Letters: Bus firm should get on board with all of Lothians’ needs

I would like to ask the managing director of Lothian Buses Ian Craig why the council tax payers in South Queensferry and surrounding areas do not benefit from the same kind of service.

Lothian Buses withdrew from providing a service to South Queensferry about 14 years ago. We rely on First Buses to provide transport into Edinburgh city centre. I can bet my next month’s salary that First will not cancel this route especially as it costs around £5 for a peak time return ticket. It must be one of the most profitable routes they run. Compare this to a day ticket on Lothian Buses of around £3.20 which means I can take a bus from Barnton, which is the nearest point I can get a Lothian bus, and ride it all the way to Tranent or Penicuik.

I recently asked the Lord Provost Councillor George Grubb, who lives in South Queensferry, why Lothian Buses does not run a service to South Queensferry and he replied there is no demand for another bus service. So much for healthy competition, First has a monopoly on this route and can charge what it likes. Councillor Grubb has been fortunate to be driven around in a £50,000 BMW courtesy of council tax payers for the last five years. Let us see how long he maintains his stance now he has given up his seat and will have to mingle with the rest of the us.

Perhaps the new council will see fit to run a Lothian Bus to service us, cancel the trams and plough the remaining money into improving public transport and tidying up the roads mess for which the previous administration was responsible.

Kevin Connolly, Echline View, South Queensferry

Make drunks pay for service abuse

Regarding the article “Have we got the bottle to tackle our booze problem? (News, May 2), I have an easy solution for people who get voluntarily drunk and use up valuable ambulance and police resources, either through illness or fighting.

If the government passed legislation that allowed hospitals and police stations to bill people who use up their time, it would soon stop.

I’ll bet any money that if people were forced to pay for hospital/police time from their own pocket they wouldn’t be in such a hurry to take these services for granted.

Why should people who are ill or in trouble through no fault of their own be deprived of vital services that have been held up by someone who has taken up these services through their own fault?

Alan Lough, Boroughdales, Dunbar

Brave Ciara is a true inspiration

I WANTED to wish 15-year-old Ciara McGearey from Redford the best of luck in her training to walk a mile for Poppyscotland (Inspirational Ciara’s going extra special mile for dad, News, May 1).

Meningitis can strike with incredible speed and the symptoms are notoriously difficult to detect. For these reasons, at Meningitis UK we believe prevention is the only way to truly eradicate the disease and developing a preventative vaccine is our focus.

Our Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign aims to raise £7 million to fund lifesaving research into eradicating all forms of meningitis.

In the absence of a vaccine, we also distribute material to raise awareness of the symptoms and the need to act quickly, which can mean the difference between life and death.

If any of your readers would like a symptoms information pack or to find out more about supporting our campaign, they can call 0117 947 6320 or visit www.meningitisUK.org

Kate Rowland, chief executive, Meningitis UK

Filthy signs give streets bad name

While driving around the Old and New Town, I have noticed the filthy condition of Edinburgh’s street names.

How can we have a beautiful city for tourists if they cannot read the names of the street on such mucky signs?

Could we not have some of those people placed on community service clean up those plates on buildings?

Jean K Bell, Bellevue Street, Edinburgh