Agenda and minutes

Members are Required to Intimate any Declarations of Interest in Respect of the Items on Today’s Agenda.

No declarations of interest were intimated in respect of the items on today’s agenda.

The Joint Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 9 November 2018, for approval.

The Joint Committee resolved:-

(i)        in terms of article 7, resolution (iii) – Scottish Government Additional Investment for Transport - Update, to note that details in relation to the agreed intervention and signalling capacity constraints costs were still awaited from Mr Torrance; and

(ii)       to otherwise approve the minute.

The Joint Committee received a presentation from Mr Bill Reeve, Director of Rail, Transport Scotland.

Mr Reeve (a) made reference to the rail investment projects in terms of the £200m commitment to upgrade the Aberdeen to central belt rail line and improve infrastructure, rolling stock of trains and timetable from December 2018; (b) made reference to the consultant’s report which outlined the ‘Revolution in Rail’ proposals; (c) advised that the consultant’s had identified a package of 18 measures at a cost of £218m including works north of Dundee which benefited both routes (Aberdeen to Glasgow/Edinburgh) and the need for benefits in both the ‘to Aberdeen’ and ‘from Aberdeen’ directions; (d) indicated that the measures proposed included track upgrades to increase line speed including renewal of track, signalling and level crossing upgrades and structural work; and (e) intimated that the consultant’s report advised that doubling the track from Montrose to Usan would not provide any journey time benefits.

Mr Reeve advised that the journey time benefits identified were as follows:-

During discussion, Mr Reeve responded to a number of questions from members of the Joint Committee, specifically regarding journey times, the consultant’s report, the Montrose to Usan line, the benefits of improved signalling and an update relating to Kintore Station.

The following points were noted:-

·         that signalling upgrades were important to improve capacity;

·         that works on project routes south of Dundee would improve journey times from Aberdeen to central belt although acknowledged that the overall time benefits were disappointing;

·         that the Reference Group established by Transport Scotland would explore options further in conjunction with Network Rail; and

·         acknowledged constraints in terms of the approach to Perth and Tay Bridge sections.

The Joint Committee resolved:-

(i)        to thank Mr Reeve for his presentation and the information provided;

(ii)       to note that Transport Scotland would endeavour to provide early submission of project timescales;

(iii)      to note that track diagrams in terms of overtaking slower trains e.g. freight, would be circulated; and

(iv)      that the consultant’s report be circulated to members of the Joint Committee.

With reference to article 6 of the minute of the previous meeting of 9 November 2018, the Joint Committee had before it the Aberdeen City Region Deal 2018 Annual report prepared by the Programme Manager.

The report recommended:-

that the Joint Committee endorses the report.

The Joint Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation subject to amending wording to section 9 (under table 2) to read “The £10m reflects separate funding, of which £2m has come from the Memorandum of Understanding, along with £1.1m from both Councils’ contribution to the CRD Digital Programme.  This has levered £40m of private sector investment to the city’s ‘Fibre to the Premises’ programme.”

- COUNCILLOR JENNY LAING, Chairperson.