Free public transport is a total no-brainer

Richie Venton: Free public transport would benefit people and the planet

Yes! The cost would be paid for many times over by reduced congestion, less land needed for parking, and reduced road maintenance and building costs. It’s a total no-brainer. Benefits everyone. A developed country is not one where the poor have cars, but where the rich use public transport.

Harry Sillitto

I have a free bus pass but I drive to work. My journey is 25 minutes each way. By bus it would be nearly two hours each way and the earliest bus in the morning would get me there 45 minutes late. Privatisation doesn’t work. Ros Lauchland

I’ve just completed the SPT survey which has to be submitted by May 13. Please add your voice too! Public transport should be a service run for the good of the people – who should therefore own it and hold it to democratic account.

Richie has identified many benefits, not least to individual lives and the local economy.

On a personal note, I’d add that we moved house three years ago because we have no car and our only (single-route) First Bus service deteriorated so much that it was completely unreliable and hence useless, 0 to 3 buses arriving at any time, if at all.

Let’s learn from other countries as well as Lothian Buses and build a service that is owned and controlled by us!

Shirley Sampson

Shona Craven: Honesty is the best policy when debating taxation

I know it’s not at the heart of the article but I’m genuinely mystified as to why the press pack, including the normally sharply perceptive Shona, seems to have just accepted the SNP line that “uniting the party” is a burning issue.

There is certainly a widening chasm between the party and the indy movement but within the SNP? I wish someone would provide some evidence. The story of the last decade is there has been an abundance of uniformity at the demand of the ruling clique that still exists today.

Yes, there have been a few brave souls with the guts to stick their heads above the parapet only to receive a right royal monstering by the party’s faithful attack dogs.

And the many dissenters among the grassroots found all avenues previously open to them to voice their concerns were ruthlessly shut down by the so-called reforms put in place by Robertson and the previous CEO, leaving them no option but to quit and leave the docile, dwindling membership to nod through the ruling clique’s agenda.

Whatever problems the SNP has brought on itself, disunity ain’t one. It’s the lack of debate, openness to new ideas, challenging party orthodoxy or engaging in good faith with other parts of the indy family that’s the problem. Rather than addressing these, they’ve fallen in behind the continuity caretaker.

Kenzie Garnier Stewart