''£1.3m for the Eye Pavilion is money well spent' - Your views online

More than £1.3 million has been spent maintaining Edinburgh's Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion since the building was deemed no longer fit for purpose in 2014. And with the new eye hospital to replace it not due to open until 2026, the fear is lots more money will have to be poured into a building which has no future.

The Princess Alexandria Eye Pavilion was considered no longer fit for purpose seven years ago

Lesley Anne Cronin: It’s well worth the money spent on it – the service is brilliant. It’s also well connected with buses from all over going to the West End and then another bus straight to the door.

Steve Douglas: I was travelling from Inverness to Edinburgh a couple of years ago and realised I had an eye problem. The staff saw me that evening and scheduled me for a detached retina the next morning I have nothing but praise for the hospital and would suggest £1.3m is more than worth it.

George Smith: Think how much is being spent on Westminster. £1.3m is just a drop in the ocean.

Natasha D’Arcy: Keep it in Edinburgh. The majority of people attending won’t be able to drive to an appointment because there is an issue with their sight! Transport is so much easier in Edinburgh.

Kris Rowze: Should move it to Livingston.

Kathy Aliberti: The lady I was visiting yesterday is 90 and has dementia. She has a severe eye problem and limited mobility. She can take a short taxi journey to the eye hospital. How would she get to Livingston? The majority of attendees at the eye hospital are elderly and if they have eye problems driving is out and navigating public transport is difficult.

Andrew Cross: With so many high-quality specialists and technicians now in the Eye Pavilion, how many of them would move out to the "backwaters" of Livingston, when there are top hospitals and research establishments around the world where they would be taken them all on in a flash. Edinburgh Opthalmology would descend from being world-class leaders into third tier treatment, and people in Scotland would suffer. It may not be as sexy as other projects, or as understood as what to what could be lost if care isn't taken, but if you're in danger of losing your sight, now or in the future, then you might like to think about how to rebuild, as promised in Edinburgh.

Gavin Spence: It should be moved out of where it is. Get it to someplace that has room parking and easy access. This idea that it must be Edinburgh isn’t right these days. There are other options. It can still be associated with the prestigious eye hospital. If I need eye treatment it matters not if it’s located in Edinburgh, Livingston or wherever just as long as they can do the treatment.

Kay Resarf: Over seven years, £1.3m is proportionally acceptable for a service that's needed.

Davie Chalmers: I'd say that is totally acceptable for now for such a vital service and that the authorities should be ashamed given the multi-millions spent on white elephants around the city.

Paul Burgess: The Eye Pavilion is fantastic. They provide a first-class service in a city centre location with great transport links. Why even report how much has been spent on maintenance? It sounds like a drop in the ocean in the overall NHS budget. Any replacement building must be easy to access for the patients, many of whom have very poor eyesight.

Stuart Fleming: It’s a fairly standard amount for maintaining a large hospital building. Do people expect zero maintenance buildings?

Peter Anderson: Money well spent. This is a place that should be kept open – something that enriches a lot of people's lives.

Taxi trade

Bolt – the UK’s second largest ride-hailing app – is set to launch launch in Edinburgh. A third of Bolt’s initial city fleet are electric or hybrid vehicles.

Paul Hood: Another private hire company ramping up fares when the demand is at its peak. Why Edinburgh City Council allows this is beyond me when proper taxis need to run on the meter.

Rod Johnston: Here where I live these days in Dundee private hire cars have meters and the same tarriffs as normal taxis.

Callum Brown: Professional black cabs only for me. This council has undermined and deregulated this trade for years. Now we have a city full of total amateurs trying to do a professional’s job

Nicholas Burns Cumming: Why would you? Black cabs every time.

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