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onyirtodd wrote:Mori wrote:[b]Goodbye Pride o’ the Clyde
Does anyone know how they're planning to get it up there. I wouldn't have thought the roads were up to it.
Posted by: Duncan, East Kilbride on 8:31pm Fri 26 Oct 07
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 has 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 waterbus service on the river. Alex and Jennifer and their family and ex employees, gave this service their all. I cannot blame the Gilmour’s for selling their vessel. I would have done the same. Duncan Macniven, East Kilbride. Bells Bridge River Clyde Glasgow. Summary of Complaint. q Clyde waterbus services, has been running since 2001 on a regular 7 day schedule. q Bells Bridge cannot operate at wind speed over 17 knots. q The Bells Bridge is hindering navigation and legitimate trading on the river. q Bells Bridge has been adopted by Scottish Enterprise, and they seem unwilling to do the required upgrading to allow navigation in all weather. q Since 2001 we have been told each year that the bridge is to be upgraded. q £150000 is the annual budget to keep the bridge operational. q Scottish Enterprise charters the waterbus to review the regeneration on the river on a regular basis. q The company has ambition to expand so creating more jobs. The bridge problem is preventing that expansion. q The bridge problem is losing the business large sums of money each month. q Public confidence and goodwill which has been built up is being eroded. Full details of this complaint are attatched. BELLS BRIDGE GLASGOW AND UPPER CLYDE NAVIGATION. Since 2001 we have been operating a waterbus service on the River Clyde between Glasgow and Braehead, Renfrew shire, with the Pride o The Clyde waterbus. http://www.clydewate rbusservices.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 Waterbus 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 waterbus service is as environmentally friendly and green as we have right now. A clear uncongested 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 waterbus. http://www.clydewate rbusservices.co.uk/ Yours sincerely,
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 has 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 waterbus service on the river.
Alex and Jennifer and their family and ex employees, gave this service their all. I cannot blame the Gilmour’s for selling their vessel. I would have done the same.
Duncan Macniven, East Kilbride.
Bells Bridge River Clyde Glasgow. Summary of Complaint.
q Clyde waterbus services, has been running since 2001 on a regular 7 day schedule.
q Bells Bridge cannot operate at wind speed over 17 knots.
q The Bells Bridge is hindering navigation and legitimate trading on the river.
q Bells Bridge has been adopted by Scottish Enterprise, and they seem unwilling to do the required upgrading to allow navigation in all weather.
q Since 2001 we have been told each year that the bridge is to be upgraded.
q £150000 is the annual budget to keep the bridge operational.
q Scottish Enterprise charters the waterbus to review the regeneration on the river on a regular basis.
q The company has ambition to expand so creating more jobs. The bridge problem is preventing that expansion.
q The bridge problem is losing the business large sums of money each month.
q Public confidence and goodwill which has been built up is being eroded.
Full details of this complaint are attatched.
BELLS BRIDGE GLASGOW AND UPPER CLYDE NAVIGATION.
Since 2001 we have been operating a waterbus service on the River Clyde between Glasgow and Braehead, Renfrew shire, with the Pride o The Clyde waterbus. http://www.clydewate
rbusservices.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 Waterbus 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 waterbus service is as environmentally friendly and green as we have right now. A clear uncongested 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 waterbus.
http://www.clydewate
rbusservices.co.uk/
Yours sincerely,
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