Sir, – All hail to Councillor Willie Wilson of Perth for his stoical pursuance of an acknowledgement from the Stagecoach company regarding the hospital link bus.
If Brian Souter has such faith in this venture then why is he so reluctant to host a meeting with Mr Wilson and others who have experience of the journeys?
What, therefore, is he afraid of?
It is not as if he would be facing a march-against-the-link crowd of petitioners carrying placards but, come to think of it, that could be a good idea. Any volunteers?
Concerning the suggested 20% rise in passenger numbers, has it occurred to the company that the elderly population of the county is increasing, together with more and more patient care being shifted to Ninewells? I would
suggest that this might account for the implied increase.
I feel we are all just a thorn in Mr Souter’s flesh and a nuisance akin to a persistent fly.
There is a mention of an alternative low-floor bus. Where is the publicity about this? Where are details of the times, routes and pick-up points?
If this the only form of defence he can produce I am surprised he hasn’t made more of it.
I have already asked for Mr Souter to make a journey both ways on the hospital link, as did Councillor Wilson.
Should that great day come, there would no doubt be questions from him as to why the furore about the unsuitability, being a fitter and healthier individual than many of the passengers.
In addition, try coping with a pushchair and negotiating the deadly stairs with children.
Were he to make a journey on the bus, I hope he would be reminded of the mainly elderly age group using the service and the difficulties they face.
I mention the elderly, but I also have witnessed younger passengers who have voiced their complaints.
There have been times when they have had to come forward to assist less able people to reach the top of the stairs.
How many more times must Councillor Wilson metaphorically prostrate himself on our behalf before Brian Souter?
Perhaps ignoring his and our pleas is the intention in the hope that we will shut up and give up.
Not so Mr Souter.
Irene Thomson. 72 Glasgow Road, Perth.
End pernicious welfarism
Sir, – I thank George White (July 27) for his kind words and agree the regressive green taxes on fuel bills subsidised wind energy’s crony capitalists at the expense of the poor.
The Tory Government’s binning of green subsidies clearly helps the less well-off and I do not share the left’s concern for the fate of wealthy investors in the renewables industry.
It is also heartening to read that British food prices are down by 2% from last year, the third year of decline as a result of supermarket discounting.
I think most will agree with George Osborne’s key budget statement: “The benefits system must not support lifestyles unavailable to the taxpayers who pay for that system.”
Capping workless family benefits, some over £60,000 a year, and limiting child benefits to the first two children means they are not incentivised to have huge broods.
Mr Osborne had to reduce Gordon Brown’s monstrous deficit and dismantle the pernicious welfarism that discouraged work while leaving many who did, relying on handouts.
Rev Dr John Cameron. 10 Howard Place, St Andrews.
SNP has taken eye off ball
Sir, – We should not be surprised at the continuing dreadful performance of Police Scotland as it lurches from one disaster to another.
Neither should we be surprised that those responsible, the SNP, will do nothing about it.
Police Scotland was set up by the SNP for two reasons: to save money and to re-badge the service so that when the word police was spoken, then the word Scotland would automatically follow.
The former hasn’t materialised but the latter has, and that will no doubt satisfy the flag-waving Nats. The main architect of all of this was, of course, Kenny MacAskill who has been tactically shunted sideways so that he cannot be properly held to account.
In an honourable world, the Chief Constable, Sir Stephen House, would resign, but he has stated he will not do the honourable thing, and he knows that the SNP will probably not sack him, choosing instead to see out his contract rather than admit they made amistake by appointing him.
Morale in the serviceis shockingly low, itsperformance woefully inadequate, its accountability at local and national level virtually non-existent, and it appears to be at risk of losing the confidence of the public it is supposed to serve.
Meanwhile, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Angus Robertson, Alex Salmond and the rest of the SNP seek to create a smokescreen of headlines about fox hunting, English Votes for English Laws and the like, instead of getting a proper grip of the issues facing our most vital public service.
SNP supporters, of course, will turn a blind eye and continue to be content to believe that the root of all our evils is big, bad Westminster and England. They should take off the blinkers and face up to the reality of a Scottish Government that is so obsessed by independence it has taken its eye off the ball not only with the police, but also in many other areas of its responsibility.
Jim Shaw. Hill Street, Dundee.
Why the lack of urgency?
Sir, – I refer to the your reports about the “urgent” police call centre review which is now under way.
This relates to the handling of the aftermath of the tragic crash on the M9 which left two people dead.
There are, of course, questions to be asked about the police response.
Your reports have described the review as urgent so why will it take until the end of August to prepare an interim report and the end of October before a final report is prepared?
This is not exactly my definition of the word urgent.
John McDonald. 14 Rosebery Court, Kirkcaldy.
Time to outline plans to govern
Sir, – So First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is complaining that the big bad wolves of GCHQ could be listening in to the conversations of her and her friends in Holyrood.
I would not worry about any breach of privacy.
I am sure they will soon get bored with the plots to embarrass the Tory Government, which seems to be all they talk about.
I would actually like to listen in to these conversations myself to find out what the SNP intend doing with the new powers they are demanding from Westminster.
I keep hearing about what they want to do but have heard nothing about how they intend to cut back on poverty, deal with welfare issues, unemployment, the cutting back on local authority money and power, a dubious NHS, the criticisms of the centralised police force, the failings of our education system and so on.
All we get are vague promises; motherhood and haggis pie as the Americans might say.
We have had no real, specific and pragmatic action spelt out to the people of Scotland.
Good luck GCHQ, on your listening in: if you can get any answers let me know.
Mona Clark. 9 Millbay Terrace, Dundee.
Scotland in grip of crisis
Sir, – It has been claimed that public support will force another referendum to be held in the near future.
Surely the country cannot consider this while the present Scottish Government has failed in so many respects.
Three of the main concerns of any voter must be health, education and law and order.
Our present government is failing miserably on all three issues.
There are insufficient consultants and doctors to cover hospital posts.
There is a shortage of general practitioners which requires patients, in some instances, to wait weeks for appointments.
The budget for Scotland’s GPs has fallen by £1 billion in the past decade.
Scotland’s 14 health boards paid private healthcare companies nearly £40 million pounds last year in an effort to meet unattainable targets.
The education system staggers from crisis to crisis.
Curriculums and examinations change virtually year by year.
We are about to enter a new school term, after the summer break, with almost 470 teaching posts vacant in Scotland.
This is indeed not a bright future for the education of the children, who will in due time, govern our country.
We are all aware of the shortcomings of Police Scotland, who are now merely reactive as opposed to the former proactive approach.
They have abandoned victims of crime and in many instances, do not even investigate reported crimes.
They come under increasing criticism on a daily basis, again, stumbling from crisis to crisis.
With the latest appointment, the First Minister’s private office now has 14 advisers, at an annual cost of £1 million. Is this value for money?
I will let you decide.
With this record in government, it is frightening to think of the consequences of an independent Scotland.
Jack Harley. 9 Mackie Crescent, Markinch.