Between Jobs, (again.)

The reason for my lack of blogging is that the POTC has been sold to Loch Katrine, whilst The Sir Walter Scott has a refit. They have to maintain the service to qualify for their grants.

We all knew that Alex had the boat up for sail but we had hoped that it would stay on the river, not so. Onwards and upwards. it may be a blessing for me as I am now going to try and focus on my TC+ utilities business. http://www.utilitywarehouse.co.uk/entrance/index.taf?exref=858626

Have been taking it easy since the end of October, but now I need to get my a*** in gear and see if this thing will work for me, it will if I get out and about and do what I was doing successfully with Everest. I have a few monsters to overcome first.

In September I had a sinus op. at the Suffering General day unit. I must say they were very good, unlike the horrible hole of a ward I was in last year for my hip op. I was not surprised to hear it was recently closed for an out break of MRSA or some other dirty disease. So joy oh joy I now have regained my smell and taste, and can enjoy food again. I am still having some headaches and nasal pain but I go back and see them next month.

My reason for starting this blog again is just to sound of and to moan about things that are bugging me. I am not promoting it, neither do I want lots of people looking at it. But I am going to send it to a few people. Watch this space.

First of all, I have sent an e-mail to Mr Stevenson, who is our transport minister at Holyrood. regarding the problems we faced on the river and why the boat was eventually sold. I received yesterday a letter from a Karen Conway in reply and it has so enraged me I cannot begin to explain so in the interest of keeping my hypertension in check, I am going to post my e-mail on here and the reply, and I am going to send it to her and Mr. Stevenson.

THIS IS THE E-MAIL I SENT. OK IT'S TO LONG.

I am e-mailing you because this is transport related and I believe you have been on the vessel recently. The picture in tonight’s Glasgow Evening Times, (25 Oct. 2007,) of the Kingston Bridge shot from the deck of The Pride of The Clyde has prompted me to write to you. As one of the ex. skippers of this service, it is with a heavy heart that I say to you that the service has been suspended, as The Pride of The Clyde has been sold to operate on Loch Katrine. Alex and Jennifer Gilmour started this service on the Clyde in 2001, and I am proud to say I was their first full time skipper then. Against all the odds and much shaking of heads they put their boat on the river and made the service viable, through sheer guts, determination, and good customer relations. Many times they came close to ruin, obstacles in their path were many. Breakdowns, legislation, lack of official support, bloody minded jobs worth’s, weather, personal tragedy, the list is endless. The agencies that we all pay vast sums of money to through our taxes are guilty of shoddy and indifferent neglect of a unique and visionary fledgling business, which employed four staff, but had the potential to employ so many more. Scottish Enterprise stand accused by me as one of the worst examples of all. Their contribution was £5000 of marketing money. Which was given straight to one of their pet companies who were as much use as an ash tray on a motorbike, and brought in the grand sum of nothing. Glasgow council are as bad. The landing area at Jamaica Quay Glasgow, is a scum ridden disgusting anarchic crime zone, permanently strewn with broken Buckie bottles, with Ned’s harassing passengers under the beady eye of a CCTV camera, the same Ned’s that defecate and urinate there in public, one of the most intimidating areas in the city centre. The Central Station rail bridge above the berth, is home to several homeless people, drunks and addicts alike, who have been heard and seen singing and throwing muck down into the river below. Graffiti is everywhere. Lines of washing are to be seen hanging out on the south side on a regular basis. We had a complaint from some residents on a Sunday morning for waking them up! A one legged drunk could gain access to the bridge, how secure is that in this terrorist age?
We have seen bridges built over the river that cuts of Glasgow to heavy shipping. Alec’s objections were met with accusations of preventing a job creation scheme at Pacific Quay. Rather ironic given the present state of play at BBC Scotland. Glasgow does not deserve this historic and unique river running though it’s centre. “Glasgow made the Clyde and the Clyde made Glasgow,” has a very hollow ring to it now.
The straw that broke the camels back, is the rumours that Scottish Enterprise are proposing a feasibility study, with Strathclyde Passenger Transport, with a view to putting a water bus service on the river.

PREVIOUS COMPLAINT:

