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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 9 May 2025
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Displaying 2695 contributions

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Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Train and Bus Services

Meeting date: 29 April 2025

Mark Ruskell

Do you want a pilot to be introduced in an area where journey times are being speeded up through bus priority measures? Does it make sense to bring all these interventions together? I think that that was your earlier point.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Train and Bus Services

Meeting date: 29 April 2025

Mark Ruskell

Do David or Duncan have thoughts on the pilot? Do you welcome it? Do you want it in your area, or should it go somewhere else? How should the pilot be run?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Train and Bus Services

Meeting date: 29 April 2025

Mark Ruskell

Paul, what are your thoughts on flat bus fares and on anything that we can learn from England, where they have been introduced?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Train and Bus Services

Meeting date: 29 April 2025

Mark Ruskell

Duncan Cameron and David Frenz, your companies offer services in England as well as Scotland. Are there any differences between England and Scotland in terms of antisocial behaviour?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Train and Bus Services

Meeting date: 29 April 2025

Mark Ruskell

However, England does not have a concessionary travel scheme for under-22s.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Train and Bus Services

Meeting date: 29 April 2025

Mark Ruskell

I am sorry, Joanne, I do not mean to interrupt, but I go back to my very specific question, which related to concerns that the unions have. Will the changes result in fewer staff being available at stations or stations being unstaffed for longer periods? That is the issue that unions, disability groups and others are concerned about—it is the staffing at stations. I am well aware of some of the reasons for the business model changes with regard to ticket sales, but it would be great if you could address that point.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Train and Bus Services

Meeting date: 29 April 2025

Mark Ruskell

What do you think is the underlying concern from trade union groups? We have heard evidence of concerns that there could be female staff, in particular, working alone at stations, and there is obviously a background concern about antisocial behaviour and what happens if you have a more dispersed workforce at stations. How are you addressing those concerns, and how are you addressing some of the concerns from disability access groups that an automated help point does not suit everybody’s needs? Indeed, it is difficult to access—or even to find, if you have a disability such as sight loss or other issues.

It feels as if this is an unresolved issue. I have heard you making the business case on several occasions in public and private meetings that we have had, but there are still these unresolved issues and concerns. How are you taking those on and resolving them?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Train and Bus Services

Meeting date: 29 April 2025

Mark Ruskell

Okay. Thank you.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Train and Bus Services

Meeting date: 29 April 2025

Mark Ruskell

I would like to ask you about the streams of funding that are available not just for bus priority measures but for investment in what I guess you could call community bus services and facilities, particularly in rural areas. We had the bus partnership fund; it was paused, and has now gone. There is now a new bus infrastructure fund, which wraps in not just what that bus partnership fund did but the community bus fund, too. However, it is only about £10 million. Do you think that that is adequate, and how do you think that that spend should be prioritised?

Paul, you are nodding the strongest. Do you want to come in first?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Train and Bus Services

Meeting date: 29 April 2025

Mark Ruskell

Turning to Sarah Boyd, Duncan Cameron and David Frenz, I am interested to hear from the operators of particular projects. You have already talked about congestion and the need for priority infrastructure. Are there particular projects that you feel that these funds will—or will not—deliver?