Islanders know what to do about SNP’s complacency on ferries - Readers' Letters

The SNP believe they have the Highlands and Islands vote in their pockets, come what may; recent election results may suggest their confidence is justified.

The SNP don’t seem to be concerned about the ogoing ferry service problems, says a reader

Therefore, they consider it safe virtually to ignore the myriad transport problems with which those on the Scottish islands are plagued at present. Thus the ferry boats disaster is decided by Central Belt wallahs in the SNP who do not have a clue about the misery being undergone by the islanders and are only focused on how to break up the UK. The thinking appears to be: they will vote SNP anyway, why bother. This of course was the identical complacency that destroyed Labour.

The islanders will get a reaction to their problems when they realise that stopping voting for the party that treats them in this way does have an effect.

Alexander Mackay, Edinburgh

Passports plea

It is becoming very clear that vaccine passports are to be introduced throughout to give everyone peace of mind and reassurance that they are safe.

It is becoming mandatory and fully accepted as sensible for all employees involved in the caring industry to be vaccinated.

When oh when will the Scottish Government going to stop dithering and come off the fence over the issue and follow everyone else with support for a vaccine passport system?

Dennis Forbes Grattan, Bucksburn, Aberdeen

Unsung heroes

The current worry about stocking supermarkets underlines how important heavy goods vehicle transport is in the UK, and what a great job our wagon drivers do 365 days a year seven days a week trucking from one end of the country to another.

As we sleep, drivers will be clocking-on in the middle of the night or at dawn checking tyres, airlines, lights and tachographs and planning their route to their drop-off points where they may find a difficult blindside reverse awaiting them.

A heavy goods vehicle driver is a professional who has the safety of other road users as a priority when driving 44 ton trucks with a long stopping distance and poor traction in bad weather.

Drivers also have to meet deadlines and if late may have their cargo rejected, and have to park up, often by the roadside, even if they exceed their working time limit by a minute. Traffic congestion and road closures add to the stress level, as do spot checks, while the infrastructure to cope with heavies to allow drivers to rest, wash and refresh is sorely lacking and even finding a parking spot is problematic. HGV drivers are unsung heroes of the long roads.

William Loneskie, Lauder, Scottish Borders

Fracking blunder

When will the Greens, including their blind followers in the Scottish Government, apologise for rising coal use throughout Europe? Despite all the sustainable talk, coal has walked from ten per cent to 15 per cent of energy production this year due to gas shortages.

Gas was supposed to be the plentiful bridge fuel that would keep the lights on until renewable technology matured. It produces half the C02 coal does when burned. That was before the Greens demonised fracking and shrunk overall gas capacity, what a stunning own goal!

Gas prices are rocketing and unfortunately Scotland’s energy poor can’t burn Green sanctimony this winter. Customers will face soaring bills because the green lobby industry has led the Scottish Government by the nose.

Calum Miller, Prestonpans