Over the last few weeks the Tories have started to release some of their policy plans for the forthcoming election. Nothing really very new or groundbreaking that will set them apart so far, but to be fair that kind of stuff needs to be left to nearer the time just in case Messrs McConnell or Salmond try to nick the ones that go down well!
Today's announcement by Murdo Fraser was a strange one for the Tories. In isolation you would think their policy to scrap tolls on the Forth Road Bridge was a sensible one. It is the only bridge left in Scotland with a toll and it does seem iniquitous that only Fife commuters (or people trying to get to Fife) should have to pay some sort of toll. So, good move for trying to gain votes.
However, does this mean the Tories are now completely opposed to tolls? If so, just how are they going to pay for the major infrastructure developments that will be required in the future. No private financer is going to look at getting involved in building a new bridge without a toll revenue.
Sadly I think this policy is ill thought out and is simply a piece of cheap promotion that will be seen as such by the voters.
The Tories haven't had much luck with their transport announcements recently. During David Cameron's recent visit Murdo again announced that the Tories would be seek to put in place a Maglev type train between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Most transport experts I have spoken to think that it is far too short a distance to make a maglev sustainable. Certainly a higher speed train, but not a maglev speed one. For Murdo to announce that it could have an 8 minute journey time shows just how ill thought out the announcement was. Good intentions, just not do-able.
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