To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any economic and social impact of there being no rail services between Ayr, Girvan and Stranraer since the line was closed in September 2023. (S6O-03567)

I am very much aware of the impact that the closure of Ayr station has had on people who live and work in the area and travel to and from Ayr, Maybole, Girvan and Stranraer.

As Carol Mochan might be aware, the lead responsibility for Ayr station hotel rests with South Ayrshire Council, while Network Rail has responsibility for the railway station itself.

We share the concerns regarding the length of time that the works to secure the building have taken. That is due to the complex nature of the safety-related works which, as the investigative work developed, required that the southern extension and a large portion of the northern extension be demolished.

However, I am also pleased that, according to the latest advice from ScotRail, bus replacement services are operating well and that, from 17 June, ScotRail expects an Ayr to Glasgow electric service to be reinstated. I also understand that it is hoped that a full return to services, including to Maybole, Girvan, Barrhill and Stranraer, will be possible from mid-July.

I, too, welcome the news that we can expect services to resume in July. However, businesses and commuters in those towns and the surrounding areas have suffered as a result of the disruption. A big problem has been the lack of affordable and reliable bus routes to pick up the strain when such events occur. Since 2007, more than 1,200 bus routes have been lost in Scotland and, in real terms, the cost of bus travel has increased.

A recent report by the Institute for Public Policy Research, “Wheels of change: Promoting fair and green transport in rural Scotland”, has called on the Scottish Government to identify, fund and champion the anchor towns and communities that would provide public services and transport hubs for people who live in rural areas. What action has been taken in that regard?

I recognise that the fire that caused the disruption was not the responsibility of anybody but those who caused the fire, and that the consequences of that are being met by a load of different organisations.

Carol Mochan’s point about how we can help with having anchor towns in relation to public sector transport modal shift is an interesting segue from rail, but I get it. That—ensuring that we support modal hubs for buses and trains—is the main focus of the work that we are trying to do with our transport strategy.

We have a deregulated bus system. This Government brought in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 and the subsequent legislation to allow regional transport partnerships the choice to take different positions. However, as Carol Mochan will be aware, her party did not, when it was last in power, make any changes to the deregulated position, which means that there has to be partnership working with private bus companies, which are responsible for the vast majority of the services that are provided.

I will take a brief supplementary from Sharon Dowey.

I also welcome the news that some rail services will return to Ayr station from 17 June, with services south to Maybole, Girvan and Stranraer expected to be operational in July.

The fire at Ayr station hotel has been devastating and has severely impacted local businesses and the community. Given that no service was in place for more than nine months, what measures can the Scottish Government take to encourage passengers back on to the tracks to visit towns in the south-west, thereby boosting the local economy?

I appreciate Sharon Dowey’s point, which was also raised by another member during First Minister’s question time. We currently have a discounted proposition with the removal of peak fares, which is to encourage people to use rail more generally, but Sharon Dowey makes the important point that we need to help in publicising and promoting the services in order to encourage more people to visit the south-west.