Smith receives assurance over Forth crossing
report
3/11/06
During a recent Question Time in the Scottish Parliament, Margaret Smith, the MSP for Edinburgh West, raised concerns with the Minister for Transport, Tavish Scott, regarding the Executive’s investigations into the need for a further Forth crossing.
Margaret spoke of the “frustration and concern on both sides of the Forth that we should make progress as soon as possible” and asked whether or not the Executive’s report would contain “practical work to address the engineering issues – whether for a bridge, a tunnel or whatever.” Margaret Smith stressed the need for “hard practical planning” rather than just a general report. The Minister replied that the report would contain detail on the options for a crossing, covering type, form and location and “will include the kind of detail Margaret Smith is looking for.”
Margaret said:
“I welcome the fact that the Transport Minister,
as part of the
Strategic Transport Projects Review, has fast tracked preparatory work
on the need for a new Forth crossing and that there will be 5 reports
published into this matter prior to a decision being taken next Summer
as part of the Spending Review 2007. I agree that Ministers must have
a
full analysis and full facts before they make what will be a very
important, and potentially, a very expensive decision. I was keen to
make sure that while the need for a further crossing was being evaluated
important practical, preparatory work was also being carried out, in
a
twin track approach.”
Note: Margaret had a Parliamentary Question due for answer but since it was unlikely to be reached, the Presiding Officer called her for a supplementary to Helen Eadie's Question.
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