Correspondence

"I am writing primarily to enquire if the Friends have taken any collective view about the transport provisions of the Scotland Bill. Although I have not read the Bill myself, as yet, I fear from the summaries in the press that control of the rail system is to remain in England and I am afraid that that will make much more difficult the establishment of any co-ordinated transport policy in Scotland. I have written to The Scotsman on the matter, though more with respect to East Lothian than the Far North Line; so far the letter has not been published , but there is time yet. I have also written to Archy Kirkwood, our local MP and he replied saying that he had taken up the point with the Minister, presumably Gavin Strang. If we don't get this right now, I can foresee all manner of problems for transport in the future."

"Writing as an individual, I would just like to say how delighted I am to hear that plans are afoot to provide a rail commuter service between Dingwall and Inverness. At present I am a student attending Inverness College, and I will complete my course in June. However, I am certain that many other students would welcome the introduction of a regular service, and so perhaps it would be appropriate and beneficial if you were to inform the College of these plans and publicise them there. Also, perhaps a future consideration would be that Beauly Station be utilised once more - as in Muir of Ord, a great number of students and individuals board the bus each morning, some going to work, others to college, hospital, etc."