SPT’s capital budget reduced

The Scottish Government has explained why Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s general capital budget has been cut by £3.7m (19 per cent) in 2020/21. Transport secretary Michael Matheson said capital budgets for regional transport partnerships were part of the overall local government capital settlement agreed with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. “In the event that the overall local government settlement funding is reduced, as is the case in 2020/21, each of the elements of the capital settlement is reduced accordingly, and consequently, the budget is reduced,” he told Edward Mountain, convenor of the Scottish Parliament’s rural economy and connectivity committee. Matheson said SPT’s 2019/20 budget of £23.1m included a one-off pay-back uplift of £4.1m. “Accordingly, the reduction on the baseline budget of £19m is £3.7m. It will be for SPT to determine how it prioritises the funding for its capital programme.” The Scottish Government is continuing to provide SPT with separate funding for modernising the Glasgow Subway, with £55.1m being paid in 2020/21.