SCOTTISH MINISTERS have elected not to publish their Statement of Funds Available (SoFA) for CP6 as planned, citing a cut in funding from the UK Government.
Humza Yousaf, Scottish Minister for Transport and the Islands, claims the proposed grant of £3.6 billion leaves a £600 million shortfall in the projected funding needed. Transport Scotland’s minimum funding requirement of £4.2 billion includes £1.9 billion for renewals and £2.3 billion for enhancements to meet forecast increases in demand and support wider economic growth.
The Office of Rail and Road had set 13 October as the proposed date for publication of the SoFA. TS did not receive details of the proposed settlement from the Treasury until 12 October, echoing similar treatment in July when the first formal proposals of how the new funding arrangements for Network Rail would work in Scotland were also not received until the evening before the original High Level Output Specification (HLOS) and SoFA publication date. These changes will replace NR’s current borrowing facility with grant payments.
Mr Yousaf said the Scottish Government has taken ‘a constructive approach, simply requesting the same funding we have received previously accounting for inflation’. Roger Ford
