Turning up the heat on future of farming and railways
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Holyrood Notebook by Edward Mountain
The current heatwave is making this a Highland summer to remember.
The glorious sunshine is also good news for the farming sector who needed a sustained spell of dry weather after a cold and wet spring.
The outlook for our crop growers is currently looking very positive, as long as the weather continues to keep up its side of the bargain. This is vital for ensuring that farmers are rewarded with as good a harvest as possible, especially as increased fuel prices are likely to cut into their profit margins this year.
Farmers have not stopped working throughout the pandemic and have had to be resilient with all the challenges that have come their way during these difficult times. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude for continuing to put high-quality food on our tables during Covid-19.
As a farmer with over 40 years of experience, I understand that we as an industry remain unclear how to plan for the next harvests over the coming years. We urgently need clarity from the SNP government on its replacement for the Common Agricultural Policy.
A lack of planning and policy ideas from the government has serious consequences. I know many farmers who are holding off investing in change until they know what the long-term vision for Scottish agriculture is.
Too much time has already been wasted and when Holyrood returns from recess, I will be pushing the government to accelerate the creation of a post-2024 farming policy.
Time is also running out for this government to set out its detailed plans for taking ScotRail into public ownership and to lay out the benefits for Highland rail users.
It is deeply concerning that we have heard little yet despite this re-nationalisation happening at an extremely challenging time. The cost of running ScotRail is now currently in excess of £1.3-£1.5 billion and passenger numbers have also dropped to around 15 per cent nationally of what they were pre-Covid.
The Far North Line has certainly felt the impact, too, with services being temporarily reduced and passenger numbers reducing to around 30 per cent of usual levels.
With less than 12 months to go before the current Abellio franchise ends, I believe that we need to hear more from the government as to how a publicly owned ScotRail will increase and improve services on the Far North Line.
Indeed, with Scotland entering Level 0 of the tier system, the pressure is now on as more and more people will be commuting again.
To encourage people to choose rail, this government will need to consider a range of innovative solutions in the Highlands.
Without a doubt, we must see the number of train services return to normal on the Far North Line. However, I believe more ambition needs to be shown than just that.
The Scottish Government must consider how it can also speed up journey times and, in partnership with Network Rail, invest in vital infrastructure which will sustain the Far North Line far into the future.
Progress is being made and I was delighted to see the £650,000 works to improve severe weather resilience at Wick Railway Station be completed at the beginning of July. However, we shouldn’t stop there.
More infrastructure improvements are needed, and the SNP government should make it a priority to consider dualling more of the Far North Line when it takes over the running of ScotRail.
The clock is ticking and I will continue to push for support which safeguards the future of farming and our railways in the far north. Both will be vital to the region’s economic recovery from the pandemic.
- Edward Mountain is a Highlands and Islands list MSP for the Scottish Conservatives
