Alastair Dalton
The Scotsman
United Kingdom
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Past articles by Alastair:
Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible 7 stunt rail carriage could become Pitlochry Thai restaurant
A steam train carriage whose roof Tom Cruise runs along in the coming Mission Impossible 7 film has been bought by a Pitlochry family as part of their latest attempt to open a Thai restaurant in the town's station car park. → Read More
Christmas travel disruption: No major impact forecast at Glasgow Airport despite Border Force strikes
Glasgow Airport chiefs have said they expect no major impact or widespread flight cancellations over Christmas despite UK Border Force staff planning to strike. → Read More
A9 dualling: Slow progress while death toll mounts causes SNP 'considerable internal discomfort'
It is among the SNP’s longest-standing unfulfilled pledges since being elected 15 years ago – and is causing increasing anguish within the party. → Read More
Forgotten story of Scotland’s largest ever foreign enterprise – running huge paddle steamer fleet in Burma
The forgotten story of how Scots ran a huge fleet of paddle steamers which helped transform the economy of the former Burma has been retold in a new book that hailed the feat as "one of Scotland's greatest achievements". → Read More
Glasgow Central bounces back as Scotland’s busiest station – while Scotscalder is least used
Passenger numbers at Scotland’s busiest station bounced back in the year to March as Covid restrictions eased but they remained at less than half of pre-pandemic levels, new figures showed on Thursday. → Read More
First look inside Glasgow Subway’s revolutionary new driverless trains
Glasgow Subway’s current trains are notoriously – or endearingly – tiny compared to other underground systems, as those who have bumped their head will be all too aware. → Read More
Off-road bike alternative to North Coast 500 in new Appetite for Adventure food tourism film
A food tourism-themed off-road alternative to part of the North Coast 500 has been captured on film to promote cycling and walking and Scotland’s network of rural youth hostels. → Read More
Autumn Statement: A75 upgrade study triggers new Conservatives-SNP row
A new political row erupted over upgrading the road through southern Scotland which carried 40 per cent of Northern Ireland’s exports after the Scottish Conservatives accused the SNP of “dragging its feet” over the scheme. → Read More
Autumn Statement: New electric vehicle tax ‘won’t dampen demand much’ because of other cost benefits – RAC
Electric vehicles are to be taxed from 2025, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced in the autumn statement. → Read More
A9 Perth-Inverness single carriageway deaths outnumber those on dualled sections by 20 to one
Deaths on single carriageway sections of the A9 between Perth and Inverness have outnumbered those on dualled stretches by 20 to one over the past five years, The Scotsman has learned. → Read More
ScotRail dispute: RMT calls off strikes and puts new offer to vote
A series of ScotRail strikes that would have continued until Christmas Eve were called off by the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union on Thursday after the union was made a new offer that would increase pay by up to 8.5 per cent. → Read More
RMT threatens ‘complete havoc’ with ScotRail strikes every Friday and Saturday until Christmas
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has announced strikes on Sat November 19 and then on every Friday and Saturday till Christmas. → Read More
New safety improvements ahead for A9 after worst death toll for 12 years
New safety measures are to be announced for the A9 between Perth and Inverness after the worst death toll for 12 years as the Scottish Conservatives claimed the Scottish Government’s commitment to complete dualling of the route by 2025 lay “in the gutter". → Read More
Splitting up CalMac routes ‘would dramatically improve services’ – Pentland Ferries
Splitting up CalMac's west coast ferry routes "would dramatically improve the service provision", an Orkney ferries chief told MSPs on Tuesday. → Read More
New cut-price Edinburgh-London operator Lumo among Britain’s most complained about train firms
New cut-price Edinburgh-London operator Lumo has become the second most complained about train firm in Britain, new official figures show. → Read More
Ryanair jobs growth at Prestwick as record Edinburgh winter flights confirmed
Ryanair said it planned to create extra maintenance jobs at Prestwick and potentially expand at Glasgow as the budget airline confirmed its biggest yet winter flight schedule at Edinburgh. → Read More
RMT calls further ScotRail strike for Saturday October 29
Another ScotRail strike which is likely to again halt most trains has been called by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union for Saturday October 29. → Read More
Ministers must be more honest about A9 dualling completion date
For at least the last five years, I have highlighted how increasingly unrealistic the SNP’s pledge to finish dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness by 2025 has become. → Read More
ScotRail strike to go ahead after RMT rejects improved pay offer
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has rejected an improved pay offer from ScotRail with a strike going ahead on Monday which will bring the greatest disruption to trains this year. → Read More
RMT intensifies ScotRail pay dispute by announcing overtime ban
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has stepped up industrial action in its pay dispute with ScotRail by announcing an overtime ban from October 14. → Read More