I remind members of my voluntary entry in the register of members’ interests.

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to implement Scotland’s national transport strategy. (S6O-03669)

The national transport strategy was developed collaboratively with partners and underpins all decision making that is related to transport, with regional transport partnerships developing strategies for their area to align with it. Delivering its vision is a shared endeavour, with responsibilities across the Scottish Government, operators, local authorities, business, industry and users. I co-chair the national transport strategy delivery board alongside the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, and it includes members from partner organisations.

Last December, we published a report to Parliament outlining the steps that we have taken to deliver the strategy, alongside our third delivery plan for 2023-24. The fourth plan will be published later this year.

The Scottish Government’s national transport strategy is based on four priorities: reducing inequality; taking action on climate change; delivering economic growth; and improving health and wellbeing. Scrapping peak fares on ScotRail has driven a shift from road to rail. Four million extra train journeys have been made—two million of them because people have been incentivised to leave their cars at home. Does not the cabinet secretary understand why people are angry about her announcement that the Government will force up some rail fares by 48 per cent? Does she not accept that that decision fails on every single one of her Government’s four national transport strategy tests? Will she do the right thing while there is still time and reverse this disastrous decision?

There are a number of portfolio questions on this topic. I will address the member’s questions directly. He is quite correct to identify that the Scottish Government’s national missions include tackling child poverty and tackling the climate emergency.

On the measure of modal shift, the peak fares trial failed, unfortunately. The amount of car journeys that transferred to rail was 0.1 per cent. In addition, the discount that has existed over the past year has seen many existing rail users benefit by hundreds if not thousands of pounds, but the assessment, which I encourage him to read, shows that the majority of those who benefited were on middle to high incomes. On those two measures alone, the report shows that his analysis is incorrect.

With the discounts that are being provided, a flexipass between Falkirk and Edinburgh will cost £13.40 per return journey for five returns, compared with the current off-peak fare of £12.10. With an annual season ticket, travelling four days a week, the fare will be £10.04. That is a reduction. If the member listens to what I have said and is prepared to promote the discounts that are being announced now for the coming year and beyond, he will see that some people will be paying a similar amount to what they have been paying during the peak fare removal trial. He will see that if he looks at the figures.

That is not an auspicious start on the back of my request for brevity. Bill Kidd, let us see whether we can do any better.

More than 150 million free bus journeys have been made by children and young people in Scotland since the introduction of free bus travel for under-22s. Will the cabinet secretary set out how that Scottish Government initiative is working towards the vision and priorities of the national transport strategy?

One year on, the evaluation of the scheme has shown that, by making bus travel more accessible, it is already opening doors to new opportunities and reducing travel costs for families across Scotland. By making sustainable travel easier and cheaper for Scotland’s children and young people, that transformational policy is giving them the very best chance to succeed in life, as well as supporting them to play their part in cutting emissions and taking climate action in line with the vision of the national transport strategy.

The reintroduction of peak fares on the railways will mean huge fare increases across the country. If I want to get a return from East Kilbride to Glasgow, it will cost me 55 per cent more, and a return journey from East Kilbride to Edinburgh will cost me 84 per cent more. How does that fit in with the Scottish Government’s ambition to cut car journeys by a fifth by next year?

The member’s latter point is an incorrect assessment of what the plans are in relation to the reduction of car journeys.

In relation to the member’s travel, as he is a regular commuter by train, he can use a flexipass, which will have a permanent 20 per cent reduction, or he can use an annual season ticket, which will have a 20 per cent reduction.

The figures that I have set out in relation to the discounts that are being introduced just now show that people will be able to have reduced fares that are, in many cases, similar to the off-peak fares. I will be delighted to send the member the East Kilbride figures so that he can promote the discounts that will be available for regular commuters, as he is, to his constituents in the wider central region.