Today saw the first meeting of the proposed Scottish Parliament Cross-Party Group on Sustainable Transport. Following today’s meeting, a formal proposal will be made to the Scottish Parliament to establish the group.
It was agreed that the purpose of the group is ‘To raise the profile of sustainable transport, with a particular focus on cross-modal issues, within the Scottish Parliament, and to promote policies and priorities relating to sustainable transport.’
Graham Simpson MSP (Conservatives) was elected as Convenor of the new Group, with each of the other parliamentary party groups having one of their MSPs elected as Deputy Convenors: John Mason MSP (SNP), Sarah Boyack MSP (Labour) and Mark Ruskell MSP (Greens).
Delighted to be elected as convenor of the new Cross Party Group on sustainable transport. We’ve agreed a work programme, which will produce results. pic.twitter.com/FoktK9Ov1h
— Graham Simpson (@GrahamSMSP) November 25, 2021
The first focus on the Group will be a consideration of the Scottish Government’s 20% road traffic reduction target, as introduced in its Climate Change Plan update of December 2020. A series of evidence sessions will be held in the first half of 2022, with a report to be published following this summarising the evidence received and setting out a series of recommendations. The programme of events will be established in the coming weeks.
The new CPG follows on from the CPGs on Rail and on Cycling, Walking & Buses that operated during Session 5 of the Parliament. Transform Scotland had provided secretariat function to the CPG CWB in the last Session, and was agreed at today’s meeting as the secretariat organisation for the new CPG.
An initial membership of the Group (six MSPs and 27 organisations) was agreed:
- Graham Simpson MSP
- John Mason MSP
- Sarah Boyack MSP
- Mark Ruskell MSP
- Liam Kerr MSP
- Brian Whittle MSP
- Allan Rail
- CalMac
- Capital Rail Action Group
- CPT Scotland
- Cycling Scotland
- Cycling UK in Scotland
- Cycle Law Scotland
- Edinburgh Bus Action Group
- Friends of the Far North Line
- GoBike
- Grand Union Trains
- Hitrans
- Levenmouth Rail Campaign
- Light Rail Transit Association
- LNER
- Midlothian Disability Access Panel
- Network Rail Scotland
- Paths for All
- Pedal on Parliament
- Rail Action Group, East of Scotland
- Railfuture
- Ramblers Scotland
- Scottish Association for Public Transport
- Spokes
- Stagecoach
- Transform Scotland
- Women’s Cycle Forum Scotland
Other organisations and individuals are welcome to contact Transform Scotland to register their interest in attending future meetings and/or becoming members of the CPG.
