amcluesent
Member
- Joined
- 19 Dec 2010
- Messages
- 877
Like all socialist administrations, the SNP despise the private motorist
Like all socialist administrations, the SNP despise the private motorist
Out of curiosity given the SNP's record on managing rail projects does anybody believe that they will be able to deliver their high speed line by 2024, two years ahead of the first phase of HS2.
The present SNP goverment in Holyrood is far less pro-rail than the coalition government they replaced. It was that Labour/Lib-Dem coalition that delivered legislation to re-open the Larkhall line, the Alloa line, Airdrie-Bathgate, the Borders Railway, Glasgow Airport Rail Link and Edinburgh Airport Rail Link. Immediately on coming to power as a minority government in 2007, the SNP cancelled the rail links to both Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports. Then they cheekily claimed credit for the re-opening of Airdrie-Bathgate.
Including the A9 dualling. Have you ever driven between Perth & Inverness?
On the subject of Airdrie-Bathgate, the pathetically poor usage of the line has not escaped the notice of Scotrail who have been sending one of their staff to conduct passenger counts.
Hopefully Scotrail will see sense and close this white elephant.
The official usage figures for last year look fairly healthy. A figure of more than 90,000 for Caldercruix station is far higher than many stations on the Shotts line, for example.
That's not ScotRail's decision to make.
I hardly think comparing the 'official' usage figures to stations like Breich is helpful.
You know what I mean. They can withdraw services.
On the subject of Airdrie-Bathgate, the pathetically poor usage of the line SNIP
My uncle in auchtarader goes on about it but to be honest I live in mid Wales and am forced into driving the a470/A483/A44 etc and can't see what the fuss is about
Hopefully Scotrail will see sense and close this white elephant.
Being as the route is now electrified and thus has very low operating costs... I fail to see how closing it is going to save significant amount of money.
Considering the very low cost of operating said units I would be very surprised if the service did not cover its operating costs.
The capital costs are already sunk, you can't trade the line improvements and electrification in for your money back.
Err, no. The SNP aren't known as the Tartan Tories for nothing.Like all socialist administrations, the SNP despise the private motorist
All the major rail investment came from the Socialists.
Heaven help us if independence goes ahead, where transport policy from the SNP is altered very shortly after a cash donation by man that campaigned to keep clause 28 donated it to them.
What most parties have in common is a position on the left or right of the political spectrum - but the nature of the SNP is that isn't the case: what its members (and core supporters) have in common is instead a belief in Scottish independence. Having said that, almost everyone in Scotland is to the left of the 2 big UK parties, so the SNPs stated policies (if nothing else) tend to be to the left of Scottish Labour
I had always assumed that after the referendum, the SNP would either be seen as a failure (and shrink drastically at the next election) or have achieved their main aim and therefore not need to exist as a party any more. Either way, I think they peak in 2014.
On the subject of Airdrie-Bathgate, the pathetically poor usage of the line has not escaped the notice of Scotrail who have been sending one of their staff to conduct passenger counts.
A-B services are absolutely heaving between Glasgow and Edinburgh with 6 -car sets at standing room only into Edinburgh and Glasgow during peak hours
The Bathgate to Edinburgh service and the Drumgelloch - Glasgow service were both pretty busy before the "gap" was completed.
The definition of "success" for the A-B line (for me) is how busy services between Airdrie and Bathgate are.
On the subject of Airdrie-Bathgate, the pathetically poor usage of the line has not escaped the notice of Scotrail who have been sending one of their staff to conduct passenger counts.
It doesn't take him long, he amuses himself for the rest of the journey by playing games on his smartphone.
Hopefully Scotrail will see sense and close this white elephant.
The SNP do seem to prioritise roadbuilding - I reckon about £4 billion's worth either built, under construction or in procurement.
Although a lot of that, too, was brought about by the pre-2007 Labour government (such as the M80 and M74 schemes).
What most parties have in common is a position on the left or right of the political spectrum
What most parties also have in common is that they get bought by wealthy donors with their own agenda, and to find out what a party really stands for, you need to know the interests of their donors. If it coincides with the interests of their voters, that would be merely coincidence.
I had a small amount of respect for Salmond and the SNP until I found out about the Souter connection
The Bathgate to Edinburgh service and the Drumgelloch - Glasgow service were both pretty busy before the "gap" was completed.
The definition of "success" for the A-B line (for me) is how busy services between Airdrie and Bathgate are.
I will add the opening of the entire Tram system in my former home town of Croydon in 2000
Nottingham Tram system in 2003.
Compared with Scotland still struggling to open their first tram system in Edinburgh.
Finally--Under construction in (under!) London at present is the Cross-Rail system
And by that definition it not a success. It's true to say that the Bathgate-Edinburgh and Airdire-Glasgow services can be standing-room-only at peak time, but that has always been the case before A-B was completed. But they is not relevant to the A-B services which - contrary to the claims of other people here - are commonly empty, even at peak times.
I advise any skeptics to take a ride on the A-B services some time to verify this. They will usually enjoy a carriage to themselves.
Out of curiosity given the SNP's record on managing rail projects does anybody believe that they will be able to deliver their high speed line by 2024, two years ahead of the first phase of HS2.