I THINK it is absurd to make hospital staff pay to park outside their own hospital (Evening Times, January 25).

And why should relatives or visitors be penalised for caring for their loved ones when they visit? What has gone wrong when you can park at shopping centres for free, but have to pay when you or someone you love is ill?

This sums up most governments today - grabbing money from where it can least be afforded. Geraldine, Glasgow Parking meter hygiene risk

Last Thursday's Evening Times, on the subject of parking around the Royal Infirmary, showed a picture of a GRI doctor feeding money into a ticket machine. Why, at a time when infection control is such an issue, was he outside wearing his blues'?

I would imagine the hospital must have a policy prohibiting this practice and if not I'm sure the infection control team would have something to say. Michael Kenny, Glasgow Museums move a tax dodge

I find it ironic that the council with the highest council tax in the UK should try to evade paying £6million a year in tax by setting up a charitable trust into which it intends to dump our museums and leisure centres, with no forethought of the outcome years down the line.

A spokeswoman for Unison clearly spelt out that staff pay and conditions could be affected, which I don't doubt for a minute.

If Glasgow City Council is serious about this move, surely a poll among its employees is the least it can do to stop this huge step from going horribly wrong? Jill Ferguson, Partick Smokers unfairly targeted

I see Glasgow City Council has fined 60 smokers for dropping their cigarette butts in the street.

While I find the idea of dropping anything in the street disgusting, what I would like to know is how many people have been fined for dropping litter?

Walk down any street in Glasgow and you'll see people dropping rubbish. In fact, there would be no problem finding 60 culprits in one day.

Why don't the wardens just go and stand outside a burger bar? Or maybe this is just a witchhunt against smokers. Michelle Winter, Glasgow Criminals should get no say

When will this country's government learn that our prisons have criminals in them and not the aged and needy?

Now we hear we are breaching criminals' human rights by not letting them vote. What a joke.

These inmates committed crimes against society and therefore gave up their rights to be treated as ordinary citizens. Let them serve their time without all the rights that honest tax-paying citizens enjoy. R Lee, Glasgow Drivers' shifts are too long

AS a bus driver I wish to highlight the shifts we have to work. Most at my depot are spreadovers', lasting from 6.30am to 6.30pm, with a two-hour break.

It's no wonder drivers are tired and closing their eyes when stopped at traffic lights. How the Department of Transport lets the bus operators get away with it I just don't understand.

It's high time something was done before there is a serious accident. Just think - when you board a bus to go home, the driver is probably the same one who took you to work. Name and address supplied

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