Latest news with #Pentalina

The Herald Scotland

Why on earth are CMAL and CalMac still so stubborn about catamarans?

By every relevant performance measure Pentalina was superior to Finlaggan, for example, 45% less power and 43% less fuel per car space and about one-third of the capital and operating cost. In practice too, Pentalina had demonstrated better manoeuvrability, seakeeping, safety and reliability in service. One would have thought that the CMAL and CalMac representatives who attended the conference would have seen the presentation as a golden opportunity to explore this superior technology. Instead, they complained to the conference organisers that they had been denigrated and complained to Professor Baird's university principal that the paper should not have been presented. Since then, CMAL has had several opportunities to commission efficient catamarans and rejected them on a series of fantastical grounds, not least in the case of Arran, where it could have had two for about a twentieth the cost of Glens Sannox and Rosa, and they would have easily fitted Ardrossan, with only relatively inexpensive linkspan modification. In fact, when you think about it, Arran could still have two such drive-through cats within two years plus the linkspan upgrade for about £45 million. In other words, much less than the proposed £80 million reconfiguration of Ardrossan harbour to accommodate the infamous Glens, for which CMAL could always, I suppose, recoup the scrap value. Roy Pedersen, Inverness. Read more letters Second homes plan not the answer I wonder which financial genius dreamt up the idea that the doubling of council tax on holiday homes would improve the stock of 'affordable" housing for local first-time buyers ("Local tax on second homes may double in tourism hotspots", The Herald, April 23). This year's valuation of our modest cottage on Arran would suggest it is certainly not in that category. But consider what would happen if we did decide to sell up: Caledonian MacBrayne would lose our near-monthly fare income. Local restaurants would lose our regular evening income. On short breaks, we eat out far more than any locals do. Children's attractions such as the petting farms and the crazy golf would lose out as my grandchildren would no longer use them. Janey's coffee shop at Duchess Court would certainly suffer (hope she appreciates the plug!). Food suppliers would lose our business on longer holidays. Golf clubs will lose vast amounts of money, which they can ill afford. You get the idea. Affordable housing is the responsibility of local authorities and they must make the necessary provision. Driving out long-standing holiday home-owners will not solve the problem. John NE Rankin, Bridge of Allan. Don't blame religion I read Carlos Alba's wide-ranging column ("So we may not be alone... now what does that do to religion?", The Herald, April 23) with interest. The debate about the possible discovery of life on other planets and how that influences arguments about the existence of God could be interesting. However, his assertion that religion is central to 'many of the world's problems and to so much bloodshed and suffering' is a simplistic and lazy analysis of historic and current wars. Nationalism, racism and religion are used as excuses for the bloodshed and suffering which are, in reality, caused almost exclusively by the greed for power and wealth which is the fundamental cause of the world's conflicts. James Quinn, Lanark. Would doubling council tax on holiday homes solve affordable housing problems? (Image: Getty) Concrete evidence Douglas Jardine (Letters, April 22) mentions the M6 Preston bypass being the first stretch of motorway in Britain. As a teenager in the late 1960s travelling with my parents down to family in Cheshire, my dad used to tell me that very same fact. Usually because I had asked him why the car had all of a sudden become very noisy. He would tell me how the Preston bypass had a concrete surface, compared to the newer M6 sections, and the rougher concrete surface caused vibration on the car. Now don't get me started with the traffic jams down the old A6 at Shap summit and virtually every town en route. Brian Watt, Edinburgh. Say, where is Scotland? On reading Willie Towers' letter (April 23) I was reminded of a conversation I had in a lift in Niagara Falls years ago when an American hearing my Scottish accent asked me if we had the internet and was Scotland in London? Richard Beattie, Glaston. The incredible sulk Every time I see a photo of Donald Trump, wearing his normal expression, I am reminded of my childhood, when a scolding would end with the admonition 'and you can just get rid of that petted lip!' Is that a sign of my age, or his? P Davidson, Falkirk.