Free bus travel for some – not all

SNP schools score is less than zero

CATRIONA Stewart is probably right to say that one’s journey would become less ordinary and more diverting if Tom Jones, Lulu, or Mick Jagger jumped on to share the bus journey, or Prince Philip for that matter (“The elderly have every right to fare treatment”, The Herald, March 31). However, she is incorrect to state baldly that “the ones who don’t need free bus travel don’t use it”. I can think of the following examples: – those over 60 in full-time employment making use of free bus travel;

– those paying the higher rate of tax in retirement having bus passes;

– pensioners and their spouses/partners with joint incomes, which should inhibit, particularly in these impecunious times, the availability of free public transport of any kind.

In view of the spiralling costs of free bus travel, it is time for politicians to cut to the chase and amend the scheme to the following effect: – raise the qualifying age from 60 to 65; – make those in full-time employment ineligible for free bus travel;

– introduce a basic daily usage charge of 25p for all cardholders;

Finally, I believe those already in receipt of a bus pass should be allowed to retain it. Ian W Thomson, 38 Kirkintilloch Road, Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire. THE comments on the SNP’S record on education by Johann Lamont and Ruth Davidson were incorrect (“Salmond attacked on party’s schools record”, The Herald, March 30).

They forgot to mention that class sizes in English and maths in first and second year of secondary school were reduced from a maximum of 30 to 20. Subsequently they have been allowed to rise to 30 in most, if not all, Scottish local authority schools.

What has happened to the money given to local authorities to fund this change? Not “zero out of five”, but minus one should be the score for the Government’s record on education. Ewan Henderson, 18 Somnerfield Court, Haddington, East Lothian.