Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Abellio ScotRail franchise agreement, currently in place (which has been temporarily varied by Emergency Measures Agreements), will be replaced by a Grant Agreement which will take effect from 1 April 2022, when ScotRail Trains Limited will take over the operation of ScotRail passenger services in Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04763 on 14 December 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04763 on 14 December 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

The opening hours for each ticket office are agreed and regulated under Schedule 17 of the Ticket Settlement Agreement. Any major proposed changes to ticket office opening hours require a public consultation of up to 21 days.

The opening hours of ticket offices is a matter for ScotRail, as the franchisee, to determine based on its best analysis of passenger usage and demand.

There have been no major changes to the opening hours of ScotRail ticket offices since 1991.

Over 6,000 affordable homes were delivered in rural and island areas across Scotland during the last parliamentary term. Our Programme for Government commits to delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 of which at least 70% will be available for social rent and 10% will be in our remote, rural and island communities.

As part of our Affordable Housing Supply Programme, communities will also be supported by the continuation of the demand led Rural and Islands Housing Fund backed by up to £30 million of investment in this parliamentary period. The fund has been described in a Scottish Land Commission report as ‘game changers’ for community-led housing development and were developed in collaboration with community housing trusts.

We have also committed to developing a Remote, Rural and Island Housing Action Plan and will engage with a wide range of stakeholders on its development to ensure it delivers for remote, rural and island communities.

Our Fair Fares Review is part of a broader package of work being taken forward by Transport Scotland to ensure that there is a viable and sustainable transport system for the future. Immediate priorities for this work include ensuring that our transport system is aligned with the prevailing Covid-19 conditions, providing up to date guidance and communications support to passengers and operators, and securing a safe and confident return to public transport at the right time as we recover from the pandemic.

The Fair Fares Review, which is currently in its planning stages, is being undertaken to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares in the future. The review will look at the range of discounts and concessionary schemes which are available on all modes including bus, rail and ferry. It will take cognisance of the cost and availability of services, and will consider options against a background where the costs of car travel are declining and public transport costs are increasing.

Given the present state of the pandemic, Transport Scotland is currently considering how stakeholders can most effectively engage with the review and further details on this and on the timescale for the review will be provided to Parliament in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04763 on 14 December 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

The Scottish Government has a well-established transparent engagement with rail trade unions and this will be maintained when ScotRail Trains Limited will take over the operation of ScotRail passenger services in Scotland from 1 April 2022.