While recommending that MSPs pass the bill at stage one, the rural economy and connectivity committee outlined a lengthy series of concerns and recommendations for changes when the bill comes back to them for stage two.

These include:

• Calls for "improvements in public service provision and park and ride facilities" to support low-emission zones
• A warning about the potential financial burden of motorists and businesses having to upgrade or replace vehicles to meet new emissions standards
• Concerns that "bus service provisions proposed in the bill may not be sufficient" to address declining bus use
• Questions about whether any councils would be able to afford to use new powers to run their own bus services
• Calls for a single ticketing scheme across all modes of transport, with members saying the government's current plans "lack ambition"
• Clarity on exemptions to a new law banning parking on pavements
• Calls for extra provisions to ban parking across dropped kerbs

Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee convener Edward Mountain says the committee has agreed a timetable for stage 2 amendments to allow it to take evidence on the workplace parking levy.

For this reason he hopes MSPs will "park" the issue for now until the committee has been able to do this.

On low emission zones, Mr Mountain says their introduction must be part of a broader package of measures to encourage behavioural change.

The financial burden faced by businesses and individuals should they need to upgrade or replace vehicles for LEZs are highlighted and the convener says this will impact low earners most.

He welcomes a fund the government intends to set up to support this group of people.

Stuart Nicolson
BBC Scotland News

Image source, Getty Images

Motorists who drive to work could have to pay hundreds of pounds a year for a parking space under proposals in this year's Scottish budget.

The budget deal agreed between the Scottish government and Scottish Greens will allow councils to introduce a workplace parking levy (WPL).

This would see employers pay an annual tax to the council for every parking space they provide for employees.

Employers could then choose whether to pass on the cost to their staff.

Read more here.

Image source, bbc

The transport secretary pivots to the workplace parking levies.

His government will support a Green amendment at stage 2, contingent on the exclusion of hospitals and NHS premises, as a result of the budget deal.

This will be a local levy with no pressure on councils to utilise it, Mr Matheson adds.

MSPs backed plans to make it an offence to park on pavements back in March 2016.

The Glasgow Kelvin MSP Sandra White proposed legislation which would also make it illegal for vehicles to double park.

Her bill won unanimous support, but did not complete its passage through Parliament before the 2016 elections.

The Scottish government pledged to legislate to tackle irresponsible parking if it returns to power after the May poll - which we now know it did!

The transport secretary says the bill will encourage transport providers to deliver multi-modal smart ticketing more quickly.

Regarding the parking provisions, Mr Matheson welcomes support for the planned prohibition on pavement parking and adds the government is looking into the details for possible exemptions.

SNP MSP John Mason says in cities there is simply not enough room for everything and if pavements are big enough, sometimes it does make more sense to park there.

The minister agrees which is why local authorities will be able to make exemptions for some streets.

Image source, Getty Images

The number of people travelling by bus has dropped by nearly 100 million over the past decade.

Scottish government data showed that while the number of air, rail, ferry and car travellers all increased, bus patronage declined steeply.

There were 388 million journeys by local bus services in 2017/18, down from 487 million in 2007/08.

There was also a 13% hike in the number of cars registered in Scotland since 2007.

Read more here.

Image source, bbc

Mr Matheson gets on to the buses now, warning the decline in bus patronage threatens networks across Scotland.

A one size fits all approach will not address this, the transport secretary says.

He adds he is aware of the proposal to let local authorities to run bus networks themselves and says he is listening.

Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles intervenes to ask what the objections are to local authorities doing this.

Mr Matheson replies there are concerns within the bus industry about the commercial viability of some routes, but reiterates his willingness to consider the proposals.

Image source, Getty Images

Last December we reported Scotland's first low-emission zone (LEZ) was being introduced in Glasgow.

The first phase of the LEZ will set emission standards which must be met by 20% of buses which pass through the city centre. It means local bus services must comply with European emissions standards.

Phase two, applying to all vehicles entering the zone, is to be implemented in December 2022.

Campaigners have said the zone will not achieve significant change.

The scheme will be enforced through the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.

Councils in Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen have discussed bringing in LEZs.

• Bus firm counts cost of low emission zone
• Low emission zone 'is no ambition zone'

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson explains the Transport (Scotland) Bill ranges from improving bus travel to air quality to parking issues.

"This legislation is part of a broader transport jigsaw."

A new strategy on low emission zones (LEZs) will be put out for constulation later this year, the transport secretary says.

We are taking action to make our transport system cleaner and greener, he says, and he welcomes support for LEZs are part of this.

He says secondary legislation is appropriate for LEZs because they are new and it will allow for scrutiny of specific measures.

Image source, Get

MSPs have called for widespread changes to transport reforms being planned at Holyrood.

The government introduced a transport bill to shake up bus services and introduce low emission zones in cities.

In a new report, the rural economy committee urged ministers to "clarify" and strengthen a series of provisions.

Major changes to the bill are already planned, with a new workplace parking levy to be added at stage two already raising controversy with MSPs.

Read more here.

MSPs are debating the Transport (Scotland) Bill, external at stage 1.

The vote on its general principles will be at 5pm.

But the most controversial aspect of the legislation is not part of the bill yet - an amendment on the workplace parking levy will be introduced at stage 2.

Image source, Mark F Gibson

Ferguson Marine is set to launch a legal action against the Scottish government's ferry company over its £97m contract to build two new ferries.

The shipbuilder is constructing the two vessels for Calmac but is months behind schedule.

Ferguson Marine said there had been "unforeseen complexities" with the project, leading to extra costs.

The company, Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), denied there had been any significant design changes.

Read more here.

Islands Minister Paul Wheelhouse says the ongoing delay is concerning, but the management of the contract lies with CMAL and Ferguson Marine Ltd.

Officials have written seeking clarification of delivery times for both vessels, the minister says.

Mr Greene says it is unclear what is causing the delay.

Mr Wheelhouse says he has not yet visited the shipyard but there is a team within CMAL on site.

The reasons for the delay are relating to difficulties with the shipyard building up a workforce.

Tory MSP Jamie Greene requests an update on the construction of ferry vessels 801 and 802.

Tory MSP Jamie Greene says the technology used to limit speed is reliant on GPS data and here in Scotland the signal is weak.

Mr Matheson accepts this point and says we need to ensure there is maximum coverage, particularly in rural Scotland.

Image source, PA

Last September a bill proposing to lower the speed limit in built-up areas of Scotland to 20mph was published at Holyrood.

The legislation drawn up by Green MSP Mark Ruskell has won the backing of SNP, Labour and Lib Dem members.

It proposes making 20mph the standard speed limit for urban areas, although councils could still designate 30mph areas in consultation with communities.

The bill will now go before committees for scrutiny. If passed by parliament, it could become law by the end of 2019.

Mr Ruskell's members bill - the Restricted Roads (20mph speed limit) (Scotland) Bill, external- has won the backing of green groups, health organisation and round-the-world cyclist Mark Beaumont.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson says the govermnent is keen to encourage new vehicle safety technology.

There is no current assessment of how future costs could be effected, he adds.

Mr Harvie says a 20mph limit in urban areas would pay back both financially and in terms of life.

Speed enforcement technology in cars would be a game-changer in ensuring people comply to speed limits, he says.

Mr Matheson says while the new tech is welcome, it will be overrideable.

Regarding the 20mph bill, he says the government is supportive of 20mph zones in the "appropriate circumstances" but decisions on these should be taken at the local level.

He pledges to ensure a more consistent applications of the use of 20mph zones however.