNP breenges ahead with the proposals without ensuring that compensating measures are put in place, the problems that arise will be of its own making.

I note Patrick Harvie's opposition to the committee's recommendation, but that will not hold much water if the Greens vote through the SNP budget. The Greens should think carefully about propping up a Government whose first bill will increase emissions and congestion and threaten existing successful public transport schemes.

The minister's written response to the committee's stage 1 report outlines his thinking. In response to recommendations 3a and 3b, on the environmental impact of the proposals, he writes:

"I note the Committee's recommendation and their concerns. The impacts that concern the Committee are all driven by changes in traffic volumes. The Government will continue to monitor traffic levels".

Monitoring the problem will not solve it. We have the evidence from the toll impact study and we know that changes in traffic volumes will occur, so why the prevarication? Why does the SNP not just get on and do it?

In response to the committee's recommendation 3c, which was that the minister should outline the steps that the Government will take to decrease emissions throughout Scotland, given the additional load that the bill will add, the minister stated:

"I note the Committee's recommendation but it is considered to be outwith the scope of this Bill."

The Government must take seriously the implications of the policy decision and introduce measures to mitigate the effects.

I turn to the evidence from Dundee City Council, the Confederation of Passenger Transport and the City of Edinburgh Council. Dundee City Council led evidence that the removal of tolls would have

"an immediate positive impact on congestion and air quality in Dundee's city centre."

I agree with the council on that, but there is an opportunity to provide a sustainable transport option through the provision of a park-and-ride facility at the southern access to the Tay bridge. I call on the Government to have enough foresight to make progress on that...

The Confederation of Passenger Transport argued against the removal of tolls as a retrograde step, but it made a plea for bus priority measures on the bridge's access roads if the bill proceeds. The CPT cited the success of the Ferrytoll park and ride, but expressed concerns about the threat that it might face due to increased congestion:

"Stagecoach buses ... shift 21,000 single-occupancy car journeys off the Forth road bridge every week ... Ferrytoll park and ride has had a 24 per cent increase year on year. For the service from Fife to Edinburgh airport, there was a 49 per cent increase in passengers last year. Where we provide a good service on quality vehicles, we will get the extra patronage. What will stop that investment is if we cannot keep those vehicles moving freely."-[Official Report, Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee, 25 September 2007; c 128-131.]

City of Edinburgh Council representatives gave evidence that the park and ride had been a huge success. However, they stated:

"We fear that changes will impact on public transport use by making it less attractive. If public transport has to experience the same congestion as general car traffic, people might stop using it. If it appears to be more expensive, more people will stop using it ... it will be affected by the change in the relative costs."-[Official Report, Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee, 18 September 2007; c 94.]

I know that bus priority measures have been discussed by the south east of Scotland transport partnership (SEStrans) and FETA, but there is as yet no certainty on the matter. The Government must agree that such measures will be funded and ensure that they are delivered at the same time as the changes to the traffic management schemes on the bridges. When I put those matters to the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change at the committee, I could not get a straight answer. I pressed him three times on whether bus priority measures would be part of the plaza redesign, but he wriggled around and passed the buck. He did so again today in his opening speech by saying that such matters are for the bridge board. It is irresponsible of him to wash his hands of such matters for something of this scale.

Removing the tolls will be cold comfort to the people of Fife and to transport hauliers throughout the country if the result is greater congestion, longer peak periods and more pollution. I urge the Government to pay heed to the committee's recommendations and to bring forward proper plans to deal with the impact of the removal of tolls.