Readers' Letters: UK Covid Inquiry is asking the wrong questions

We are at present suffering through the UK Covid Inquiry while by all accounts several strains of the disease are still running rampant throughout the country.

UK Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove was yesterday's big name at the UK Covid-19 Inquiry held in Edinburgh (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The general public don’t know this, of course, because no one is on TV daily to tell us that it is and what we need to do to stay safe and protect the vulnerable. In fact, the very basis of the Covid Inquiry should be to investigate how well we were prepared to cope with the onset of a killer virus, the benefits of the various actions taken and advice so we can be prepared for a similar event in the future.

No doubt there are large numbers of the public titillated by the shortcomings of our leaders shown up by those giving evidence. A further large number are aghast at the failure of the Inquiry to focus on what should be its main purpose – information. I still don’t know for certain whether the virus is spread through air droplets spread through coughing, by physical contact with an individual currently infected or by contact with a surface, for example a door handle that carries infection due to the poor hygiene of others – or indeed, all of these.

Is the current Covid Inquiry going to delve into this or do we assume that the actions advised, such as stay at home, avoid meeting in large numbers etc were the correct actions and they kept us all safe. Patently the number of deaths and subsequent spikes in cancer and other illness requiring hospitalisation, let alone the negative impact on the economy, suggest that these actions were not sensible for the country as a whole or the public at large.

So, where do we go from here? The present Covid Inquiry suggests we will muddle through as we always do.

A Lewis, Coylton, Ayrshire

Out of step

The USA is among a host of leading countries that has suspended its UNRWA funding after allegations that 12 of their staff had been involved in the 7 October terror attacks on Israel. Canada, Italy and 11 other countries, including the UK, are following suit. There was even a message from the Scottish Government stating their concern over the UNRWA revelations. And yet Humza Yousaf is pushing for keeping up the payments from a separate Scottish fund for overseas aid, oblivious to the concerns of others.

UNRWA, of course, are the people to whom the First Minister of Scotland, it appears without due diligence and certainly without reference to anyone else, handed over an initial £750,000 of our taxes in a period when addicts were dying on our frozen streets and our poor were getting poorer.

Just when you think Scotland has reached rock bottom under the SNP, you can be almost certain something murkier will appear.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

Escalating war

Once again the UK government pretends to be a superpower, hanging on to the coat-tails of the out-of-order US government. We are as a result complicit in escalating the war in the Middle East, while our European friends refuse to do so. Until the US stops sending arms and restrains the out-of-control Benjamin Netanyahu from the slaughter of innocent Palestinians, things will only get worse.

Rishi Sunak saying we are attacking the Houthis “in self-defence” is just wrong. It’s obvious that the Houthi attacks are focused on countries which support the Israeli position.

Denying a two-state solution, ignoring pleas from allies for restraint and saying Israel will continue to have security control over all land shows that Netanyahu is not a trusted partner. Now the irresponsible inaction in regards to Netanyahu and irresponsible actions against the Houthis are leading to an increase in support for the Houthis and Hamas.Our increasingly extreme right wing UK government seems to be incapable of diplomacy and strategic thinking that might lead to peace, preferring instead to adopt a macho approach which they probably feel will suit their election chances.

Andrew Turnbull, Kinnoull, Perth

Messenger shot

It’s significant that all three separatist contributors published on Saturday (Letters, 27 January) objected to press coverage of Scottish Government scandals.Robert Farquharson refers to “the current media hysteria” over revelations of shifty SNP communications during the pandemic. D Jamieson mocks “routine bad ferry news”. And Stan Grodynski complains bitterly of “politically slanted headlines” about the canine XL Bully shenanigans.

They are clearly furious that the serial failings of a political movement are being exposed to public scrutiny, which is an essential function of reporters and news editors in any free, democratic society. Would they be happier if these matters were conveniently ignored or swept under the carpet?

