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Committee News Release |
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CSTIR 02/2003 |
Friday 5 December, 2003 |
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE BACKS STIRLING-ALLOA-KINCARDINE RAILWAY PRIVATE BILL |
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A Scottish Parliament Committee has today backed the general principles of the first post-devolution Private Bill concerning the promotion and construction of railways. The ‘Preliminary Stage’ report concludes that the proposals “could be a major boost to the development of the local economy” and recommends to the Parliament that the general principles of the Bill should be agreed. Convener of the Committee, Bill Butler MSP, said: “During the course of our scrutiny of the Bill, the Committee was made aware that Clackmannanshire, whilst being located in the Central Belt, suffers from relatively poor strategic transport accessibility. The Railway proposal in the Bill could help to address this. Deputy Convener, Rob Gibson MSP, added: “We are recommending to Parliament that it agrees to allow the Bill to proceed to the next stage. The Committee will then look at the detail of the Bill and hear from the promoter and objectors.” BackgroundThe Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine Railway and Linked Improvements Bill is being promoted by Clackmannanshire Council. The Council are seeking statutory authority to construct a railway along the former rail route between Stirling and Kincardine via Alloa; and to construct a link road following the closure of Hilton Road, Alloa. At Preliminary Stage, the Committee has three functions: 1. To consider and report on the general principles of the Bill; 2. To consider and report on whether the Bill should proceed as a Private Bill, that is to say: • Is the purpose of the Bill to obtain for the promoter particular powers or benefits in excess of, or in conflict with, the general law? • Do the accompanying documents lodged with the Bill satisfy the technical criteria that are set down in the Standing Orders and are they adequate to allow proper scrutiny of the Bill? 3. To give preliminary consideration to the objections and reject any objection where the objector’s interests are, in the opinion of the Committee, not clearly adversely affected by the Private Bill. 55 admissible objections to the Bill were lodged and three of have
subsequently been withdrawn. None of them raise objections to the
principle of there being a railway line between Stirling and Kincardine,
via Alloa (the S-A-K route). |
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For further information the Media Contact is: |
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For specific Private Bill information contact: |
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For public information enquiries, please contact: 0131 34 85000 |
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For general enquiries, please contact 0845 278 1999 (local call rate) |
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email: sp.info@scottish.parliament.uk |
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