Tag: travel

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BBC England reveals that ScotRail had fewer cancellations, often far fewer, than any other other UK rail company in 2024

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I’m grateful to my old friend, workmate, dry humourist* and sandwich stealer, from events he hadn’t been invited to attend, Prof Mike Danson of UWS, for alerting me to this. Never to my knowledge reported by BBC Scotland, STV, the Scotsman or the Herald, this BBC England report from December 2024, reveals ScotRail, in 2024, to have had the lowest rate of cancellations of any UK train company, at 2.9%. You can check yourself with the link below but even those in the affluent South-East had 3.3%, everywhere else had around 4% and the North West had a shocking 6.5% … Continue reading BBC England reveals that ScotRail had fewer cancellations, often far fewer, than any other other UK rail company in 2024

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English financiers says ‘Scotland ‘subsidises’ London energy bills’ and it’s ‘better for Scots to pay over the odds than those living in the English capital’

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I missed this back in October 2024: Households in Scotland are paying higher energy bills than they ought to keep prices down south of the Border, according to experts at the Fuller Treacy Money investment strategy firm. In a newsletter arguing against zonal pricing, the firm’s owner Eoin Treacy [above] says it is better for Scots to pay over the odds than those living in the English capital. Zonal pricing, which has been considered by the UK Government in the past, would see places like Scotland – where lots of energy is produced but there is lower demand – pay cheaper … Continue reading English financiers says ‘Scotland ‘subsidises’ London energy bills’ and it’s ‘better for Scots to pay over the odds than those living in the English capital’

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Update – The sinking of the Solway Harvester – BBC Scotland fails to explore, even mention, the several unexplained factors including the nuclear submarine with the ‘distracted’ crew

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On the BBC Scotland website today but written by BBC News Isle of Man: Solway Harvester tragedy ‘still felt’ 25 years on – The loss of seven fishermen in Manx waters “is still keenly felt” a quarter of a century after the Solway Harvester tragedy, the chief minister has said. The crewmen, from the Isle of Whithorn area of Dumfries and Galloway, died when the the scallop dredger sank off the coast of Douglas on 11 January 2000. Skipper Andrew Mills (known as Craig), 29, his brother Robin Mills, 33, their cousin David Mills, 17, Martin Milligan, 26, John Murphy, … Continue reading Update – The sinking of the Solway Harvester – BBC Scotland fails to explore, even mention, the several unexplained factors including the nuclear submarine with the ‘distracted’ crew

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Maybe CalMac should call Trump and offer to take over the worst ferry service in the developed world

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By Professor John Robertson, International Ferry Correspondent Washington State has a population of 8 million, around 50% more than Scotland but it’s coastal islands off Seattle, sit in far milder and less stormy seas than on the West coast of Scotland. It’s GDP of around $680 billion is significantly higher than that of Scotland at $230bn (£187bn) but despite that Washington State Ferries (privately owned with dividend holders) may be the worst in the developed world. From King-TV Seattle, yesterday: Governor-elect Bob Ferguson boarded a state ferry Wednesday and sailed into uncharted waters on Wednesday. The state ferry system is sinking, with … Continue reading Maybe CalMac should call Trump and offer to take over the worst ferry service in the developed world

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Financial Ferry Fiasco in Tasmania as local funds are spent in Finland and Government ‘spruiks’ to cover up its bungles

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It’s a bit like BBC Question Time, filmed mostly in England and with Nigel Farage on the panel, counted as part of the BBC Scotland budget [It is! See below1] but the above much-delayed and inflated-cost ferry, built in Finland and stored at the cost of millions in Leith, over the winter, was supposed to benefit the local Tasmanian economy by using ‘local content’ but, from ABC Business, two days ago: Finnish-built ship engines have been included in the so-called “local content” in the new Spirit of Tasmania ferries. The delivery of the new ferries has dominated public discourse in … Continue reading Financial Ferry Fiasco in Tasmania as local funds are spent in Finland and Government ‘spruiks’ to cover up its bungles

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Farage divides the Scottish opposition vote to help the SNP win

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Professor John Robertson, Oliver Brown Award 2022, (Just after Sean Connery in 2012!) From my January 2025 column in Scots Independent, 99 years old this year (The paper not me!), non-party-aligned, on old-fashioned paper, to your door. The Story So Far November 1926 saw the launch, under the auspices of the Scots National League, of a new monthly Nationalist newspaper entitled The Scots Independent. Father and son, William and Ian Gillies, along with Tom H Gibson as Business Manager, set in motion what has proved to be, the longest surviving political newspaper in Scotland in the Twentieth Century — into … Continue reading Farage divides the Scottish opposition vote to help the SNP win

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NHS Scotland coping with THREE TIMES as many flu cases as Scotland shivers under Labour UK fuel allowance cuts and price increases

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From BBC Health, this morning: There is deep concern at a senior level in the NHS about rising rates of flu. The number of patients in hospital with flu continues to climb, according to latest NHS figures in England. Last week, the numbers averaged 5,407 a day – up from just under 4,500 the week before. As we mentioned a moment ago, the numbers in hospital have risen again over the past week, with nearly 5,000 beds occupied on average last week by patients struggling with the virus. NHS England’s emergency care director Prof Julian Redhead says there are no … Continue reading NHS Scotland coping with THREE TIMES as many flu cases as Scotland shivers under Labour UK fuel allowance cuts and price increases

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Sky News try to push the child grooming scandal north of the border with one Scot* out of thousands of victims

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Amazingly, Sky News and, I hear, Channel 4 News find a woman in Glasgow to talk about her experience of being groomed and raped. *That this took place in Glasgow, ten years ago or so, is not confirmed. It’s an amazing find. Until the recent (2002) abuse of 4 children of primary school age in Glasgow by 7 men, there is no report of anything like a ‘grooming’ gang with multiple victims in Scotland. Channel 4’s FACTCHECK in August 2014, makes no mention of Scotland or Glasgow, only: By date of conviction, we have evidence of such exploitation taking place … Continue reading Sky News try to push the child grooming scandal north of the border with one Scot* out of thousands of victims

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Major Canadian privatised ferry company persisting with far older fleet because it needs to pay bonuses and dividends, had to spend far more on maintenance than CalMac

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Thanks to JB for this link. From BC Ferries (Canada) January 31st 2024, the above aging fleet. CalMac has no large ferries over 50, only the about to be retired MV Isle of Arran at 41. All of the others are less than 40 and only five are over 25. There are six new larger ferries, built on the Clyde and in Turkey, due in service within the next year or so. BC Ferries will have none before 2030. BC Ferries has spent more than $130m on maintenance in the last 5 years, so perhaps $260m in the 10 years … Continue reading Major Canadian privatised ferry company persisting with far older fleet because it needs to pay bonuses and dividends, had to spend far more on maintenance than CalMac

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Ford Fiasco as Guardian reveals Scotland’s ferries cost ‘eye wateringly’ less to maintain than the average family car

johnrobertson834

I know, I’ve done this already but seeing it in the Guardian, the newspaper of academics and professionals, is a further example of their jaundiced and/or ill-informed coverage when it comes to Scotland but, usefully, prompts me to check if that is actually a lot to spend on maintenance. So, here we go, more sums, stay with me, Primary 5-level sums. The average family car: The average large ferry: Thus, average family car annual maintenance, per passenger, per mile, costs 2p, 7.14 times that of the average large ferry, per passenger per mile. Continue reading Ford Fiasco as Guardian reveals Scotland’s ferries cost ‘eye wateringly’ less to maintain than the average family car