Had a Unionist party been responsible for such goings-on, these very same individuals would have expressed outrage, thundering that “the people of Scotland” deserved better than this and demanding another referendum. What shameless hypocrisy.

Martin O’Gorman, Edinburgh

Off their trolley

On Thursday Edinburgh City Council examines feasibility plans for a north-south extension of the tram network, which after a difficult gestation is now an operational and environmental success, replacing dozens of diesel buses.

However, a search of council plans shows nothing on trolleybuses – a crucial omission. It is a fundamental weakness of any urban transport feasibility study to consider heavy trams as the sole modal system. The greatest source of cost overruns on the tram project were (easily predictable) problems with ancient streets and utilities requiring excavation, re-routing, protection and re-instatement. Few of these problems arise with much lighter overhead-powered trolleybuses.Dozens of European cities use trolleybuses: state-of-the-art electric vehicles with similar passenger capacity to the current Edinburgh heavy trams. They run on rubber tyres and are steered to the kerb by a driver like a normal bus, freeing up traffic.

But their massive advantage is that, needing no tracks, they can be operational in a matter of months rather than decades. The only construction required is new overhead power cables. Future variants may have hybrid batteries allowing them to detach from the power supply for more remote routes, serving more of the city.

Obviously, the cost saving is vast, and the time-saving crucial as climate change worsens (the hottest recorded January day came on Sunday at Kinlochewe in Wester Ross). The fact that trams to Newhaven, Edinburgh Trams, council officials, convenors and committee members did not evaluate trolleybus options further demonstrates the lack of top-flight project management and technical expertise in Edinburgh public transport.

A few people object to the loss of Edinburgh's “Innertube” green paths network under the plans. But in France most tramways incorporate cycle-walkways.

Edinburgh must drastically reduce vehicle traffic emissions, and attractive modern green transport is the only alternative. Those now considering building a North-South tram network will be under enormous pressure to avoid the mistakes of the past. One option which is highly likely to help them do that would be trolleybuses.

Bruce Whitehead, South Queensferry, Edinburgh

Ferry forays

In the discussion about the upgrade of Ardrossan harbour and the forthcoming diversion of the ferry to Troon, as usual, the plight of environmentally friendly foot passengers appears to be being ignored.

A little history: Ardrossan Winton Pier station was closed in the 1980s and replaced by Ardrossan Harbour station about 200 yards further away from the ferry berth. Since then it has been a bit of a scramble for passengers to get off the train and reach the boat and vice versa, especially since the removal of the combined train and ferry ticket last year, but in general, most passengers transfer fairly easily, albeit having to move fairly smartly. However, Troon railway station is about two miles from the ferry berth, a not inconsiderable distance to manage with holiday luggage.

It was claimed that foot passengers will be bussed from railway station to the boat, though as yet it is not at all clear whether there will be a continuous shuttle or buses (how many?) timed to meet specific trains and boats, or what restrictions on luggage conveyed there will be (prams? golf buggies? bicycles?).

Are CalMac even sure they will be able to find enough buses to transfer all the foot passengers between train and boat for however long it takes to make Ardrossan safe and big enough to accommodate the two Glens? How will it be ensured buses will not be caught in traffic jams, especially if the ferry operations from Troon overlap with the Open Championship's visit this July? Will cyclists be advised of a safe route, should they prefer to pedal ’twixt train and boat, rather than take the bus?

With foot passengers having to get themselves and luggage off the train, get to the bus, stow their luggage, disembark and collect their luggage at the ferry terminal and then board, it is highly likely many will choose to drive instead for a hassle-free crossing.

It would, by the way, be great were CMAL to reverse the error made in the 1980s and move the railway station nearer to the ferry berth; then, more might choose to leave the car at home. Oh, and a cafeteria too, please, for those of us having to take several buses and trains to reach Ardrossan in the first place, especially given we will now have to arrive even earlier to allow time to buy our ferry tickets.

Jane Ann Liston, St Andrews, Fife

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