29 September 2006
The Scottish Executive has performed well against most of its transport targets but should provide a fuller picture of what is being achieved for a rising, multi-billion pound investment, auditor general Bob Black has said.
In a report published on September 29, Black stated that spending on transport in Scotland next year will be more than double the figure in 2002/03 when it stood at £900m. By 2005/06 it had increased to about £1.5bn 'and is expected to rise to £2.3bn' by 2007/08, the report stated.
Black said: 'There is a huge challenge ahead in developing a transport network that balances support for economic growth against the need for a sustainable transport system that minimises impact on the environment.'
According to the report, Scottish Executive: An overview of the performance of transport in Scotland, expenditure is being increasingly targeted towards public transport.
The Executive intends that 70% of its transport budget will be spent on public transport by 2010/11.
The study found that the number of rail passenger journeys on ScotRail services had increased by 48% over the past ten years and that the use of bus services had risen by 23 million passengers since 1999/2000.
The report showed that the increases in spending from 2005/06 to 2007/08 will be: £143m for motorways and trunk roads; £60m for concessionary travel schemes; £35m each year for regional transport partnerships; £91m for public transport projects; and £60m for the maintenance of local roads.
Around £360m will also be spent in connection with the transfer of rail powers from the UK Department for Transport to Scottish ministers.
PFsep2006
