Comments on: SNP Priorities http://drnoble.co.uk/archives/2008-05-02/snp-priorities/ Donald Noble's internet presence, with his random ramblings on life, web-design, recipes, photos and more Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:34:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Simon http://drnoble.co.uk/archives/2008-05-02/snp-priorities/#comment-12283 Simon Sun, 04 May 2008 19:25:43 +0000 http://drnoble.co.uk/?p=253#comment-12283 Didn't understand your last comment! I see where you're coming from about shifting stuff from the road to the rail. But for a major road artery it should be dual carriageway as most of the rest of the country is. Even with less traffic, it's a dangerous road. The tramlink may be cost-effective, but you still have to change, and couldn't travel, for instance, from Glasgow or Inverness to Embra airport without having to change somewhere or go into the city centre and out. Didn’t understand your last comment!

I see where you’re coming from about shifting stuff from the road to the rail. But for a major road artery it should be dual carriageway as most of the rest of the country is. Even with less traffic, it’s a dangerous road.

The tramlink may be cost-effective, but you still have to change, and couldn’t travel, for instance, from Glasgow or Inverness to Embra airport without having to change somewhere or go into the city centre and out.

]]> By: Donald http://drnoble.co.uk/archives/2008-05-02/snp-priorities/#comment-12282 Donald Sun, 04 May 2008 10:44:08 +0000 http://drnoble.co.uk/?p=253#comment-12282 Given that there is a limited budget available, it should be focused on the most sustainable routes, which I would argue is the railway line between Perth and Inverness. By moving passenger and freight traffic from the A9 to the railway, it also improves the A9. Dualling the A9 does not improve the railway network. The tram link to the airport is also the most cost-effective solution to that transport need. (Fixed the text wrapping issue - there was a text wrap, but your browser was to narrow. I have amended the theme code so that the textarea now fills the available space.) Given that there is a limited budget available, it should be focused on the most sustainable routes, which I would argue is the railway line between Perth and Inverness. By moving passenger and freight traffic from the A9 to the railway, it also improves the A9. Dualling the A9 does not improve the railway network.

The tram link to the airport is also the most cost-effective solution to that transport need.

(Fixed the text wrapping issue – there was a text wrap, but your browser was to narrow. I have amended the theme code so that the textarea now fills the available space.)

]]> By: Simon http://drnoble.co.uk/archives/2008-05-02/snp-priorities/#comment-12281 Simon Sat, 03 May 2008 18:36:40 +0000 http://drnoble.co.uk/?p=253#comment-12281 While I accept your environmental points about EARL and the A9, I would argue that we need all routes - rail, road and air - open and fully active. This will strengthen our economy and give the rest of the world better access to Scotland and the Highlands, and vice-versa. Of course the railways should be better, significantly better, to the extent that they are the preferred route not just environmentally but economically (price and time). But that doesn't mean that other routes shouldn't be available too where necessary. Incidentally, there's no word wrap in your comment boxes :) While I accept your environmental points about EARL and the A9, I would argue that we need all routes – rail, road and air – open and fully active. This will strengthen our economy and give the rest of the world better access to Scotland and the Highlands, and vice-versa.

Of course the railways should be better, significantly better, to the extent that they are the preferred route not just environmentally but economically (price and time). But that doesn’t mean that other
routes shouldn’t be available too where necessary.

Incidentally, there’s no word wrap in your comment boxes :)

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