Infrastructure Funding: Should the User Pay?

The Scottish Government, in its draft budget for 2017-18, is committing to providing funding to bring the Queensferry Crossing to completion, to progress on the M8/M73/M74 Motorway Improvements project, the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, the A9 and A96 projects and the A737 Dalry Bypass. These are all significant projects to improve Scotland’s transport infrastructure and further funding will be required for future projects to help drive economic growth.

In these times of fiscal prudence, the question being asked more and more in relation to infrastructure funding is “Should the user pay?”

This debate will provide those attending with an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the issues around funding and hear the case for and against making the user pay. After the speakers have made their cases the debate will be opened to the floor to allow members of the audience to ask questions of the speakers or voice their opinion on the topic.