* BELLS BRIDGE GLASGOW AND UPPER CLYDE NAVIGATION. Since 2001 we have been operating a water bus service on the River Clyde between Glasgow and Braehead, Renfrew shire, with the Pride o The Clyde water bus. http://www.clydewaterbusservices.co.uk/ We operate a regular schedule seven days a week, and the business has been built from nothing on goodwill and quality of service. That good will and quality is being compromised by the fact that The Bells Bridge is not fit for purpose. So causing considerable loss of revenue and damage to our business. There is also the question of the blight on navigation of the Upper Clyde. As we understand it the bridge now comes under the jurisdiction of Scottish Enterprise. It is severely in need of a refit and upgrade.
At the moment wind speeds above 17 knots renders the bridge inoperable and prevents our navigation at tides of 4.2 metres and above, which are now frequent. The bridge was constructed for the Garden Festival in 1988. It had a quoted life of 10 years. It was planned to remove it. Over time it has become a symbols of the upper river and won a place in the affection of the public. Removing it would now seem to be difficult. It has been quoted that the budget for maintaining and operating the bridge is £150,000. pa. The structure is in need of stronger rigging and bracing to allow it to function in all weather.
Since we began operation six years ago we have been told every year that the work is about to be done. Weather conditions now are becoming more volatile and high winds are not uncommon, on the upper Clyde. Clyde Water bus Services, are being prevented from going about their legitimate business. Which must be in breach of the law. The business is being prevented form expansion, and the employment of more staff. Yet we have to witness the spectacle of Scottish Enterprise hiring the vessel to show clients and dignitaries the regeneration work of the river. On one occasion we had on board dignitaries from abroad who were held up and inconvenienced because of the bridge, causing major embarrassment to us and Glasgow.
Much is rightly being made about the regeneration of the river side. Hardly a day goes by without an announcement of another multi million pound project. Very little of that is finding it’s way to infrastructure and assistance to actual users of the river. Many large cities around the world would be proud to have such a high way flowing through its centre. Many do and utilise it to the full. The lack of such facilities and infrastructure for ferries and water taxis is a disgrace, and does not seem to appear on the radar of those with their hands on the levers. _*In terms of public transport and inner city congestion, our water bus service is as environmentally friendly and green as we have right now. A clear un congested highway right from the heart of the city, except when the wind blows. Surely in light of all the talk about alternative transport links, carbon foot prints, and massive traffic jams, we should be promoting and supporting not hindering modes of transport like our water bus.*_ _* *_ http://www.clydewaterbusservices.co.uk/ Yours sincerely,

THE REPLY RECEIVED YESTERDAY IS AS FOLLOWS:

Than you for your e-mail to the Scottish Goverment on 25 October about the Pride of the Clyde. I have been asked to reply and apologise for the delay in doing so.
(3 WEEKS IS NOT TO BAD I HAVE NO COMPLAINT THERE.)

I should first make clear that the sale of the Pride of The Clyde is a private business decision for the owners and therefore not a matter on which I can comment. Similarly details of business support provided by Scottish Enterprise Glasgow to the business, is also a confidential matter for the owners.
(DID YOU REALLY THINK THAT HAVING BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS BUSINESS FOR 6 YEARS THAT I WOULD NO BE AWARE OF THAT? DID ROSS FINNEY WRITE THIS FOR YOU? DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE SO PATRONISING AND OFFENSIVE? THE POINT I AM MAKING IS THE LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THIS QUANGO AND THE OTHER AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THE RIVER OR NAVIGATION THERE OF. YOU WERE NOT ASKED BY ME FOR A COMMENT.)

With regards to your objection about Glasgow City Council's decision to appoint the landing area at Jamaica Quay, local authorities are distinct corporate bodies which are entirely separate from the Scottish Government. Therefore the Scottish ministers have very limited powers to intervene in the Council's day to day business.
(PLEASE READ THE TEXT AGAIN. NO WHERE DID I OBJECT TO THEM "APPOINTING," THE QUAY WHAT EVER THAT MAY MEAN. I WAS HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT THAT THE AREA IS A DISGUSTING EMBARRASSMENT IN WHICH WE GOT NO SUPPORT FROM THEM IN ANY WAY WITH REGARDS TO CLEANING IT UP AND PROPER MAINTENANCE. THERE IS ALSO A SECURITY RISK THERE WHICH YOU APPEAR NOT TO HAVE UNDERSTOOD OR CHOOSE TO IGNORE FOR REASONS BEST KNOWN TO YOUR SELF. And then you go on to ignore the rest of the text, WHY DID YOU NOT JUST SAVE THE PRICE OF A STAMP AND E-MAIL ME WITH "NO COMMENT.".)

I understand that the Clyde Waterfront Partnership is currently examining opportunities for a river taxi service.
(THAT MUST BE A GREAT COMFORT TO THE GILMOURS AND THERE EX EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE THE WATER BUS A SUCCESS DESPITE ALL THE INDIFFERENCE RANGED AGAINST THEM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT FINAL KICK IN THE TESTICLES.)

I hope this is helpful

Yours sincerely,

Karen Conway.

(I have never read such patronising Teflon coated rubbish in my 58 years on this planet. OK I could only read for 53 of them. There must be a degree that aspiring politicians and apparatchiks can take in TEFLON SPEAK. Watch Alasdair Darling over the next few days as he back pedals and Teflon talks his way to his gold plated pension pot. Despite being surrounded by incompetence and madness. 25,000,000 families put at risk, and the good old tax payer shoring up duff banks, we are surely on the road to hell in a hurly.)