The Scottish Christian Party believes the country needs a distinctly Christian Voice in the Scottish Parliament and, by God’s grace, it is possible to do so.
How is it Possible? Click here.
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In developing a Transport Policy it is necessary to strike a balance
between the demands to stimulate economic well being and tackle social
inclusion on the one hand and the need to reduce congestion and limit
environmental damage on the other. As Christians we have to take
seriously our God-given responsibility to be good stewards of world
resources. It is therefore imperative that our vision for transport is based
on socially and environmentally sustainable principles, while taxation of
transport must be transparent.
1. Aviation
We will seek to bring aviation within the scope of the Kyoto environmental
and climate targets. This will involve focusing energy on key business
routes and peripheral areas as well as co-operating with research into
alternative aviation propulsion. We support the Executive’s introduction
of the air discount scheme for the Highlands and Islands and we will give
further consideration to a Public Service Obligation framework.
2. Buses
We congratulate the Scottish Executive on the extension of concessionary
travel since 2003 and their investment in community transport initiatives
that have improved the quality of life for many in Scotland. We will seek
to build on this success by further integrating public transport to provide
still more reliable journey times, enabling more people to use this for
their daily work and business. In the cities we will learn from the best
practice in Europe to expand park and ride and extend priority for public
transport, cyclists and walkers.
3. Cycling and walking
For the sake of health as well as road safety, each city and town should
have a blue print for how cyclists and walkers move between schools,
shops and housing. We will continue the partnership with Sustrans to
develop the national cycle network.
4. Ferries
We will support a fundamental rethink of the current ferry network,
presently based on incrementalism and local lobbying, to highlight flaws
in the infrastructure and identify where strategic improvements in other
services enable us to rationalise subsidised ferries, in time for the next
tendering exercise. We favour smaller faster boats where this is
appropriate and more use of the nights for freight runs. We will support
operating six days a week where this is what the islanders want.
5. Rail
The Scottish Christian Party recognises the need for a High Speed Rail
network, which would help stimulate the economy. A dedicated High
Speed Rail network would “free up” existing capacity on the rail
network,
therefore enabling the transfer of freight from our roads, and cut the need
for internal city to city flights. There are different means of delivery,
and
the Scottish Christian Party presently favours the introduction of Maglev
(Magnetic Levitation) and recognises the need for urgent debate on this
issue.
The Scottish Christian Party recognises the success of the existing
Scottish Rail Franchise and would press to expand the existing networks.
We will build on the success of Scot Rail’s Glasgow & Edinburgh’s
commuter services with more initiatives such as the Beauly station
refurbishment, which is helping keep commuter traffic out of Inverness.
The Scottish Christian Party will also look for sustainable ways of linking
rail freight traffic to our shipping network to take juggernauts off the
route from Dover to the North of Scotland.
6. Roads
We would support bringing the strategic roads in Scotland up to an
appropriate standard to reduce journey times e.g. upgrading the A9 to a
dual carriageway throughout to make travel times to the Highlands more
predictable. We will initiate a consultation exercise regarding the
feasibility of variable speed limits for trunk roads to reduce journey times.
We will link land use planning with transport planning to release
appropriate land for strategic transport improvements, linking local,
regional and national transport plans. We will seek to use transport
channels for transmission of energy to reduce the impact on the rest of
the countryside. In the cities we will seek to reduce congestion on the
basis that the polluter pays through differential charging for parking
and/or access e.g. big vehicles cost more. We will review the
effectiveness of the out-sourcing of trunk road maintenance well before
contracts come up for renewal.
7. Shipping
We will support the establishment of an international container hub in
Scotland and encourage a modular coastal shipping strategy for nonurgent
bulky cargoes, linked with rail where possible.
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• Christian Constitution of Scotland: The Scottish Christian Party highlights the irresponsible failure of the SNP to say what will happen to the Christian Constitution of Scotland if the Treaty of Union 1707 is broken.
The Scottish public deserves to know this before an Election in which the pundits think the SNP may form the next administration; but the SNP has not addressed the question publicly far less provided any answers.
• Education: To give real choice we will campaign for an Educational Voucher Scheme, sex education on a parental opt-in basis, a daily act of Christian worship with Bible reading, and no obligation to promote other faiths.
Creationism and Intelligent Design will be considered alongside Evolution in science classes.
• Economic Development: Less reliance on fossil fuels, with increased emphasis on self-sustainability. Investment in new nuclear
plants must be matched by investment in research and development for nuclear waste solutions.
Explore the potential of water export, and effective extraction of North Sea oil with infrastructure designed to be adapted afterwards for marine renewable projects.
• Housing: Affordable housing earmarked as Local Family Housing.
• Gambling: Opposition to super casinos.
• Elected Police & Fire chiefs: The role of the Police and Fire Service does not involve marching in uniform, or handing out leaflets, at Gay parades. We believe they should be maintaining law and order impartially, and fighting fires. Electing chiefs will ensure accountability.
• Freedom of conscience, of speech and of public preaching: We will address the imbalance in law concerning giving and taking offence, and the oppressive emphasis in diversity training.
• Drugs: Zero tolerance on illegal drugs.
