Railway managers should tour network and see real problems passengers face

Congratulations to Alastair Dalton for his perceptive account of the need to invest in the congested single track railway system north of Inverness (Inside Track, 8 July). Experiencing first hand the issues affecting different parts of the country is essential to obtain a fully rounded picture.

Might Scotrail Alliance and Transport Scotland officials from Glasgow also be encouraged to do the same please? Then we would have no more promises of rail replacement buses to offroad stations such as Corrour and Altnabreac, and perhaps more urgency in fully modernising the Highland Main Line (HML) to Inverness, which was promised as a priority nearly eight years ago in the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

We are now nearly halfway through the CP5 funding period and the work to be done before it ends in March 2019 has still not been announced. Both the HML and Inverness to Aberdeen lines need double-tracking to properly cope with demand from passenger and freight traffic. The regulatory Office of Rail and Road has recently expressed serious concerns about lack of progress with both lines.

Working from Inverness for a few days might be an eyeopener. Maybe managers and officials should go back to Glasgow the long way round, via Aberdeen, to experience also the shortcomings of the only existing diversionary route? As Mr Dalton says, “It made me realise what a twotier railway service we have in Scotland”.

RJ ARDERN Southside Road

Inverness Scotland’s railways do seem to now be in a rather sorry state, not helped by the present unnecessary industrial action which is seeing many nonstrike days trains cancelled owing to staff shortages. Some of these routes are on key tourist attractions which are not well served by other forms of public transport, however, over half of the remaining cancelled services appear to be down to train set faults or repeated lineside equipment failures, the latter being the responsibility of Network Rail, which has the same managing director as Scotrail. While the Holyrood politicians clamber over nearly everything they seem to be singularly silent on the railway disaster affecting most of Scotland, and in particular, the tourist trade to the Highlands, West Coast and the Borders. COLIN C MACLEAN Hillpark Avenue

Edinburgh The Scotrail strike issue could be easily settled. The RMT union asserts that having drivers operate doors causes a safety problem.

The RMT should present the evidence to support their position. If it is convincing then the change should not be implemented. If the evidence does not support the RMT’S position, Scotrail should proceed with the proposed changes but commit to a full safety assessment at some point in the future. Either way, there is no need for a strike.

In any case, the Scottish Government should be brokering a solution DOUG GRAHAM

Caiyside Edinburgh