Scottish Parliament e-Brief, Issue 258

Scottish Transport Statistics
The latest edition of Scottish Transport Statistics have been published and show that there were:

262,800 new vehicles registered in Scotland in 2004, around 400 (0.2%) more than in the previous year, 55% more than in 1994 and the highest number ever recorded;
Greater volumes of traffic in 2004 than in any previous year, 2% more than in 2003, and 19% more than in 1994;
449 million passenger journeys (boardings) on local bus services in 2003-04, 1% more than in the previous year. This was only the seventh increase since current records began in 1975, and the first time since then that there have been increases in five consecutive years. However, the 2003-04 figure was 14% less than in 1993-94;
68.7 million passenger journeys on ScotRail services in 2004-05 - a 10% increase over the previous year and about 40% more than ten years earlier;
Almost 22.6 million air terminal passengers at airports in Scotland in 2004 - about 1.5 million (7%) more than in the previous year, 91% more than in 1994, and the highest number ever recorded.

Over the years, Scottish Transport Statistics has been improved by the inclusion of many new tables on a wide range of topics. This year, there are nine new tables, and some of the existing tables have been expanded to provide more information.

Full Story

Funding for urban green spaces
Greenspace Scotland has received Ł1 million of funding to help fifty community based projects across the country improve local access to clean, green environments.

Greenspace Scotland was established by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in 2002 to co-ordinate and support the development of local greenspace initiatives throughout urban Scotland and to raise the profile of such work. Greenspace Scotland is funded by SNH and by the Big Lottery. The additional funding for 2005-06 has been provided from SEERAD end of year flexible funding, following a successful submission from Greenspace Scotland on behalf of its partner bodies.

The projects are drawn from the six of the eight existing members of Greenspace Scotland (Aberdeen Countryside Project, Central Scotland Forest Trust, Edinburgh Green Belt Trust, Glasgow and Clyde Valley Greenspace Trust, greenINverness and Solway Heritage) and include: