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Big pay packets have been approved for top bosses at Lothian Buses. Interim managing director Sarah Boyd will have an annual salary of £180,000 – more than PM Rishi Sunak.

John Smith: She earns five times what a bus driver earns, yet you could put five bus drivers behind her desk and they could not perform her job adequately. I see no issue with this salary ratio. Smart people get paid more money. Fact of life.

Craig Wright: Some drivers would do a better job as they’d understand better the issues facing the workforce. You would be surprised just how knowledgeable some of the drivers are in regards to the industry, budgets, council meetings, targets etc.

Keith Spencer: How about sorting out the terrible timetable where you get four of the same bus at the same time then have to wait nearly an hour for another one.

Interim managing director Sarah Boyd is receiving less than her predecessor in the post

David Mckimmie: How can someone who’s not doing hard physical work earn that much money a year? Maybe she should be paid a nurse’s salary and give the nurses and NHS workers what she earns a year. I think they deserve it more.

Craig Docherty Smith: It’s ludicrous to suggest someone that does a physical job deserves better pay than someone that does not do a physical job.

Steven Robertson: Try training more drivers and getting more buses on the road and some of the routes back on. You don’t know where you are going on a bus these days.

Michael Linton: I would do the job for half that amount. That’s why the ones who actually do the work can’t get decent pay rises.

Tom MacDonald: Let’s assume a capable lady has just landed her dream job. She’s gonna crack on, regularly putting the job first in order to deliver. Yet here she is, pictured and private detail of her remuneration splashed across the media. People have no idea what stress, hours, intelligence, strategic thinking, qualifications, people management etc it takes to navigate such an important job. Take the what to do when an accident happens or even the coordination of health, safety and duty of care needed to avoid corporate manslaughter exposure. £180k sounds a bargain to me if she’s good at her job. Good luck Sarah – I hope you smash it out of the park.

Thomas McVay: One of the most successful bus companies in the UK so remuneration will be in line with that.

Graham Mitchell: This is disgusting and obscene and is exactly what is wrong with the public sector. I would back instant industrial action by the drivers. It shows that companies can pay more to the lowest paid.

Michael Groden: She should try living on one of her driver’s earning. No wonder the fares are so expensive, the buses a disgrace and the services even worse.

David J MacCallum Wylie: Wish she'd do something about that 49 route. It goes through three time zones.

Sylvia Hamilton: I’m angry about the wage in general but why is it less than her predecessor? Oh I see, her predecessor was a man, that's why.

Samantha Gray: They’re cutting buses because the routes aren’t making enough money yet she’s taking a big fat wage.

New Year trams

New Year revellers in the city centre will be able to hop on a free tram home. The free trams will operate up to every 15 minutes from midnight to 5am, calling at all stops between Edinburgh Airport and the West End.

Carmen Allison: But it won't be going down Princes Street or to Leith though, right? Maybe a free number 16 bus for the other side would be nice too…

Andrew Paterson: It’s a fiver for the Hogmanay/New Year's morning trip on the H16. It looks like it’s a fiver for any amount of trips within one travel zone; or a tenner if travelling into a second travel zone.

Henry Campbell Gillan: Leithers will benefit from next year.

Graeme Gifford: Only good if you stay on the tram route – it sounds better than it is.

Theador Rodriquez: Free you say? I’m still not using them, not even if they paid me. Actually I think us residents should get a rebate for this waste of our money.

Kenny Murphy: If you live in the majority of the city this is of absolutely no use whatsoever.

Paul Fowler: That’s great news. Can’t wait to get my free tram ride home to Oxgangs.