Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - Rail Freight (Environmental Impact)
13. Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the environmental impact of increasing the use of rail freight. (S3O-7372)
The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change (Stewart Stevenson):
Recent assessments that were undertaken to develop the Scottish Government's freight grant schemes demonstrated that transferring freight from road to rail has significant environmental benefits.
Michael Matheson: The minister will, from this morning's debate, be aware of my concern about the level of vibration that my constituents in the Larbert area are experiencing as a result of heavy coal-train freight. During the debate, the minister said that further monitoring of noise and vibration on the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine railway might be required, but it was not made clear whether the Larbert area, which is affected by the problem, would be included. I am keen to ensure that my constituents' problems are not overlooked. Will the minister ensure that further monitoring on the SAK line includes the Larbert area?
Stewart Stevenson: Bruce Crawford, the member for Stirling, has contacted me in that regard. We are considering the appropriate way forward and whether councils or the Government should undertake the work. We acknowledge that our having the appropriate information is key to understanding the response that is needed.
