YOUR VIEWS: Bus fares, Academy Street plans and A9 dualling
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Readers give their views on a range of local issues.
Rise in fares is self-defeating for Stagecoach
A price hike on bus fares by Stagecoach Highland is not going to attract new passengers.
Equally, this is a kick in the teeth to existing passengers who have suffered months of short notice cancellations.
Consistently, Stagecoach have timetabled beyond their capability.
Passenger numbers will only rise if the service offered is consistently reliable.
So, until that point, it’s self-defeating for Stagecoach to say that they have to raise fares due to declining passenger numbers.
James Rorison
Pinewood Court
Inverness
Any change can only be good for Academy Street
Courier columnist Colin Campbell queried whether “environmental extremism” was driving plans to reduce traffic using Academy Street.
“I am at a complete loss to understand what the problem is. No one parks on Academy Street. There are numerous car parks all around the city centre, for those who wish to shop in the city centre. None of which have to be accessed from Academy Street, in fact it’s easier to get to them from other routes. Currently Academy Street is a mess, with numerous traffic lights, yellow box junctions, bollards and road markings left over from the Covid routes. People ignore the yellow boxes, creating even more congestion. What are the business owners’ solutions, to the mess? Precisely how do they think they will lose business, since Academy Street is a through route and not a parking area?” – Fiona McIntyre, Daviot
Tribute paid to ‘the life and soul of the party’
Tributes were paid to Inverness resident and disability rights campaigner David Sansum following his unexpected death.
“I met David in Charleston Academy and I along with other friends called on him to come hang out after school. He always was a kind loving gentle understanding helpful young man and always the life and soul of any party. David’s smile and laughter could drown out the world’s pain and sadness and surround us all in love. Such a huge huge loss to all who met him. My thoughts are with his ever loving family.” – Lyn Bonner, Invergordon
Chaos shows lack of in interest in A9 dualling
Highland councillors backed calls for a public inquiry into the delay to A9 dualling.
“The chaotic administration of Scotland is exemplified in the lack of interest in the A9 dualling with its life saving potential and ease of access to and from the central belt and the newly acquired Freeport status conferred on Invergordon. How many Freeports are served by what is what is basically a single track road?” – John Craig, Rogart
Merger talk provides food for thought
The suggestion by Courier columnist Charles Bannerman that a merger between Inverness Caley Thistle and Ross County would at least make business sense, whatever fans thought, sparked plenty of debate.
“As a season ticket holder for 7 seasons (until my recent move to Orkney) at Ross County I have always been interested in what is happening inside and outside the club and talk of a merger is interesting. However, football mirrors society and we are all at a crossroads. Football in its current form is unsustainable, players earn too much money and this is even worse in England. As with any business, unless football lives within its means it cannot continue and a merger would not solve this issue. We also have the ludicrous issue of the old firm stranglehold on Scottish football where the financial gap between them and the rest means that Scottish football is not at all competitive. To have only Celtic or Rangers win the league in the last 38 years makes a mockery of Scottish football and it must be time for a change? There are many ways of achieving a better balance to make it more competitive! We need more fan involvement and say in what goes on at our clubs, football is not a standard business and its structure should recognise this. We need more transparency so that the issues at ICT are flagged up long before it has been. Ross County’s financial situation is also clouded in mystery where they seem to break even every year and no one seems to know if any money given to the club by its board members is a loan or not? I love Scottish football and want it to continue but it will not do so in its current form.” – Malcolm Purvis, North Ronaldsay
Battlefield stone cordoned off after damage
A famous memorial stone sought out by Outlander fans visiting Culloden Battlefield has been cordoned off following damage to the surrounding ground.
“It’s not the visitors, it’s more likely the little golf buggies being driven around. I’ve never seen anyone being disrespectful there. It’s just winter & any heritage site will get muddy.” – Krysha Payne
“Yes, the ground around the memorial is worn but that’s just because it’s popular because of Outlander. It’s not as if its been damaged or treated disrespectfully. Even the National Trust from Scotland posted a story to say they have just protected it to allow the grass to grow back over winter and will reopen in summer. People should just be thankful that tourists are visiting and particularly fans of Outlander who will certainly have helped fill the coffers for protecting the site from developers and maintaining its upkeep.” – Jonathan Mitchell
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