CalMac

[islaydarkblue]

Can it solve climate change?

Climate change is another myth which suits scientists and politicians to blame instead of doing their homework.
Back in tne 1980’s scientists were complaining about the shrinking ozone layer over the Antarctic and acid rain which was killing trees.
Now there is no mention of these problems as the scientists have now decided to ram ‘Climate Change’ down our throats.
The politicians and health experts in Dundee should be more concerned about the trunks of trees along the side of the Kingsway between the Old Glamis Road roundabout and the traffic lights at Forfar Road being black as a result of diesel fumes from HGVs driving along this stretch of road which is killing these trees.
I certainly would not fancy walking along that stretch of the Kingsway.
The fumes from these HGVs queuing up at the Forfar Road traffic lights could be affecting the health of people using the outdoor pitches at the Regional Performance Centre at Caird Park.
Transport Scotland bosses should have constructed a bypass of Dundee years ago.
If they run true to form these Transport Scotland bosses and Scottish Government ministers will say when it is too late “We should have done something about it”.

[islaydarkblue]

How much does the tourist industry in Scotland contribute to the UK central fund? Obviously not as much as Scotland receives back but it's another element of income to Westminster that you seem to ignore when ranting on about how Scotland receives funding via the Barnett Formula. Like most ranting unionists you forget that Scotland actually pays into central government as well as receiving from it.

Scotland receives a lot more funding from Westminster than it contributes.
The U.K. would be in a sorry state financially if London and the South East decided to leave the U.K. and become an independent country.
London and the South East contributes the most in taxes to the U.K. treasury in taxes and it is effectively bankrolling the rest of the U.K.

[Deeranged]

Climate change is another myth which suits scientists and politicians to blame instead of doing their homework.
Back in tne 1980’s scientists were complaining about the shrinking ozone layer over the Antarctic and acid rain which was killing trees.
Now there is no mention of these problems as the scientists have now decided to ram ‘Climate Change’ down our throats.
The politicians and health experts in Dundee should be more concerned about the trunks of trees along the side of the Kingsway between the Old Glamis Road roundabout and the traffic lights at Forfar Road being black as a result of diesel fumes from HGVs driving along this stretch of road which is killing these trees.
I certainly would not fancy walking along that stretch of the Kingsway.
The fumes from these HGVs queuing up at the Forfar Road traffic lights could be affecting the health of people using the outdoor pitches at the Regional Performance Centre at Caird Park.
Transport Scotland bosses should have constructed a bypass of Dundee years ago.
If they run true to form these Transport Scotland bosses and Scottish Government ministers will say when it is too late “We should have done something about it”.

Trees breathe through their leaves, which are generally well above the level of the diesel fumes being produced by the new cleaner diesel engines currently in use, and not through their bark which is simply a protective cover to prevent contaminants entering their xylem and phloem systems.

Any more nonsense to spout tonight Islay? I'm feeling a bit bored and really enjoy our discussions.

[Deeranged]

Scotland receives a lot more funding from Westminster than it contributes.
The U.K. would be in a sorry state financially if London and the South East decided to leave the U.K. and become an independent country.
London and the South East contributes the most in taxes to the U.K. treasury in taxes and it is effectively bankrolling the rest of the U.K.

Give me exact figures. Saying 'Scotland receives a lot more funding from Westminster than it contributes' isn't enough, I need data.

EDit - the data needs to be corroborated, your opinion isn't enough.

[Deeranged]

Climate change is another myth which suits scientists and politicians to blame instead of doing their homework.
Back in tne 1980’s scientists were complaining about the shrinking ozone layer over the Antarctic and acid rain which was killing trees.
Now there is no mention of these problems as the scientists have now decided to ram ‘Climate Change’ down our throats.
The politicians and health experts in Dundee should be more concerned about the trunks of trees along the side of the Kingsway between the Old Glamis Road roundabout and the traffic lights at Forfar Road being black as a result of diesel fumes from HGVs driving along this stretch of road which is killing these trees.
I certainly would not fancy walking along that stretch of the Kingsway.
The fumes from these HGVs queuing up at the Forfar Road traffic lights could be affecting the health of people using the outdoor pitches at the Regional Performance Centre at Caird Park.
Transport Scotland bosses should have constructed a bypass of Dundee years ago.
If they run true to form these Transport Scotland bosses and Scottish Government ministers will say when it is too late “We should have done something about it”.

If they were to construct a bypass would that not just shift the problem?

[islaydarkblue]

Is subsidising fares maybe not just some prudent investment to draw people into these areas (relatively) cheaply, enable their spending in support of local communities and, ultimately, the national income? Let's face it once a tourist lands on any island in Scotland they're a sitting duck for the local rip off merchants.

The local residents on the Scottish islands are also sitting ducks for the rip off merchants.
Last April (2022) my wife and I were in the Port Charlotte Hotel on Islay.
A pint of lager was £5 and an OVD was £4.50.
A can of Coca Cola was £3.
My wife and I were at the DSA Player of the Year dinner in the Invercarse Hotel ballroom last May (2022).
A pint of lager was £4.80 and an OVD was £3.75.
A can of Coca Cola cost £2.50.
Eating out on Islay is hopeless for local residents as the menus never change throughout the whole year.
That is OK for tourists staying for a week but no use for people living there all the year round.

[islaydarkblue]

If they were to construct a bypass would that not just shift the problem?

No. The traffic would be travelling through a rural area with few if any houses, not a built up area.
It would certainly get rid of the queues at the Strathmartine Road roundabout, Old Glamis Road roundabout and the traffic lights at Forfar Road.
In 1997 there were plans to construct a bypass of Dundee from the Swallow roundabout, round the back of Templeton woods and along the foothills of the Sidlaws joining the existing A90 near Tealing.
Sadly it never happened.

[islaydarkblue]

Give me exact figures. Saying 'Scotland receives a lot more funding from Westminster than it contributes' isn't enough, I need data.

EDit - the data needs to be corroborated, your opinion isn't enough.

It has been well documented in the press and media about the Scottish Government budget deficit figures using the GERS figures where there is a budget deficit of over £12k per person in Scotland which has to be bankrolled via the Barnett Formula.
The Scottish Government civil servants managed to over estimate how much money the Scottish Government would receive from Scottish taxation per annum.
This shortfall has been met by the U.K. Government but it is not planning to continue doing this forever.
The income that the Scottish Government receives from Scottish taxation is deducted from the block grant from Westminster which in my opinion defeats the purpose of having a Scottish taxation scheme in the first place.
People living in Scotland earning more than £27,000 per annum pay more tax than people living in the rest of the U.K. and also earning more than £27,000 per annum.

[islaydarkblue]

Trees breathe through their leaves, which are generally well above the level of the diesel fumes being produced by the new cleaner diesel engines currently in use, and not through their bark which is simply a protective cover to prevent contaminants entering their xylem and phloem systems.

Any more nonsense to spout tonight Islay? I'm feeling a bit bored and really enjoy our discussions.

I suggest that you take a walk along the Kingsway between the Old Glamis Road roundabout and the traffic lights at Forfar Road and see things for yourself. There is a least one dead tree along this stretch of the Kingsway.

[islaydarkblue]

Does this £128m mean the we mainlanders subsidised you island dwellers to the tune of £124 m ( £128m less the £4m profit.

Not sure I really support this level of subsidy. I think about 60000 people stay ion the island catered for by CalMac. that works out at a wee bit over £2000 per resident.

According to the Calmac Ferries Limited annual accounts for the year ending 31st March 2021 Calmac Ferries Limited received £156,617,000 from the Scottish Government.