Dave Thompson MSP

I recently received a letter from Michael Taylor of Transport Scotland outlining Scottish Government plans to spend £100 million on the Caledonian Sleeper. This was in response to accusations that the Scottish Government were not going to spend the full amount on the route.

I am glad that Transport Scotland has dispelled the myths that the Scottish Government were not going to use the full sum to improve the Caledonian Sleeper.

In the letter, Transport Scotland confirms that the full figure of £100 million will be spent on improvements to the rolling stock, station facilities and track infrastructure. The current estimate is that around 50% of this figure will be used to improve the rolling stock, although this figure is not set in stone. The letter also states that the Scottish Government remains open to proposals to spend more provided they can demonstrate value for money and deliver an improved service.

The decision on the precise allocation of the funding will be taken to ensure the best possible service, and the competitive refranchising process for a dedicated sleeper franchise will help secure best value from the substantial investment being made.

While the precise timetable will not be available until the refranchising process is complete, the Scottish Government will expect the improvement of the sleeper vehicles to take place as soon as possible and certainly within the first three years of the next sleeper franchise.

As a frequent commuter by train, it is clear that any significant investment must not only improve rolling stock, but also ensure that the infrastructure and station facilities are improved in parallel. For the sleeper service, station facilities such as toilets and showers are particularly important, and it is great to see that this substantial investment will be used to improve all aspects of the sleeper service.

After five years of campaigning to improve safety at level crossings, it was a great privilege to be asked to mark the opening of the new safety barriers at the Corpach level crossing on the 12th February. I am delighted that the first installation has been completed on schedule, and I look forward to welcoming safety barriers at all open level crossings throughout the Highlands. The new crossing is the first of the “Stubby” safety barriers to be installed following the successful trial at Ardrossan between the 29th April and the 31st July 2012.

Besides Corpach, there will be safety barriers installed at three locations on the far north line around Golspie and Brora, while the programme to install safety barriers at all open level crossing’s in the UK will be completed by 2014.

The new safety barriers will ensure that the likelihood of accidents at our level crossings is significantly reduced. I congratulate Network Rail on the first installation, and look forward to seeing the barriers in operation soon.

There has been a lot of spin following the publication of the UK Government’s dossier on the legal position of an independent Scotland. I was pleased to see that in an interview on Radio 4’s Today following the publication of the dossier, one of the authors, eminent Professor James Crawford of Cambridge University, readily accepted that the 18 month period following the Referendum set out by the Scottish Government for the negotiation of Scotland’s independence is perfectly realistic.

The Professor also said that negotiations for Scotland to continue its membership of the EU would not necessarily be difficult, and that Scottish admittance to the United Nations would be straightforward. He concluded that the legal position of Scotland and the rest of the UK would depend on what arrangements the two governments made between themselves before and after the referendum.

I hope that following this clarification, the UK Government will engage constructively with Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government in order to ensure that in 2014 the people of Scotland have all the information they need to make an informed decision.