Former taxi-driver/bus driver states his views and Starlink reiterates case
23, 05 08 12:40
Mr Beech considers that 6 buses an hour passing through Leuchars is enough. If that were so, though, would not the newly-expanded car-park at Leuchars be emptying, rather than still overflowing? And he notes that many of the buses run under capacity. But surely both these points suggest that rail passengers prefer to use cars? He questions the claim that trains are more comfortable than buses, or that bus fares between St Andrews and Leuchars are perceived as expensive compared with the rail fares, yet these are not the views of the Starlink campaign but of respondents to the questionnaire.
Mr Beech took issue with Jane Ann Liston's comments on Reporting Scotland about the traffic tailback on Easter Monday, blaming it instead upon roadworks and temporary traffic lights. Might it not just be due to the thousands of extra cars? Certainly there was no suggestion that the May Day gridlock was caused by anything other than an excessive number of vehicles.
In the same column Jane Ann Liston, Starlink convenor, wrote,
'The Starlink (St Andrews Rail Link) campaign is for the good of people who live in, work in or visit St Andrews rather than to benefit rail buffs, trainspotters or steam heritage devotees. It is surely a matter of common sense that such a major generator of income for the Scottish economy as St Andrews be made as easily accessible as possible by fast, modern public transport.
However the fact remains that the ability to reach St Andrews by train would be a great advantage for the town and its businesses, residents and visitors, commuters and students. It is therefore high time that a proper exercise was carried out by transport experts to ascertain the best way of bringing this about.'
Mr Beech took issue with Jane Ann Liston's comments on Reporting Scotland about the traffic tailback on Easter Monday, blaming it instead upon roadworks and temporary traffic lights. Might it not just be due to the thousands of extra cars? Certainly there was no suggestion that the May Day gridlock was caused by anything other than an excessive number of vehicles.
In the same column Jane Ann Liston, Starlink convenor, wrote,
'The Starlink (St Andrews Rail Link) campaign is for the good of people who live in, work in or visit St Andrews rather than to benefit rail buffs, trainspotters or steam heritage devotees. It is surely a matter of common sense that such a major generator of income for the Scottish economy as St Andrews be made as easily accessible as possible by fast, modern public transport.
However the fact remains that the ability to reach St Andrews by train would be a great advantage for the town and its businesses, residents and visitors, commuters and students. It is therefore high time that a proper exercise was carried out by transport experts to ascertain the best way of bringing this about.'