Border rail link

In reply to Dr Crockett (Letters, 10 March), to paraphrase Mandy Rice-Davies, "he would say that, wouldn't he?" For too long we have been fed the line that the Border Railway will be an economic lifeline. Pray tell me where all these businesses are that will rush to the Borders because we have a railway. As for his assumption that buses are cramped and noisy – when did he last travel on a bus?

If I wanted to go to Edinburgh it would be for a little "retail therapy". I'm hardly going to travel three miles the "wrong way" to park at Tweedbank and then wrestle with bags and packages coming back when I can either use the car or the very convenient bus stop outside my home.

SHERRY M FOWLER

Magdala Terrace

Galashiels

Dr Richard Crockett (Letters, 10 March) is wrong to describe the current bus service to the Borders as offering "third-world conditions".

I travelled by bus from Edinburgh to Hawick recently. There was no livestock in the passenger compartment, no-one was hanging on to the outside of the bus, we were not intercepted by bandits, and the driver was qualified and competent.

RICHARD LUCAS

54 Cowan Road

Edinburgh