Cross Party Group
Transform Scotland provides the secretariat for the Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on Sustainable Transport.
About the group
In November 2021 the Cross-Party Group on Sustainable Transport held their first meeting.
The purpose of this 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) is the Convenor of the Group, and the three Deputy Convenors are: John Mason MSP (SNP), Sarah Boyack MSP (Labour) and Mark Ruskell MSP (Greens).
This CPG follows on from the CPGs on Rail and on Cycling, Walking & Buses that operated during Session 5 of the Parliament.
Transform Scotland provides the Secretariat for the CPG.
Membership
The Group’s membership consists of six MSPs and 50 organisations:
- Graham Simpson MSP
- John Mason MSP
- Sarah Boyack MSP
- Mark Ruskell MSP
- Liam Kerr MSP
- Brian Whittle MSP
- Age Scotland
- Allan Rail
- CalMac
- Capital Rail Action Group
- CoMoUK
- Community Rail Network
- Community Transport Association (CTA)
- CPT Scotland
- Cycle Law Scotland
- Cycling Scotland
- Cycling UK in Scotland
- Disability Equality Scotland
- Edinburgh Bus Users Group
- Enterprise Holdings
- Friends of the Earth Scotland
- Friends of the Far North Line
- GoBike
- Grand Union Trains
- Heritage Railway Association
- Hitrans
- Intelligent Health
- Levenmouth Rail Campaign
- Light Rail Transit Association
- Light Rail UK Group
- LNER
- Midlothian Disability Access Panel
- Mobility & Access Committee for Scotland (MACS)
- Network Rail Scotland
- Paths for All
- Pedal on Parliament
- Rail Action Group, East of Scotland
- Railfuture
- Ramblers Scotland
- RNIB Scotland
- Siemens Mobility
- ScotRail
- Scottish Association for Public Transport
- Scottish Canals
- Scottish Rural and Islands Transport Community
- Spokes
- St Andrew’s Rail Campaign (StARLink)
- Stagecoach
- Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT)
- Sustrans Scotland
- Transport Focus
- Transport Research Institute (Napier)
- Transform Scotland
- Tweed Valley Railway Campaign
- Patrick Miner (individual)
- 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.
Current work: Decarbonising public transport
We’re raising awareness and stimulating debate about the opportunities and challenges of transitioning to zero-carbon railways, bus fleets and ferries as part of an inquiry into the decarbonisation of Scotland’s public transport.
The group met for three evidence sessions on rail, bus and ferry decarbonisation in spring 2023 and launched a call for evidence, inviting responses on barriers to decarbonisation, priorities for the decarbonisation project, and implications for the economy.
Transform has prepared the inquiry report ‘Fossil-Free Future’ on behalf of the group, which compiles evidence from key industry experts to provide the Government with a set of recommendations and next steps needed to remove public transport’s reliance on fossil fuels.
The report highlighted that, in addition to improving air pollution and public health, decarbonising Scotland’s public transport fleets will allow Scotland to capitalise on its wealth of renewables and establish local climate-friendly fuel supply chains.
The Group recommends that the Scottish Government brings forward its ‘Green Industrial Strategy’ (promised in 2021 but still to be published) with a key focus on decarbonising public transport in order to end fossil fuel dependency.
Read more about the key findings in the report below:
The report sets out a set of recommendations that the Scottish Government should consider in light of its legally binding target to be net-zero by 2045:
Incentivise the purchase of zero-emission buses by introducing an enhanced Network Support Grant (NSG) rate for their use.
Put in place a rolling programme of rail electrification as part of a refresh of Transport
Scotland’s Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan.
Make the presumption that, where possible, all new ferries procured should be plug-in electric.
Use the Scottish Government’s planned bond issue to finance investment in zero-carbon public transport infrastructure.
Ensure the Scottish Government’s forthcoming ‘Green Industrial Strategy’ facilitates the development of local renewable energy sources which can be used to power Scotland’s future vehicle and vessel fleets.
