Alex Scott

ALL ABOARD FOR ALEX’S RAIL CAMPAIGN

Blind Section member Alex Scott has a history of campaigning for better transport for disabled people in Scotland. He was heavily involved in a drive to get concessionary travel for disabled people. But he has not stopped there.

Alex is working with a new campaign, Better Rail Services, aimed at getting the Scottish Government to reopen closed routes and stations. “Rail transport is all about linking communities together, that’s why Community is involved. It’s good for jobs and the environment too”, he said. “That’s why I’m urging Community members across Scotland and the rest of the UK to lobby their MSPs and MPs to bring our rail system into the 21^st century”.

Alex is also a strong supporter of the HS2 project to create a high-speed rail network linking London to the north. He wants HS2 extended into Scotland much sooner than currently planned.

Community is also backing the HS2 campaign because the union believes it is the kind of major infrastructure project that will help to get the economy moving and reduce the north-south divide.

Find out more on the Community website.

Transport

TRANSPORT 21

6^th May 2011

Firstly we welcome the opening of the Bathgate Airdrie link and the line from Edinburgh to Helensburgh as this will change peoples lives in the future by joining up communities. It is hoped that the new Scottish Government can look positively at reopening stations and the lines that were closed down in the late sixties and there should be a timetable to do this over the next parliamentary term. They should also look at the following stations'

Reston in Berwickshire (with the opening of the link to Eyemouth)
East Linton in East Lothian
Newbury in Fife
Gorgie, Abbeyhill and Portobello in Edinburgh.

It is hoped that they can reopen the South suburban line and join this up with the Fife circle line. The trains would do a figure of eight outer circle and inner circle. There should also be a connection between Edinburgh and St Andrews.

During the festival they should see if they can run later services to Newcastle, Carlisle, Dundee, Stirling, Glasgow and all other stations in the central belt. At the moment the last direct train leaves London Kingscross at 7pm and this should be put back to 8pm. More should be done to reduce the time to less than four hours on the east coast line. The high speed service on the west coast line could serve Edinburgh as well as Glasgow from Euston via Preston, Carlisle to Edinburgh during the peak period. This would not cost much and would save a considerable amount of travelling time from the centre of London to the centre of Edinburgh. A faster service would appeal to potential travellers who may otherwise opt to use the airlines.

The high speed link between London and Scotland is said to be with us by 2032-46. More should be done to bring Scotland into the 21st century on accessible rail travel. All these points should be taken into consideration by the Scottish government in co-operation with the UK Government.

The opening of the railway line – Edinburgh to Galashiels is in the planning stage and there should be a push for the reintroduction of the Carlisle to Hawick section of the Waverley line. This would leave a 30 mile gap in the rail link between Galashiels and Hawick which could be scheduled for completion at a later date.

The above mentioned will be an investment for Scotland’s future transport needs and help to promote tourism also the economy and employment.

Alex Scott MBE blogspot.com.

My main concern for the Edinburgh and Lothians is the transport situation and I fully support the Airdrie Bathgate link the opening of the Waverley line to Galashiels with a twin track to Gorebridge with the feasibility to take this further to the Borders on to Newcastleton and Carlisle.

The opening of the railway link to Penicuik, to Peebles Innerlethan Walkerburn and Galashiels. with the appropriate stations and the re-opening of the South suburban line and this could work in conjunction with the Fife circular line for example a figure of eight for passenger trains. Stations should also be opened at Abbeyhill Gorgie and Portobello, with a rail link to Edinburgh airport. A passenger ferry service to Burntisland to Granton, (the road distance is 19.9 miles) Kirkcaldy to Portobello a distance of 32 miles by road. and a ferry ticket which covers all modes of transport within Edinburgh and Fife. A car ferry from Dunbar/Anstruther (distance being 94 miles). These measures with an integrated public transport system would alleviate congestion, improve the environment and reduce the stress from which people suffer from whilst encountering traffic jams etc.

A metro rail-tram connection from Granton to Haymarket or the viability of a line Granton Trinity Abbeyhill instead of the disruption that tram lines are going to cause to the people from Leith Princess Street Roseburn and the Gyle etc.

