KIRSTY SCOTT'S review (May 29) of Scottish transport policy suggests that policy-makers have difficulty grasping the concept of an ''integrated transport policy''. In particular that the Channel Tunnel offers an alternative to a ''roads first'' agenda.
Fortunately for the Scottish economy, the SNP are thinking strategically. Given the importance of exporting industries to the Scottish economy our draft transport policy recognises the importance of a high-speed rail link to the Channel Tunnel. Unfortunately, despite the fine words of the Government's discussion paper on an integrated transport policy, John Prescott is about to waste the billions invested in the Channel Tunnel.
The company promoting the Channel Tunnel rail link has failed. So New Labour are taking the old Labour route of bailing out a bankrupt project with the help of #2500m of public money. Once built, the rail link will give London businessmen an alternative route to Europe. But it will not carry freight and will not provide any benefit north of Watford.
Indeed by pumping #5500m into South-east England's economy, it will only contribute to the overheating there, with corresponding impact on macroeconomic policy.
What is more, for the same price tag an alternative freight-based rail scheme exists. Central Railway is designed to carry lorries on trains direct to Europe. It would also be privately funded.
It would not reach Scotland, but if the Glasgow/Kilmarnock/Dumfries railway were upgraded for high-speed freight, it could, via existing underused rail links. Scotland would then have a high-speed freight link direct to Europe bypassing delays and congestion on the motorway network, yet keeping the flexibility of road freight delivery to the customer's door.
Alistair Livingston,
Convener, Castle Douglas SNP,
4a Abercromby Road, Castle Douglas.
May 29.
I WAS, I admit, being a bit unfair to Mr Bill Ure in my last letter. And I'm sure the good folk of Bathgate are truly grateful for the improvement in their rail services.
The serious point that needs making, however, is that the choice is not as Mr Ure puts it to us and he should not let New Labour off the hook in the way he does in his letter to you (May 28). Before the last election we were promised by Labour that the railways would be put back under ''national control''.
Most people took this to mean that at least Railtrack would be taken back into public ownership. Mr Ure's regime of a ''lightly regulated open market'' is not what people voted for and should not now be presented to us as an immutable fact of life. Railtrack's track record (literally) so far gives ample cause for concern. Major structure improvements to the system such as have taken place in France, Sweden, Germany, and other European countries simply will not take place in the haphazard free-market environment with which we are saddled.
The 10-year plan for Scotland is laughable and Mr Ure and his committee lay themselves open to ridicule by seeming so keen to support it.
Bill Williams,
Mill Business Centre,
PO Box 3, Ellon, AB41 9EA. May 28.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article