Letter: ScotRail off track

The somewhat self-laudatory remarks from managing director Steve Montgomery over First ScotRail being landed with a £447,000 fine (your report, 30 July) fails to mask the fact that this whopping sum will ultimately be paid by us, the fare-paying passengers.

Mr Montgomery might also take time to point out to Alex Neil MSP that the reason for last winter being "particularly challenging" was that the poor design of the train fleet operated by First ScotRail meant that trains couldn't run in freezing temperatures and snow - this at a time when bus services continued between equally snowbound Aberdeen and Braemar, the latter one of the coldest winter places in Scotland. This is the same train fleet that in summer has such poor air conditioning that passengers swelter.

GORDON CASELY

Hill Street

Aberdeen