CPG convenor Graham Simpson MSP said:
“This report considers how we can decarbonise public transport, and we have come up with a set of recommendations for the Government that are clear and challenging. These include the need for further funding to buy zero-emission buses, prioritising electrification of the rail network so there are as few gaps as possible and, on ferries ensuring that, where possible, all new ferries should be plug-in electric. Scotland is not doing well enough to decarbonise transport, though progress is being made and we recognise that.
“Public health, air pollution and the economy stand to gain from zero-carbon public transport – but it also has a role to play in attracting new passengers to rail, bus and ferry. Concerns exist around cost barriers associated with pursuing fossil-free alternatives – however, our report warns that costs must not be passed on to users if we are to build a thriving public transport network in Scotland.”
The report will be presented to MSPs at an event in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 28th November, which will feature an address by the Scottish Government Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop MSP, and presentations from the Convenor, Transform Scotland, Alexander Dennis, CMAL and Railway Industry Association.
New Scottish Parliament report calls for government to capitalise on Scottish expertise and wealth of renewables to deliver zero-carbon public transport
28 November 2023
A new report published today (Tuesday 28 November) from the Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on Sustainable Transport calls for the Government to take urgent action to decarbonise Scotland’s public…
Parliamentary Inquiry Launch: A Fossil-Free Future For Public Transport
20 June 2023
The Cross-Party Group on Sustainable Transport have today (Tuesday 20th) launched an inquiry into the Government’s plans for cutting emissions from public transport. The Group is responding to widespread concerns…
A Fossil-Free Future: CPG Inquiry Into the Decarbonisation of Public Transport
12 May 2023
Transform policy officer Laura Hyde-White reports on the Cross-Party Group for Sustainable Transport’s latest inquiry into the decarbonisation of public transport which held its first evidence session in the Scottish…
Previous work: Traffic reduction
In 2022, the Group scrutinised the Government’s commitment to traffic reduction.
Transform published the ‘Targeting Traffic’ report on behalf of the CPG, which responds to the Scottish Government’s plan to cut road traffic levels by 20% by 2030.
Amongst other things, the report highlights the need for the cost of bus and rail travel to be cut in real terms in order to respond to the cost-of-living crisis and provide affordable alternatives to car use.
Deputy Convenor John Mason MSP (SNP) said:
“This is a fair and balanced report in my opinion. We have highlighted a range of issues which need to be addressed. But…there are no easy answers.”
Minutes archive
Click the links below to view the group’s minutes and meeting recordings:
Minutes of 20/06/23 CPG ferry decarbonisation evidence session
Minutes of 30/05/23 CPG bus decarbonisation evidence session
Minutes of 10/05/23 CPG rail decarbonisation evidence session
Minutes of 25/01/23 CPG meeting
Minutes of 24/05/22 CPG meeting
Minutes of 29/03/22 CPG meeting
Minutes of 24/02/22 CPG meeting
Minutes of 27/01/22 CPG meeting
CPG on Cycling, Walking & Buses
Prior to the creation of the Sustainable Transport CPG, the Cross-Party Group on Cycling, Walking and Buses, the last session of which Transform provided the secretariat.
The group held its final meeting on Tuesday 9 March 2021.
Archive materials can be found here.
To find out more about the group and it’s work, read the legacy report (2016-21) below:
Relevant news
New Scottish Parliament report calls for government to capitalise on Scottish expertise and wealth of renewables to deliver zero-carbon public transport
28 November 2023
A new report published today (Tuesday 28 November) from the Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on Sustainable Transport calls for the Government to take urgent action to decarbonise Scotland’s public…
Cuts to bus and rail fares needed to meet government’s traffic reduction plans
1 November 2022
Scottish Parliament cross-party group publishes new report responding to Scottish Government’s plan to cut road traffic levels by 20% by 2030 The Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group on Sustainable Transport…
New Parliamentary cross-party group established to study sustainable transport policy
25 November 2021
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…