There should be more investment in the Scottish train system with electrification of the east coast line to Aberdeen, with the same improvements on the line to Glasgow Queen Street with the opening of the cross Glasgow rail link with dual tracking on more of the line between Perth and Inverness. These measures taken in conjunction with trains running up to an hour and a half later between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street and trains from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh about one hour later than they are just now. This will help to increase business and tourism.

There should be a Southeast passenger transport authority to co-ordinate low fares accessible integrated transport system for Edinburgh East Lothian Midlothian West Lothian Fife and the Scottish borders covering buses metro rail trains and ferries. Edinburgh has a very good bus system which can be diverted if there are hold-ups if there are problems on the road unlike trams. Unfortunately when Lothian regional transport review their programme of routes there is always people who lose out on the 18 / 32 route and the 11 / 31 and this has happened around Edinburgh as well.

ELECTION COMMUNICATION

VOTE FOR

ALEX SCOTT M.B.E.

YOUR INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE ON

LOTHIAN REGION LIST

MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT ON MAY 3rd 2007

We have had eight years of the Scottish Parliament and has there been a great deal of difference. For example Education they have been talking for years about reducing class sizes to under 20 per class and they are still trying to achieve this. This is a very important time to install discipline in the classroom, especially between the ages 5-7 years and more public investment in schools

with additional teachers.

HEALTH

There should be more public investment in the health service and medical practices should be opened at least one evening per week for those people who are working and practices should be opened with an open surgery once a week to help people to stop wasting the NHS time, while not attending

their appointments. The public pay their National Insurance toward dental care and a lot of dentists are going private and something should be done about this as they charge from £ 10 per month upwards to go private and there is very few NHS dentists around with big waiting lists

pending.

POLICE

We need a few more police on the beat patrolling the streets to make them safer.

There should be more investment in recreation youth clubs and more done for the young teenagers with more coaching in sport facilities.

ENVIRONMENT

More should be done to protect the green-belt and park facilities with encroachment of developers. There should be more litter bins throughout the city especially to help good dog owners.

SCOTTISH WATER SHOULD BE KEPT IN PUBLIC OWNERSHIP

COUNCIL TAX

Council tax is a great deal of expenditure especially for people on low income senior citizen; and pensioners.

TRANSPORT

I fully support the re-opening of railway lines in Southeast Scotland with the train link to the airport with stations at Portobello, Abbeyhill, as this would be more beneficial than a tram link.

There should be a southeast Scotland Passenger Transport Authority to have integrated public transport system which would cover bus, train and ferry and bridges. They should open the south suburban line with appropriate stations, with a rail link from Penicuik. To assist the congestion in Edinburgh they should look at the possibility of a ferry from Dunbar to Anstruther. If introduced these measures would help the environment, tourism and employment.

BUSES

Edinburgh has an excellent bus service but unfortunately due to the continuous reviewing of timetables this leaves to dissatisfaction by people in areas where buses are removed like the 18, 11 and 31 in my area Mortonhall/Frogston Road and other areas have similarly been effected by these changes.

As an independent candidate I hope you will give me your support on May 3rd a very important date for Scotland.

Candidate -

Alex Scott, 21 Mortonhall Park View, Edinburgh EHl7 8SW. Tel: 0131 672 3247

Agent-Publisher -

Alex Scott, 21 Mortonhall Park View, Edinburgh EH17 8SW. Tel: 0131 672 3247

alexscottl999.tripod.com

Printed & Published by Key Printing Services, 45 Assembly Street, Edinburgh EH6 78Q. Tel: 0131 555 2244

VOTE FOR

ALEXANDER SCOTT

YOUR INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE ON

LOTHIAN REGION LIST

2007

TIME FOR A CHANGE

Independent candidates are responsible to their constituents, not like other partiy members who have to account to the party whips when it comes to the vote. Some politicians are only seen a few weeks before the election date.

ELECTION COMMUNICATION

VOTE FOR

ALEXANDER SCOTT M.B.E.

YOUR INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE ON LOTHIAN REGION LIST

2003

I have worked and represented blind and disabled people for the past 25 years and led the successful campaign over 12 years for the Scottish Blind Travel Pass and hope to improve this for disabled and pensioners. The problems and needs of our communities are well known to me.

