What a mess regarding the lack of parking provision at the new South Glasgow Hospital and the council and NHS pipe dream that staff, out-patients and visitors will use the new Fastlink and leave their cars at home.

Perhaps the planners should have had a wee look at history for ideas, Govan was once connected by railway to Glasgow City Centre, Paisley and further afield via the Govan branch of the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway. Victorian planners also had the ingenuity and foresight to connect the railway to the shipyards with supplies and workers being brought via rail all the way to Fairfield shipyard and Alexander Stephen shipyard in Linthouse.

The cuttings and tunnel of the Govan Branch Railway still remain and Glasgow Subway uses part for their test track, this could have been reopened and staff, patients and visitors could have been brought as far as Govan Cross from all over Scotland by adding 1km of track. They could have even went one step further and been as ingenious as the Victorian planners and ran a light rail or tramway all the way to the new hospital.

Practical solution or perhaps just another pipe dream.

Colin Quigley, Govan, via email

Has Mr Murphy actually done any research on what many apprentices earn and why would any government want to start paying for free travel at tax payers expense.

Many employers offer support, many travel with colleagues in a car, some have cars and many earn a lot more than the minimum rate set.

How does Mr Murphy go about ensuring only those that need help get help or is it just throw tax payers money at anyone regardless of need.

This idea would be a waste of government money that could be better spent on other priorities and in addition I would also reduce funding for colleges as no one appears to ask why a large majority leave before completing their course or leave with skills that have no relevance to the needs of employers.

Crazy ideas by a man who will hopefully never get into power

J Gorman, Concerned employer, via email

Great news that Glasgow will get a new BMX track. The sport has a huge following and it can only be good for the city to build upon the success of the Commonwealth Games, especially given how popular the cycling road race event was.

C Rogers South Side