ScotRail has Victorian attitude towards timetabling of nationalised rail services
When the UK Government announced that it was going to take the railways back into public ownership via "Great British Railways" it begged one assumption and one question for me.
Assumption: railways get nationalised so that they can serve the interests of their customers and the country as whole not a private railway company's sectional interests.
Question: how can you nationalise something that's already nationalised here in Scotland, where ScotRail is already back in public ownership.
You might assume that a nationalised ScotRail would be serving the interests of rail users as a whole and those of the nation, which include encouraging people to travel by train.
Wrong?
If you check ScotRail's published timetables for the line to Inverness you will find no listing of the Highland Chieftain (the Inverness - London daytime train).
This is not an isolated example. Their timetables list none of LNER's Aberdeen - London trains nor any non ScotRail trains serving Dunbar or the recently expensively reopened Reston station in the Scottish Borders.
The latter gives a misleading picture of the station being served by few trains.... which impression is hardly likely to encourage people to choose the train.
In Victorian times it was quite common for private railway companies to publish timetables which omitted details of other companies' trains serving the same route.
That was then, this is now.
Why are 19th Century private company attitudes being perpetrated by a nationalised railway in the 21st century?
Is ScotRail really, as their trains announce, ‘Scotland's Railway’?
Or do we need to wait for it to be made a region of ‘Great British Railways’ before its timetables give a full picture of train services in Scotland?
Andrew McCracken
Grantown.
Green obsession
Clark Cross (Letters 13th March) correctly illustrates the problems of switching to EVs.
Government previously advised us to use diesel rather than petrol vehicles and look where that led us.
Very soon there won’t be enough electricity for EVs anyway but the streets will have been dug up to lay bigger electric cables to prepare for those non-existent EVs. You can just see the entire disaster unfolding. Well…we can at any rate.
It is obviously too much to ask for a green obsessed government to see the problems that await us.
Malcolm Parkin
Kinnesswood
Kinross.
Local councils in need of redesign
With the recent resignation of Nicola Sturgeon from active politics, a significant era in Scotland’s governance has come to an end.
As she steps back, we must consider how this leadership change will impact local councils and their ability to serve communities effectively.
Sturgeon’s lengthy tenure saw considerable focus on national issues, sometimes at the expense of local priorities.
As she exits, this may present an opportunity for new leaders to redirect attention to the specific needs of localities across Scotland. Renowned author and thinker George Orwell observed ‘In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act’.
It is now time for local leaders to prioritise transparency and accountability in their governance, ensuring that community voices are heard and considered.
As Scotland navigates its political future, we must encourage those who aspire to fill Sturgeon’s role to embrace a collaborative approach with local councils.
Empowering councils to make decisions that resonate with their constituents will be crucial for restoring public confidence and fostering effective governance.
The departure of one leader should spark the beginning of renewed engagement at the local level.
The future of our communities depends on it.
Alastair Majury
Dunblane.
Evening out with Highland Heroes
What a wonderful night we all had! I am extremely proud and humbled to of been nominated by Badenoch Shinty Memories Group.
Then being told that you are a finalist at this year’s Heroes event.
Words truly can’t describe how I am feeling. I know for sure I am honoured to have been standing alongside such amazing inspirational people.
Jane Humphreys
Newtonmore.
Become a politician to get lots of perks in life
Want to succeed in life?
Recent reports reveal, "MSPs may get pay rise for chairing committees at Holyrood". "Town hall chiefs are in line for a 12.5 per cent pay rise".
Around 2759 council staff earn over £100,000.
Politicians and council staff are grossly overpaid for what they do.
MSPs range from £72,000 to £120,000 and MPs from £91,000 to £130,000.
The Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle who is paid £163,000 spent £250,000 of taxpayers' money on foreign flights, luxurious hotels and chauffeur-driven cars in only two years.
Forget being a doctor, dentist, lawyer or accountant and go into politics for an easy life with eye watering salaries and expenses and a gold-plated pension scheme all paid for by the public and with negligible chance of ever being sacked.
Clark Cross
Springfield Road
Linlithgow.
