On Boxing Day, as weather conditions improved and before Storm Gerrit struck, Scotland’s government-owned ferry service helped thousands travel to and from friends and relatives in 50 locations in the islands and around small communities on the west coast. 196 out of 196 sailings were on time. BC Ferries in Canada – book in advance, get there early, ride-share but still expect long waits. Washington State Ferries – stay at home. Cross channel ferries? Long delays for ferry passengers coming into Dover after Christmas after staff sickness in France In Greece, smaller islands get no winter service at all. Sources: … Continue reading CalMac’s 100% performance as thousands travel on nearly 200 Boxing Day journeys

The Scotsman is effectively owned by the hedge fund Golden Tree Asset Management. Major investors? Who knows but folk like Rishi Sunak and his wife or Sir Keir Starmer or Anas Sarwar and his mum? Today, they’re calling for this: Scottish Government should consider means-testing of universal benefits like free prescriptions and free tuition fees – Scotsman comment because: bankers are warning that high taxes are already putting people off the idea of moving to Scotland. Judith Cruickshank, of the Royal Bank of Scotland, said she had heard “many anecdotal stories about people choosing to remain in cities like Manchester or Newcastle or Birmingham”. … Continue reading As tax rises loom for their owners and senior staff Scotsman says means test the prescriptions, tuition fees and bus passes

In the Guardian today, Patient safety will be put at risk in the next round of junior doctors’ strikes in England, a health leader has warned while pleading for ministers and the British Medical Association (BMA) to end the dispute. “Six days of strike action following a bank holiday at a time of enormous pressure, there are real issues around patient safety and we don’t have in place national derogations, which we have had for other strikes,” he said. “So, yes, there will be an impact on the backlog, but I also have real concerns about patient safety over these … Continue reading As New year junior doctors’ strikes in England risk patient safety why are Scottish Health Secretary and FM getting no credit

In April 2023, ScotRail transferred into public control and ownership In 2022/2023, ScotRail cancelled 2.9% of planned journeys (source below) up from 2.8% in 2021/2022 but the same as the pre-pandemic figure in 2018/2019 . According to a report by iNews (above) From Avanti to Northern, the UK’s worst rail firms cancel 200 trains a day but bosses still take bonuses, the cancellation rates were: Despite this bosses were paid bonuses of up to £2.5m! So, Scotrail at 2.9% is cancelling between only a fifth and a half of the above and is not getting worse like these four. ScotRail … Continue reading Nationalised ScotRail performing far better and not paying bonuses of up to £2.1m!