Tag: travel

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New US hybrid ferries look like costing much more than the new CalMac vessels

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From EUUSATODAY, today: Bids to build new plug-in Washington state ferries come in high It’s raising doubts about the state’s plans to construct up to five new hybrid-electric vessels with the $1.3 billion [£1 billion] lawmakers have set aside. Ferry system managers and state budget writers in Washington took a cold wave over the bow Monday upon opening the bids to construct up to five new hybrid electric ferries. “I don’t see how you get to five. There’s money for three [160 car vessels] on a good day,” said state House Transportation Committee Chair Jake Fey, D-Tacoma. The Washington Legislature … Continue reading New US hybrid ferries look like costing much more than the new CalMac vessels

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Would Anas Sarwar prefer we gave that £1bn ferry spend to loan companies, for shareholder dividends and in exec bonuses instead of investing in state-of-the-art ferries built in Scotland?

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Professor John Robertson OBA In Tory Lord Ashcroft’s Holyrood Mag today and being spread over the other media: SNP has presided over ‘£1bn ferry fiasco’ says Anas Sarwar – The Scottish Labour leader said the SNP “cannot be trusted with the public’s money” at the weekly FMQs session. But First Minister John Swinney said there were “stringent controls over government finances”, as he pointed to the delivery of balanced budgets each year since his party took office.  He was under fire from both main opposition party leaders after it was revealed the cost of the two new ferries for the Clyde … Continue reading Would Anas Sarwar prefer we gave that £1bn ferry spend to loan companies, for shareholder dividends and in exec bonuses instead of investing in state-of-the-art ferries built in Scotland?

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Portuguese ferry company buys 10 electric ferries but only 1 battery, then the wrong batteries, then discovers the cannot cope with tides

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Professor John Robertson OBA, European Ferry Correspondent From Portugal Resident today: Agonising months of ups and downs with Lisbon’s electric ferry fleet have found a new explanation, if not any useful solution: they were not constructed for the work they are currently struggling to perform. “They should be sailing on lakes”, writes tabloid Correio da Manhã today. Tidal rivers like the Tejo are thus proving exceptionally challenging – as ferry passengers have found out to their intense frustration. Back in 2021, the €52.4 million purchase of 10 electric ferries quickly ran into trouble when it became clear that the state-owned Transtejo ferry … Continue reading Portuguese ferry company buys 10 electric ferries but only 1 battery, then the wrong batteries, then discovers the cannot cope with tides

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Scotland’s drinking water is the best in Europe and is ranked second in the world but not reported by ‘our’ media?

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By JB In February 2025 the Medical Travel Insurance specialists at AllClear released a report analyzing more than 2,000 Reddit comments identifying the most frequently mentioned destinations for the best-tasting tap water on Earth.  “After reviewing all the comments, the team found that Scotland was the most frequently mentioned destination in Europe and the second most mentioned location in the world. The report noted that travelers particularly praise the water from the Highlands and lochs, particularly Loch Katrine, for its “bottled-water taste.”  The Best Tap Water in the World, According to Reddit The best-tasting tap water in the world – AllClear Travel … Continue reading Scotland’s drinking water is the best in Europe and is ranked second in the world but not reported by ‘our’ media?

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STV and BBC let ‘campaigners’ use a survey of 0.002% of Scotland’s asthma sufferers to suggest asthma treatment is worse in the country where it’s clearly far, far better – Scotland

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Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland and STV have been platforming a survey of only 515 sufferers of Asthma in Scotland, to claim: Its 2025 survey Life With A Lung Condition, which questioned 515 asthma sufferers in Scotland, found only 30% of respondents were receiving basic asthma care, which the charity defined as having an annual asthma review, an inhaler technique check, and a written asthma plan. That is below the figure for the UK, where 32% of asthma sufferers receive this level of care. https://news.stv.tv/scotland/campaigners-call-for-fully-funded-lung-health-strategy-for-scotland As always, we are not told that this is, at most around 0.002% of … Continue reading STV and BBC let ‘campaigners’ use a survey of 0.002% of Scotland’s asthma sufferers to suggest asthma treatment is worse in the country where it’s clearly far, far better – Scotland