Since losing my sight in 1977 I have become a campaigner for the blind and disabled people, acting on various committees and projects. In 1988, I became increasingly concerned about the difficulties visually impaired people, and other groups of disabled and elderly have to face with changes in transport facilities, especially the bus service. Since then I have been campaigning for a unified concessionary travel scheme for Scotland to include the above groups of people.

Obviously then the traffic problems of the Lothians concern me greatly. I believe there are many practical things that can be done quickly, for example, to create and improve an integrated public transport network. I cannot make promises that I could not keep but I offer my efforts, support and enthusiasm for improvements in health, education, transport, the environment and the welfare of our people especially those in need of work. Also to get local authorities to commit to people with disabilities by supporting factory based supported employment and by directing work to these businesses.

Thank you for considering me. Please give me your vote on May 1st

Candidate – Alexander Scott, 21 Mortonhall Park View, Edinburgh EHl7 8SW.
Tel: 0131 672 3247

Agent-Publisher -

TRANSPORT

VOTE NO TO TRANSPORT CHARGES

THE FORMATION OF A PASSENGER TRANSPORT AUTHORITY FOR SOUTH EAST SCOTLAND IN CO-ORDINATION WITH THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND WITH BUS
AND RAIL OPERATORS. THE PUBLIC ARE UNHAPPY WITH ROUTES AND TIMETABLES
CHANGING AND PEOPLE IN EDINBURGH/LOTHIANS ARE LOSING OUT ON CERTAIN ROUTES DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING.

THE FEASIBILITY OF OPENING THE FOLLOWING RAILWAY LINES:-

SOUTH SUBURBAN LINE IN EDINBURGH

LINE TO PENICUIK

PEEBLES

THE WAVERLEY LINE AND THE LINE TO BATHGATE/AIRDRIE ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION.

OPENING OF FERRY TERMINALS FROM BURNTISLAND TO GRANTON. ALSO THE FEASIBILITY OF FERRY TERMINAL DUNBAR/EAST COAST OF FIFE.

THE ABOVE MEASURES WOULD HELP TO TAKE THE TRAFFIC AWAY FROM EDINBURGH AND
FORTH BRIDGE.

RECYCLING

ALL COUNCILS SHOULD INTRODUCE MORE WASTEPAPER AND OTHER COLLECTIONS FOR GLASS AND/OR RECYCLING MATERIALS.

CRIME

THERE SHOULD BE LONGER SENTENCES FOR VIOLENT CRIMES AND THERE SHOULD BE MORE POLICE ON THE BEAT.

HEALTH

THE WAITING LISTS SHOULD BE CUT.

PROTECTION OF GREENBELT

PROTECTION OF THE GREENBELT & SPORTS FIELD FROM THE DEVELOPER.

PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR VOTE ON THE ABOVE ISSUES

ALEX SCOTT YOUR INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE

Printed by Keyprint, 45 Assembly Street, Edinburgh EH6 7BQ.

Tel: 0131 555 2244

ALEXANDER SCOTT M.B.E.

YOUR INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE ON

LOTHIAN REGION LIST

1999

I have lived in the Lothians most of my life and for the last 30 years in Tranent. The problems and needs of our communities are well known to me.

Since losing my sight in 1977 I have become a campaigner for blind and disabled people, acting on various committees and projects.

In 1988, I became increasingly concerned about the difficulties visually impaired people, other groups of disabled and the elderly had to face with

changes in transport facilities. Especially the bus service. Since then I have

been campaigning for a unified concessionary travel scheme for Scotland to

include the above groups. This campaign is endorsed by umbrella organisations respecting these groups of people.

Obviously then the traffic problems of the Lothians concern me greatly. I believe there are many practical things that can be done quickly, for

example, the railway line through Penicuik should be an immediate priority.

Unlike the big parties I can make no promises I cannot keep but I offer my efforts, support and enthusiasm for improvements in health, education and the welfare of our people especially those in need of work.

Thank you for considering me. Please give me your vote on May 6th.

Candidate - Alexander Scott, 21 Mortonhall Park View, Edinburgh EH17 8SW 0131 672 3247

Agent – Publisher Alexander Scott, 21 Mortonhall Park view, Edinburgh, EH17 8SW 0131 672 3247

Printer – Keyprint, 45 Assembly Street, Edinburgh EH6 7BQ 0131 555 2244