Get Scotland Moving

Scotland’s transport network has deteriorated under the SNP.

Our roads are crumbling. Long-promised dualling projects have been delayed for years. Ferries are late and over budget. Bus routes are being cut. Rail services are unreliable and too expensive.

Hardworking Scots pay the highest taxes in the UK. They deserve a transport system that works.

The Scottish Conservatives would restore competence, reliability and value for money to Scotland’s transport network.

Our plan to get Scotland moving👇

Roads

Fix Scotland’s potholes, through a National Pothole Action Fund, fair funding for local councils, and encouraging the use of kerb-to-kerb resurfacing. We would encourage modern pothole repair systems rather than botched patching and procure state-of-the-art pothole filling equipment that could be rented to local authorities at a discounted rate.

Accelerate the dualling of key roads. We would pass emergency laws to fast track the dualling of roads such as the A9, A96, A1, A75 and the A77. The law would establish a bespoke procurement process that addresses industry concerns about the balance of risk in previous procurement contracts and overrides any legislative hurdles that are currently holding up these projects.

Making space for drivers and pedestrians, by directing councils to ensure that new cycle paths are clearly segregated from existing roads and pavements, and do not encroach on existing road space. We would also introduce a law to compel local authorities to remove all the temporary active travel infrastructure installed using emergency Covid legislation, and prevent local authorities from installing floating bus stops.

Standing Up for Motorists

We would end Labour and the SNP’s war on motorists. We will oppose any attempt by local authorities to hit motorists with boundary charges, congestion charges or tolls on key pieces of infrastructure like the Clyde Tunnel. We also reject the UK Labour Government’s planned imposition of a pay-per-mile tax for EV and hybrid vehicles. In addition, we would drop any targets aiming to reduce car use.

Ban any future Low Emission Zones (LEZs) and review the effectiveness of the current LEZs. This would give local authorities the power to end their LEZs if they wish. We would also reconsider the punitive fines that motorists currently face, to ensure that they are not unduly punished for owning an old car.

Buses, Ferries and Rail

Remove free bus passes for passengers who commit anti-social behaviour. The SNP’s plan to remove free bus travel from passengers who commit anti-social behaviour is soft-touch, full of loopholes, and does not guarantee that criminals will have their bus passes removed. We would mandate that any passenger who commits criminal or anti-social behaviour would automatically have their pass stripped from them.

Create a new Rural and Small Towns Bus Fund so that routes in more remote communities can be supported if they are under threat. Many bus routes in remote and less well-connected communities across Scotland are facing cancellation, as they are not considered economically viable. By establishing a new Rural and Small Towns Bus Fund, local councils could apply for financial support to keep routes operating.

Merge CalMac and CMAL into one organisation to ensure value for money for taxpayers, and a more streamlined ferry service. We would also implement a ferry procurement strategy to ensure that the equivalent of 1.5 ferries are procured per year and the average age of the merged CalMac and CMAL fleet is kept at 14 years.

Improve Ferguson Marine so that we can end taxpayer subsidies for the yard. We would ensure the shipyard can compete for international orders and end its reliance on the Scottish Government.

Enhance connections speeds on the East Coast railway line, by pushing for the full electrification of the railway line between Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

Support the scrapping of peak rail fares and deliver an improved railway, by opening closed Beeching line stations where there is an economic case to do so and advocating for the electrification and extension of the Borders Railway to Carlisle.

Privatise the Caledonian Sleeper, as it is a luxury service that is not used by most rail passengers and does not need taxpayer-funded subsidy.