7. Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP): o ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in transport infrastructure in the north-east in the last decade. (S5O-03236)
The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity (Michael Matheson): In the last decade, the Scottish Government has invested in roads that benefit the north-east, including the £745 million Aberdeen western peripheral route, the Balmedie project and the Inveramsay bridge improvement. Our planned dualling of the A96 will involve approximately £3 billion of investment.
We have invested around £11 million in sustainable active travel and have allocated £7.8 million to north-east councils for cycling, walking and safer streets. We are funding the £330 million rail improvement projects between Aberdeen and Inverness and Aberdeen and the central belt, which includes a new station at Laurencekirk. The investment involved in our purchase of the four vessels that operate ferry services between Aberdeen and the northern isles and our support of a further vessel and harbour improvements totals more than £59 million. Our annual support of £200 million for buses, including the national concessionary travel scheme, brings significant benefit to the people of the north-east.
Stewart Stevenson: Wow. In any other context, that would be worthy of a round of applause.
We have heard from Aberdein Considine that there has been a substantial increase in the number of views by potential customers of houses to the south of Aberdeen in Stonehaven and to the north. Is that not a serious early indication of the 16,000 new jobs that it is predicted that the AWPR might bring to us and the other benefits from that massive investment that has just been described?
Michael Matheson: All the early feedback on the AWPR has been overwhelmingly positive. In particular, there is a recognition that it is transforming journey times in the north-east, which is helping to improve and boost the north-east economy. The type of feedback that the member has just referred to is an example of the economic benefits that are starting to be realised. The AWPR is a demonstration of the Scottish Government’s determination to ensure that Scotland has a strong and robust economy, including in the north-east. We will continue to invest in major infrastructure projects, not just in the north-east but across the country, to support our communities and the Scottish economy.
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About Stewart Stevenson
Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - Bell Baxter - and studied Mathematics at the University of Aberdeen, graduating with a modest degree in 1969. That's also the year Sandra & I married. Her family comes from the North East.Thirty years later I retired from Bank of Scotland as Director of Technology Innovation and was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2001 as member for Banff & Buchan having first joined the SNP in 1961.
I then represented the new constituency of Banffshire & Buchan Coast Constituency in our Parliament. I retired as an MSP on 5th May 2021
I was also previously (2007-2010), Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change and (2011-2012), Minister for Environment and Climate Change.
I hold the honorary posts of President of the Scottish Association for Public Transport
and Vice-President of Railfuture UK.I am a Fellow of The Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, a Member at The Institution of Engineering and Technology, a Professional Member of the Association for Computing Machinery, a Member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists and an Associate Member of the Highland Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Association.
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