With the news that the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) is due to be published soon, Transform director Colin Howden felt that now was the time to make sure that Santa has our Christmas wishlist.
Dear Santa
We really hope that you and your elves are well and that not all of the polar ice cap has melted yet!
We know that you have a big list. But we have been very good boys and girls this year, so we hope that you will deliver some of these things to us in the very near future.
We like walking a lot, so it’d be really nice if you could do something to improve conditions in the Scottish cities. Glasgow has said that it wants a car-free city centre, and Edinburgh is still planning its ‘city centre transformation’, so could you please deliver something that would help here? Just think of all the extra Christmas markets that we could fit in! (And we’re sure that some sort of exemption can be carved out so that you can still park your sleigh somewhere.)
We also like cycling, and it’s about time that we had safe cycle routes that could get our cycling rates up to the levels seen in countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands. Let’s face it Santa, like a lot of Scottish folk, you could do with taking some more exercise, and this, along with a bit more walking, would be a great way to see that happen.
What would be really nice would be for you to bring us some better buses. We’ve noticed that despite your nice promises from a couple of years ago, that your elves in the west haven’t delivered bus priority on the Glasgow motorway network, or, for that matter, pretty much anywhere else. Maybe if you bought this nice game for us then we could give your elves a hand in sorting this out? All those shiny new electric buses that you’ve brought us are really lovely, but it’d be a real shame if they remain all stuck in queues of single-occupant sleighs.
Who wouldn’t want a train set? And you’ll be delighted now you’ve got one of your very own to play with! We know that transport links to the North Pole can be a challenge, but have you tried getting on a train to Inverness recently? Much as we appreciated the Victorian train set that you brought us before, we really hope that this year you will bring us new electric trains on an electrified inter-city network. We’d be very happy to return the train set you gave us previously, as we’re afraid it’s broken beyond repair.
We’d also love to see some new ferries. We’ve heard that your elves have been having some manufacturing problems here, but we’re sure you’ll do your very best. (It doesn’t have to be this one, as we know that Peppa Pig is very, very popular elsewhere.)
And finally, but most importantly, we’d like you to help the planet. With all the ice that you’ll have seen melting, it’s really time for all presents now to be zero-carbon. If we’re being honest, Santa, you’ve been a bit too keen on the Scalextric kits for too long now. And we’re sorry to say that the Fast & Furious computer game that you gave us last year wasn’t really what we were looking for. So Santa, please think about all the melting ice at the North Pole when you decide what things you’re going to bring in the next few weeks.
Thank you Santa. We love you really,
Colin and the rest of the kids at Transform Scotland.
PS Thank you, Argos, for all the lovely gift ideas!
