Question S6W-27087: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, answered 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any new passing loops that are (a) completed and (b) in progress, on the Highland Main Line, as per the recommendation in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

Fiona Hyslop: Phase one of the Highland Main Line Improvement Project was delivered in December 2012, increasing services from 9 to 11 trains per day in each direction, and reducing journey times by an average of 6 minutes at a cost of £1.2 million.

Highland Main Line Improvement Project Phase Two was completed in March 2019 at a cost of £57m. This phase delivered signalling upgrades at Aviemore and Pitlochry stations, along with an extension of the passing loop at Aviemore and the reconfiguration and extension of the platforms at Pitlochry. The infrastructure work delivered already and an integrated approach to passenger and freight timetable patterns have created capacity for additional rail freight on the Highland Main Line.

There are no active enhancement projects on the Highland Main Line. However, Transport Scotland continues to revise its programme of works against priorities in the context of available funding. This ensures Transport Scotland can deliver the right projects at the right time as it seeks to progress its rolling programme of decarbonisation, whilst also delivering rail passenger and freight services that meet user expectations.

Question S6W-27646: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, answered 16 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it provides freight facilities grants for rail freight and coastal shipping terminals but not for wagons.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of modal shift to help achieve transport emission reduction targets. The Freight Facilities Grant scheme is designed to provide assistance to companies who wish to move freight by rail or water instead of by road. The scheme required State Aid clearance and under the terms of the approval rail and water haulage equipment, including rail wagons, was prohibited from support.

Question S6W-27663: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, answered 3 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the ScotRail rolling stock procurement plan is paused; whether procurement of new railway rolling stock is on track to deliver on the decarbonisation action plan, and whether diesel-powered passenger trains will be removed from the ScotRail network by 2035 as planned.

Fiona Hyslop: The ScotRail rolling stock procurement plan has not been paused.

The Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan, which was published in July 2020 is currently being refreshed which will include consideration of the timescales for removal of ScotRail diesel stock.

Question S6W-27644: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, answered 3 June 2024 [This and the subsequent question received the same answer.]

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on (a) what the outcomes were of the Lifting the Spirit trial at Elgin in 2013 and (b) whether it was operationally successful, and what it did to build on that trial.

Question S6W-27645: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, answered 3 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the trial in 2020 of bringing timber out of Caithness by rail has not been meaningfully followed up, in light of it reportedly being successful.

Fiona Hyslop: The movement of freight is a commercial matter and the Scottish Government's leadership in support for rail freight is outlined in our 2016 rail freight strategy, and put into practice with significant investment, a freight-first approach, and through our regulatory rail freight growth targets. The 2020 timber by rail trial in the Far North of Scotland proved the concept and provided lessons for the industry on the Scottish timber market, rolling stock/wagon capability and availability, operational considerations and the finances/economics of moving timber by rail. It is for the industry to lead on any follow up activities and Network Rail remains engaged with the industry through the Scotland Freight Joint Board and works with Freight Operating Companies and Freight End Users to enable modal shift to rail.

Question S6W-27900: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party, answered 6 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with (a) Transport Scotland and (b) ScotRail regarding the delivery of hourly train services between Inverness and Aberdeen, as committed to in the first Strategic Transport Projects Review in 2009 and which has not been included in the new train timetables.

Fiona Hyslop: My officials at Transport Scotland meet with ScotRail and Scottish Rail Holdings regularly to discuss various matters. ScotRail keeps its services under constant review to ensure they best meet the passenger demand.

Since the publication of the 2009 Strategic Transport Projects Review, the Scottish Government has invested £330 million in delivering journey time improvements and greater connectivity for both passenger and freight services operating on the line between Aberdeen and Inverness. These works were undertaken as part of the Aberdeen - Inverness Rail Improvement Project.

Question S6W-28823: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour, answered 15 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether funding will be made available to support ScotRail train driver recruitment, in order to phase out the reported need to depend on rest day working for the operation of a full timetable.

Fiona Hyslop: ScotRail has been recruiting more staff to minimise reliance on staff working on rest days or overtime. ScotRail now employs 250 more train drivers than it did prior to public sector ownership. In addition, 160 Train Drivers are currently being recruited, the highest number ever, and ScotRail plans to continue its recruitment for Train Drivers in the coming years.

All ScotRail staffing costs including the funding for the planned recruitment are reflected in the current Transport Scotland rail budget for the financial year 2024-2025.

Question S6W-29338: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour, answered 17 September 2024.

To ask the Scottish Government how information on the ScotRail peak fares removal pilot was targeted at (a) those on lower incomes and (b) non-rail users.

Fiona Hyslop: The purpose of ScotRail peak fares removal pilot is to encourage modal shift from car to rail, therefore any information promoted by ScotRail aimed to target people who commuted by car and encouraged them to switch to rail.

ScotRail was actively promoting rail travel and rail travel uptake during the pilot. Several advertisements with the key messages of the pilot have been promoted regularly through various channels, including social media, with an average reach of 4 million each.

Question S6W-29339: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour, answered 19 September 2024.

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to monitor changes in rail passenger activity following the end of the ScotRail peak fares removal pilot on 27 September 2024.

Fiona Hyslop: ScotRail Trains Ltd routinely monitors patronage on its services to identify trends, opportunities and to best match its resources with the passenger demand. Following the Ministerial decision to end the 12 month trial removing peak fares, the Scottish Government intends to repeat the analysis undertaken to assess the pilot, as detailed in the published report, after an appropriate period has elapsed.