OUR family has just returned from travelling extensively through Spain by air, road, high speed train and by local and long-distance bus. We marvelled at the scale of their airports, their free-flowing motorway network, the low cost and efficiency of public transport and the convenience of the system's clever inter-connectivity.

Hard not to contrast this to our transport offering at home, only to be confirmed when landing at Glasgow Airport to the shambles of passport control, where just five automatic gates and two manned gates served two plane arrivals, meaning 400 or so passengers queuing for 30 minutes or more to exit the airport.

We Scots may shrug in acceptance, but you have to be embarrassed that this is the first impression for visitors to our country.

Douglas Morrison, Drymen.

MANY years ago Mario, the owner of our local cafe par excellence, and I both travelled yearly through France to visit family, mine in Lyon, his in La Spezia. All of the travel took place during major changes to roads around London and motorways around Paris and the whole of Northern France. Depending on whoever went first we would then meet at his cafe on return and discuss the changes, this being before the miracle of satnav.

Both being very nippy drivers speeding detection was a priority on our minds, however Mario once fell foul, was stopped and had to pay an on-the-spot penalty, as in cash in hand with a receipt. If your pockets were empty they would take you to a cash machine, bank or wherever until they were paid, including the possibility of an overnight stay. Motorway toll booths were able to calculate your average speed from one booth to another and always had two friendly police motor cyclists on hand to come over, explain the situation and check your pockets.

Why do we not do the same here with non-residents? for years my French brother in law was able to get parking tickets and ignore them, with not a jot, as they were never pursued, as would equally be the case with a fixed penalty notice now. As an aside, at accident blackspots with fatalities some Departements had silhouette shapes of the fatalities on the verge, going so far as child and adult sized ones.

George Dale, Beith.

I DO not travel often on the Glasgow Subway now but when I do I am impressed by the cleanliness, brightness and lack of litter. The upgrade of stations has worked, but the staff should be congratulated on their housekeeping.

Frances Dryburgh, Glasgow.