Letters: Take note, Scottish cash is not welcome everywhere

Considering the small amount I decided to pay with cash. So I took out a £20 note and presented it. The steward froze and his face darkened.

He looked at my banknote and exclaimed: “Scottish, we only take English money.” I suggested Scottish must be akin with English.

He raised his voice and repeated: “English!” So up with the credit card.

My advice to Scottish passengers embarking upon a Norwegian flight in the Scottish capital is clear. Remember to bring English money.

Nils W Liljestrand, Varlose, Denmark

It’s time to derail the gravy train

SCOTLAND will lose seven MPs in proposals to reduce the number of MPs in the UK to 600. Not nearly enough!

The European Union has 737 MEPs controlling our laws and almost every aspect of our lives.

The EU imposes more than 85 per cent of its laws so, unless we leave the EU, we do not need so many UK politicians and their staffing levels and escalating expenses (wives, relations and duck houses). We have 750 in the House of Lords, 658 MPs, 129 MSPs, 60 Welsh Assembly members and 108 in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

That is an unsustainable 1705 members.

There are more than 22,000 councillors at local authority level who are generously paid. We need to make significant cuts.

Remember politicians saying, “We are all in this together”?

There needs to be a meaningful cull of politicians, councillors and hangers on.

Where is the political party with the guts to propose significant savings?

I dream that the “gravy train” will be derailed.

Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow

A serene scene without traffic

WALKING along Princes Street the other day I couldn’t help but think how tranquil and serene the area was without the thundering noise of traffic to stress you out.

This lack of traffic made me wonder how beneficial restricted traffic within the city centre might be.

On the subject of traffic, as there will be no free parking over the festive season in town, this might actually have indirect benefits in that motorists who choose to leave their cars might be all the more relaxed and may as a result spend more money in the shops and as its the party season there may be fewer instances of drink-driving offences.

Angus McGregor, Albion Road, Edinburgh

Delays on bridge made users cross

THE Forth Road Bridge bosses were just a wee bit slow in apologising for the unwarranted traffic delays, especially on the Sunday (News, October 14).

Grandparents missed christenings, guests missed 90th dinner parties all because of bad bridge management.

There was no sign at Barnton or Newbridge telling drivers to divert via the M9/A9 to Stirling. Just what do management do with all the moneys poured into their budgets? A very bad show indeed reflecting badly on Scotland’s road management.

Colin C Maclean, Hillpark Avenue, Edinburgh

Making a meal of journey by bus

I DID not know you could eat on Lothian Buses. I was on a bus in midweek and there were teenagers eating filled rolls, and drinking juice. The driver could not have failed to notice them.

In between filling their faces they were making one heck of a noise. At one point one of them must have spilled juice, as it ran beneath the seats the length of the bus on my side. As I started to move my feet, the soles of my shoes were all sticky.

I wonder what would have happened if I had pointed it out to the driver.

Will this eating and drinking juice occur on our trams when they start running? I would hate to think so as the system has cost us enough.

Drivers should keep their eyes open more.

Margaret Paterson, Lochend