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49 year-old Canadian ferry causes Easter Monday ferry fiasco stranding 300 passengers

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the Economic Times of Canada, today: Holiday travel plans took a frustrating turn for many on Easter Monday as a key BC Ferries vessel, the Queen of Coquitlam, suffered a mechanical breakdown, leading to disruptions on the busy Langdale-Horseshoe Bay route. The incident, occurring around 1 pm Vancouver time, stranded passengers for approximately three hours and resulted in the cancellation of multiple sailings. Passenger Rohana Rezel, who was onboard with his family, described the unexpected halt after a timely departure. “They said once the tugboat gets here, it’s going to be about another 40 minutes … Continue reading 49 year-old Canadian ferry causes Easter Monday ferry fiasco stranding 300 passengers

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Yes, yes, but when you look at the facts globally, CalMac is the best deal for passengers in the world

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Herald today struggling to keep the flow of bad news on ferries going, ignores the wider facts: Has anyone in the Scottish media looked at any other ferry services in other parts which might be exemplars of how to do things? They haven’t? Thought so. Too tired? Here, I’ll do it. First, Calmac has 33 vessels in service, with 5 new ones imminent, for 5.3 million passengers and ticket prices kept low by the biggest government subsidies in the world. In sharp contrast: New Zealand – 4 cases of running aground, drifting toward rocks and hitting … Continue reading Yes, yes, but when you look at the facts globally, CalMac is the best deal for passengers in the world

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Now conveniently forgotten about by media and settlers – How the Scottish Government transformed the economies of Scotland’s island communities

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Professor John Robertson OBA Many thanks to Legerwood for reminding us of this The above chart from the Evaluation of Road Equivalent Tariff [RET] on the Clyde and Hebridean Network Prepared for Transport Scotland March 2020 reveals a massive increase in ferry usage to the islands with a consequent economic boost, but increasing costs for the taxpayer in lost revenue. The comparison is based on ticket sales only and takes no account of retail revenue, which is likely to have increased as a result of the increased numbers of passengers. What is the RET? In October 2008, Transport Scotland introduced … Continue reading Now conveniently forgotten about by media and settlers – How the Scottish Government transformed the economies of Scotland’s island communities

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South Uist islanders get a free lift to Oban cutting their travel time and effort to Glasgow but John Daniel Peteranna is still not happy and tells a big fat lie about the extra crossing time, unchecked by BBC Scotland

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Bob Lamont for alerting me to this. From BBC Scotland today: South Uist has been under particular pressure recently as state-owned ferry operator CalMac struggles with a shortage of ships while it awaits replacements for its ageing fleet. Winter maintenance has uncovered new problems with several vessels, forcing CalMac to rejig its schedules and move ferries onto different routes. Instead of sailing to Mallaig, it travels to Oban, 85 miles away from the normal scheduled port, which adds more than four hours to the crossing time. John Daniel Peteranna, from the South Uist Business … Continue reading South Uist islanders get a free lift to Oban cutting their travel time and effort to Glasgow but John Daniel Peteranna is still not happy and tells a big fat lie about the extra crossing time, unchecked by BBC Scotland

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Five years of threats, violence and death in Perth as English County Lines drugs gangs seize homes in towns and villages across rural Scotland but BBC Scotland will not report it

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Professor John Robertson OBA Today, the Courier reports the above. Notice that word in the last line? Yes, it’s another County Lines drug from an English city (there is no other type) gang bringing ‘threats, violence and death‘ to parts of Scotland which were formerly less familiar with such trauma. The County Lines business model provides new more powerful and cheaper drugs in small towns and villages, based on children acting as mules to bring the supply in on buses and trains, backed up by heavies from the cities to suppress any local opposition. Neither BBC Scotland nor BBC Scotland … Continue reading Five years of threats, violence and death in Perth as English County Lines drugs gangs seize homes in towns and villages across rural Scotland but BBC Scotland will not report it