Already making a significant contribution

Sir,—Perth & Kinross Council need not fear that they will incur the wrath of the Scottish Executive by refusing permission for industrial wind turbines in the Ochils (Courier, November 30).

Perthshire already contributes significantly to the generation of electricity from renewable sources. According to figures from the Department of Trade and Industry, there are 14 hydro-electric power stations in Perthshire, with a combined installed capacity of 320MW.

This amounts to approximately 5.3% of the Executive’s target of 6000MW by 2020.

Councillor Hulbert’s fears, therefore, may be allayed by the contribution the area is making to the renewables generation scenario, and the council can afford to be more particular about further developments in Perthshire’s attractive landscapes, without the Executive accusing it of not playing its part.

The Ramblers’ Association Scotland suggest that small-scale community and domestic schemes are the way forward for Perthshire, not industrial turbine developments on the hills. Small developments will fit better with the Perthshire landscape, help consumers reduce their demand on the grid, and save on electricity bills.

Lives took different routes

Sir,—Surely if you wish the perfect example of life’s rich pattern and diversity, certain events of a few days at the end of November provided the ideal example.

It was a privilege to watch George Best and Denis Law in the same Manchester United football team of the 1960s. The enjoyment they gave millions of lovers of the game who saw them over a six-seven year period was infinite.

“Star players” is a much-used and much abused phrase nowadays, but they were indeed stars.

But there the similarity ended. While Best took the drinking and partying route off the field, Law, the fiery one on it, had a solid family background of a wife and five children.

Fast forward now to those few days in November. On the last Friday of the month Best lost his fight to stay alive after a battle with an increasing alcohol dependency. Five days later his former team-mate became, fittingly, a Doctor of Laws at St Andrews University.

Life’s rich pattern and diversity indeed.

Southbound tolls ruled out

Sir,—John Hoodless (Letters, November 30) asks whether it would be possible to collect tolls in both directions on the Forth Road Bridge.

The current proposals are for tolling to remain northbound only. Southbound tolls on the Edinburgh side would result in queuing on the bridge and have been ruled out for that reason.

Tolls southbound on the Fife side would require extensive widening of the existing rock cutting to accommodate the toll plaza. In any case, one-way tolling captures the vast majority of journeys made across the Forth.

Why no bells on bikes now?

Sir,—Steven Bell’s article re cyclists not being seen (Courier, November 25) mirrors my attempt to persuade Dundee City Council to include in the management rules for public parks—particularly Balgay Park because of its inclines—the necessity for cyclists to display and use a bell or similar warning device.

Since 2004 all cycles at point of sale must have a bell attached by law; Italy and Northern Ireland have spot fines for failure to display a bell, and British Columbia has a bye-law making bells mandatory in municipal parks.

I still have a copy of my first request to Dundee City Council when the entrances to Balgay first displayed the cyclist signage. I had spoken to many of the park users one gets to nod to on a daily basis over a couple of decades, expressing my fears as a grandparent over cycles and the unpredictability of little children and their sudden dashes towards small objects of desire, and the almost unanimous reply—which I quoted in evidence to the council—was “they gie ye an affy fleg as they fly past”.

Using the Freedom of Information Act I learned the council have not, in fact, used any form of risk assessment study, preferring to put the onus on the “responsibility” of the cyclist.

I would argue that cyclists can demonstrate that responsibility by re-attaching the bell which came with the bike. I would rather be annoyed by excessive bell-ringing than risk injury to children. And what is so “uncool” about bells anyway?