Last week I was on the Lairg to Tain bus. At Fearn Lodge, at a bend in the road, we met one of the enormous road tankers which now carry oil to Lairg coming the other way. Both vehicles had to stop and the protracted edging forward, with high stone walls at both sides of the road took about 3 or 4 minutes.

Surely Transport Scotland realises what nonsense this is and is taking steps to help the economics of rail freight to be more favourable, to encourage the return of this traffic to rail.

As the First Minister recently said, "We have a moral responsibility to do what we can to prevent and mitigate the effects of global climate change. "Scotland has been widely praised internationally for our work to tackle climate change, and I am absolutely determined that there will be no let-up in our efforts.

"It requires everyone in society - individuals, businesses and governments - to play their part in changing behaviours, and I'm pleased that the Scottish Government is able to support the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action in its work." Modal shift is, after all, Scottish Government policy - as long as all MSPs and the Cabinet Secretary realise that the "shift" is meant to be away from road!