I NOTE with concern your front-page lead report today ("Anger over disastrous rail plans for jobs and service cuts", The Herald, August 2). Do I sniff the odour of another Beeching Plan? Do the “further cutbacks” mean halting of investment in rail, line closures by stealth, and the diminution of vital front-office services?

On this last, I for one as a very regular rail traveller rely on the excellence of booking office staff to gain me best fares. As an example, I’m due to travel Stonehaven-Crianlarich with my bike on Monday, August 23.

Online booking yields a single fare of £86.80. But my friendly booking office staff pointed out that by splitting the fare between Stonehaven-Glasgow and Glasgow-Crianlarich, I’d need to pay only £61.10. (It’s worth pointing out that in taking over the ScotRail franchise after 2014, Abellio came on board with a promise to rationalise fares. How many fares have actually been rationalised? Or have we poor passengers continued to pay at higher rates?)

Further, I was given the helpful advice on which trains to take, because the 10.34 from Glasgow to Crianlarich doesn’t allow advance booking for bikes. Without such advice, I could have been left marooned in Queen Street.

In taking direct control of Scotland’s railways from next March, the Scottish Government needs to face down any moves to diminish our rail system.

Gordon Casely, Crathes.

FUTURE IS UNPREDICTABLE

I SUSPECT the fortunes of ScotRail come next April will be bedevilled by the political machinations of state control and the prospect of a similar controlling body such as exists for CMAL in the ongoing ferry fiasco does not bode well for the rail system.

The rail unions are as ever incensed by the possibility of job cuts and service losses, but have not helped matters at the present time with disputes pending; ongoing ones have meant, as far as I am aware, there being no Sunday services outside the Greater Glasgow area since March.

The aftermath of Covid will have a long-lasting effect on train services nationally with no one able to predict what the service provision and level nor the means to finance it will be in the immediate future.

John Macnab, Falkirk.

WHY I KEEP MY COLD TAP RUNNING

I'M afraid my morning routine is far from the water-saving technique Thelma Edwards (Letters, August 2) uses. I do the exact opposite. I run the cold tap for five minutes every morning, as per Scottish Water's advice.

I complained about the water stinking of chlorine in the morning. Scottish water said that they dosed with chlorine to combat "Coliform bacteria, part of the intestinal tract of warm-blooded mammals (sic), including man". In layman's terms, sheep dung in the water.

They sent a man round and he tested the supply and said that the chlorine levels were within the legal limits. However, when I asked what I should do, he replied: "Oh just run the cold tap for five minutes or so every morning." So I do.

George Smith, Clydebank.

LITTLE FAITH IN ELECTRIC VANS

I HAVE just received an email at work from one of our suppliers boasting about their 17 new all-electric light commercial vehicles – vans to the uninitiated. These wondrous vehicles are "filled with state-of-the-art batteries – providing up to 75 miles of all-electric power; with an 80 per cent charge being achievable in only 4.5 hours". I suspect our suppliers have major doubts about the utility of their new all-electric fleet, because they are only going to be using them in London.

Otto Inglis, Crossgates.

BRAVO TO OUR BMX BRIGADE

ONE must have been somewhat hard to impress to have remained unmoved by the displays of our young people in the BMX event at the Tokyo Olympics, in particular Charlotte Worthington, Bethany Shriever, Kye White and Declan Brooks ("Worthington wins historic gold, Herald Sport, August 2). They must surely encourage many more young people to take up this sport.

There were those who questioned BMX as being a suitable Olympic sport. Indeed, it has been reported that UK Sport initially denied funding to men’s mountain biking and BMX for women this time around. What an error of judgment that has been shown to be. Obviously with the talent being shown we should be giving full support to BMX, perhaps at the expense of our under-performing rowers.

Our thanks are due to our young BMX bikers not only for bringing prestige to our country, but also for making our days.

Ian W Thomson, Lenzie.

CHIPS WITHOUT EGG? NO THANKS

EVER-PARTIAL to a “Glasgow salad”, my gast was flabbered and digestive juices setback by Saturday's Issue of the Day: Would you pay $200 for a plate of chips? (The Herald, July 31), and I guess that with no mention of a runny egg on top, or even some mushy peas, the addition of “Creme de la Creme Pommes Frites” to the menu of this top New York restaurant will have economists predicting imminent inflation and another financial crisis starting in America.

However, now recovering, I’d take that with a pinch of salt.

R Russell Smith, Largs.

BLACK MARK FOR CYCLISTS

THE increasing popularity of cycling is not always accompanied by increased road sense by cyclists. I have in the past week had difficulty identifying three cyclists dressed in black clothing against a background of an avenue of trees in full leaf; one had also stopped on the verge on a series of S-bends. I would suggest that easily visible clothing should be mandatory for cyclists.

Dr RS Neill, Bearsden.

THE CHINA SYNDROME

SO I had cause to use Covid tests on Friday. Test kits were clearly labelled “Made in China”. It’s an ill wind.

John Dunlop, Ayr.