We held the third event in our ‘Moving the Vote: Transport Conversations with the parties’ series on Friday 26 March, a recording of which can be found here. We were excited to welcome Sarah Boyack MSP, Scottish Labour’s Spokesperson on Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, alongside Alastair Dalton, Transport Correspondent for The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday, as chair.
For details of the other events in this series please visit our ‘Moving the Vote’ webpage.
The event began with introductions from Transform’s Policy Officer, Marie Ferdelman, and Alastair Dalton. Following this, Sarah gave a short outline of her party’s vision for sustainable transport. Noting:
- the key role transport will play in the economic, social and health (both physical and mental) recovery of Scotland as lockdown restrictions ease
- the importance of “locking-in positive behavioural change” by encouraging people back onto public transport in the coming months
During the Q&A, concerns were raised by members of the audience regarding the boldness of Labour’s plans.
The event was live-tweeted from the Transform Scotland account and can be summarised by the tweets below:
Our policy officer Marie Ferdelman has opened our #MovingTheVote event.@AlastairDalton welcomes @SarahBoyackMSP of @ScottishLabour.
He notes that she was the first @scotgov transport minister, from 1999 to 2001, but only one of two women to hold the post.
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
.@AlastairDalton welcomes our panel:
* Julianne Robertson @_julesrobertson of @XploreDundee
* Suzanne Forup: @backonmybike of @CyclingUKScot
* And @TransformScot policy forum members Paul Tetlaw: @Paultetlaw and Roger Humphrey: @RojH123#MovingTheVote
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
.@SarahBoyackMSP sets out negative trends:
* bus use down
* car use up
* transport spend skewed to high-carbon
* bus priority funds promised by @scotgov, but not yet being spent.— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
.@SarahBoyackMSP sets out @ScottishLabour transport vision, including:
* making people feel safe in travelling on buses & trains
* making public transport affordable
* investing in communities#MovingTheVote
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
First question from @ianmccall49 of @PathsforAll about locking in walking & cycling after the pandemic.@backonmybike follows up, asking what should % of spending should be on #ActivetTravel@SarahBoyackMSP says we'll have to wait for @ScottishLabour manifesto.#MovingTheVote
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
Next question asks why @ScottishLabour has opposed #WorkplaceParkingLevy when @SarahBoyackMSP had herself introduced WPL legislation to the @ScotParl 20 yrs ago.
Sarah says that some of her colleagues have concerns about public transport being in place first.#MovingTheVote
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
.@RojH123 says we must be bold with things like #WorkplaceParkingLevy: the statistics that Sarah set out at the start show that we need to take action now.
Sarah says that there is support from within @ScottishLabour in Edinburgh for WPL, if not elsewhere.#MovingTheVote
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
.@SarahBoyackMSP says affordability of public transport is a major challenge.@_julesrobertson says that bus fares are rising at half the rate of bus industry costs.
Says we need demand management as well as cheaper fares.#MovingTheVote
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
Picking up on @SarahBoyackMSP
comments about @scotgov skew in capex, @Paultetlaw asks about disparity between £3bn being spent on #A9dualling against modest investment in #HighlandMainLine.Sarah says we need proper review of railways in next @ScotParl.#MovingTheVote
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
Question now about Regional Transport Partnerships.@SarahBoyackMSP speaks about bus franchising powers.@_julesrobertson questions whether this is the most important response in turning around trends in bus patronage.#MovingTheVote
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
Question now about Regional Transport Partnerships.@SarahBoyackMSP speaks about bus franchising powers.@_julesrobertson questions whether this is the most important response in turning around trends in bus patronage.#MovingTheVote
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
Question on road maintenance from Ross Martin.@SarahBoyackMSP says that this should be higher priority than building new roads, but Local Authorities often don't have the funds locally to maintain roads & pavements.#MovingTheVote
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
.@backonmybike speaks about low traffic neighbourhoods.@SarahBoyackMSP talks about future of town centres, including repopulating them. 20-minute nieghbourhoods, walking & cycling, local services, free bus travel.#MovingTheVote
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
Wide ranging discussion with @TransformScot and @ScottishLabour Lothians @SarahBoyackMSP – definitely time for some bold transport policy decisions post #COVID19
— Ann Henderson (@AnnDHenderson) March 26, 2021
.@AlastairDalton wrapping up now. Thanks @SarahBoyackMSP for her contribution today.@TransformScot's Marie Ferdelman says that there is clearly an appetite for bolder action. And looks forward to seeing the contents of the @ScottishLabour manifesto.#MovingTheVote pic.twitter.com/WSXQLPzZU0
— Transform Scotland (@TransformScot) March 26, 2021
Great to join the discussion today, thanks for all the questions from those involved. https://t.co/rZchfioVq3
— Sarah Boyack MSP (@SarahBoyack) March 26, 2021
Our thanks again to Sarah Boyack for joining us for the event and to Alastair Dalton for chairing.
