Tag: europe

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Largs to Millport ferry, four times every hour, with capacity for 6 million passengers and three quarters of a million cars only used one eighth and one third of that capacity in 2024 – who pays for such generosity?

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Every year, thousands of drivers, often in SUV’s, try to get on to a tiny island which thousands of others walk and cycle round, their potentially lovely day spoiled by those same drivers. There’s a well-run bus service from the ferry slip to the town with hundreds of bicycles for hire and lots of wee cafes to relax in. I’ve been there more times than I can remember and never felt the need to take a car. These days, I’d struggle to get round the island on feet or wheels but there’s no way I’d be bullying my way round … Continue reading Largs to Millport ferry, four times every hour, with capacity for 6 million passengers and three quarters of a million cars only used one eighth and one third of that capacity in 2024 – who pays for such generosity?

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‘I see tourists pee in front of my house?’ – the real campervan crisis was in 2021

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BBC Scotland this morning is going large on: ‘I see tourists pee in front of my house’: The campervan problem on the Isle of Skye. More than 30,000 trips by campervans and motorhomes are made to the Scottish Highlands every year – with many of them touring the Isle of Skye. For islanders, the tourists play an important part in the local economy. But some visitors bring significant challenges too – leaving litter and even toilet waste in the stunning landscape. Julia Dawber says people should be discreet when nature calls. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crlwj7z7481o As an aside, it is good to see … Continue reading ‘I see tourists pee in front of my house?’ – the real campervan crisis was in 2021

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UK Labour deny England’s under-22’s the ‘transformative benefit’ of Scotland’s free bus scheme as it hits more than 300 million journeys

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From Transport Scotland yesterday, the above and: Children and young people in Scotland have now made over 300 million free bus journeys since the Scottish Government introduced free travel for under-22s. Since January 2022, the scheme continues to transform how young people are traveling by bus, saving people money, supporting greener travel, and boosting the economy by opening up access to education, jobs, and leisure. Over 80% of eligible young people have access to the scheme through a National Entitlement Card or Young Scot National Entitlement Card. Source: https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/over-300-million-free-bus-trips-made-by-young-people-across-scotland/ What’s happening in England, Sir Keir? Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to … Continue reading UK Labour deny England’s under-22’s the ‘transformative benefit’ of Scotland’s free bus scheme as it hits more than 300 million journeys

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As pothole compensation claims surge in England they plummet in Scotland

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From the Guardian today: Exactly how many holes there are in the country’s roads depends on who’s counting and how they define them, but the RAC reckons there are a million potholes in the UK’s residential, city centre and rural roads, or six every mile. Its data backs up anecdotal evidence that things are getting a lot worse, quickly: compensation claims for pothole damage against UK local authorities rose by 90% in the three years to 2024. More than three times as many drivers cited potholes as the cause of breakdowns in February 2025 than in the same month a year earlier. … Continue reading As pothole compensation claims surge in England they plummet in Scotland

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South Uist Business Impact Group appears to be inventing problems that, in reality, are not there

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By stewartb Media coverage of ‘ferries’ news has left a lot to be desired. This is true of local press coverage as well as national. In the run up to the Holyrood election there was local press coverage in the Western Isles that seems to exemplify the problem. From Hebrides News online (April 3, 2026): ‘Island economy struggles ‘turning into a nightmare’ due to CalMac ferry crisis’. Firstly readers are told this: ‘South Uist Business Impact Group (SUBIG) have raised concerns over reduced animal welfare as a result of CalMac’s cuts to ferry services’ and ‘The ferry action group said: “CalMac’s cuts mean … Continue reading South Uist Business Impact Group appears to be inventing problems that, in reality, are not there

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Shock as absence of ‘ferry fixation’ revealed

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From Transport Scotland – Information regarding fixated correspondents: FOI release published today: Information requested Information on what topics fixated correspondents have written about and how many times, including copies of emails from and to the individuals. Response To provide some context, the terms fixated and persistent are used interchangeably. Both terms are used to describe a correspondent who writes in on the same topic(s) in a repetitive manner despite their query receiving a full and complete response. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have … Continue reading Shock as absence of ‘ferry fixation’ revealed

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Cornwall ferry users ‘losing their minds cut off from civilisation’

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The Torpoint Ferry is a car and pedestrian chain ferry connecting the A374 which crosses the Hamoaze, a stretch of water at the mouth of the River Tamar, between Devonport in Plymouth and Torpoint in Cornwall. The service was established in 1791 and chain ferry operations were introduced by James Meadows Rendel in 1832. The route is currently served by three ferries, built by Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd at Port Glasgow and named after three rivers in the area: Tamar II, Lynher II and Plym II. Each ferry carries 73 cars and operates using its own set of slipways and parallel chains, with a vehicle weight limit of 18 tonnes (20 tons). The ferries, along with the nearby Tamar Bridge, are operated by the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee, … Continue reading Cornwall ferry users ‘losing their minds cut off from civilisation’

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How can South Uist have no ‘mainland’ ferry service when the Skye Bridge offers an alternative that takes the same time?

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Keeping the Ferry Frenzy kettle boiling right up to the election, BBC Scotland today has the above and: The owner of a South Uist tourism business has said they are dealing with a wave of cancellations thanks to on-going disruption on the ferry network. The island remains without a direct mainland ferry after CalMac said the route’s usual vessel – the MV Lord of the Isles – is required to operate services elsewhere. It comes after weeks of ferry disruption across the network, with almost a third of CalMac’s fleet out of action at the start of April. The company says … Continue reading How can South Uist have no ‘mainland’ ferry service when the Skye Bridge offers an alternative that takes the same time?

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Health visitors in England are key to Labour’s preventative strategy but they’re plummeting there after two years in government while Scotland after 19 years of the SNP has four times as many per head, twice the essential continuity and twice the visits

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From BBC Breakfast early this morning (06.17 to 06.20am) and repeated with the above shocking figures throughout the show: The number of health visitors in England has fallen by almost half over the last decade – meaning some of those who remain have caseloads of more than a thousand families each. Now the Institute of Health Visiting is calling for caseloads to be limited to 250 families per visitor. Then: Health visitors in England would like to see a safe staffing limit like in Scotland, where they have caseloads of no more than 250 families. Seven minutes later, we hear … Continue reading Health visitors in England are key to Labour’s preventative strategy but they’re plummeting there after two years in government while Scotland after 19 years of the SNP has four times as many per head, twice the essential continuity and twice the visits

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‘Almost a decade after Grenfell’ and six Scottish tower block fires contained on one floor, every flat is safe here

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BBC Scotland, today, repeating the same misunderstanding. Impressively titled but otherwise not so much, Angus Cochrane ‘Senior political journalist, BBC Scotland‘, has not thought to look a the history of tower block fires in Scotland, building and inspection standards, before and after Grenfell, to see if, in the very country in which he lives, that might be informative. His report is a passive acceptance of the views of one unqualified person. Here it is the actual evidence again. First, for the time-pressed a short video: Second, the full story with sources: Scotland’s SIXTH tower block fire contained on one-floor further … Continue reading ‘Almost a decade after Grenfell’ and six Scottish tower block fires contained on one floor, every flat is safe here