Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, Is the person in charge of Dundee road closures trying to make the city a ghost town?
Trying to access the city centre by car from the Tay Road Bridge would put off all but the hardiest of the hardy.
I waited patiently in a queue on the bridge then, following the diversion to access Gellatly Street car park it took me in total 50 minutes to do what would normally be a five-minute journey.
I don’t envy the holidaymakers heading this way to Dundee. They may give up and head to Perth. Not really a laughing matter as it is due to continue for another two months.
And be warned, Fife Council is no better. For the next three weeks Tayport centre and lovely harbour will not be able to be accessed via the “Tayport Road.”
A long and winding route is being put in place via St Michaels. Not a good idea for the many already frustrated Tayport/Dundee commuters. And I am one.
Anne Lowe.13 Nelson Street,Tayport.
Baxter Park claim rejected
Sir, I am on holiday at the moment but read your letters page on the internet. I wish to make it clear that Cory Campbell’s assertion that I have stated that I will never support lighting in Baxter Park is nonsense.
Where is the evidence for this public statement?
(Cllr) Ken Lynn.Depute Convener Social Work and Health,Maryfield Ward,Dundee
Where is the evidence?
Sir, In response to Cory Campbell’s letter (July 21), I feel it necessary to correct a number of inaccurate points.
Senior Tayside Police officers have not repeatedly supported a demand for lighting in writing.
I speak to the police on a regular basis and this is news to me. Can Mr Campbell please supply us with this literature?
Can Mr Campbell also supply us with literature that suggests Dundee City Council is going against its sustainability policy?
I am concerned at Mr Campbell’s obsession with Maryfield Ward councillors. We do not “ignore” our constituents.
Baxter Park is an excellent, safe facility and people should not be put off by Mr Campbell’s latest attempt to cause disruption.
(Cllr) Craig Melville.Maryfield Ward,Dundee.
Army takeover not good enough
Sir, I was surprised to see your initially positive reaction to the closure of RAF Leuchars and its transformation into an army base when?
Fife Chamber of Commerce also seems convinced this is a good deal and will involve major capital expenditures into the Fife economy how much and when?
Perhaps they and you know something the rest of us don’t.
I absolutely understand Mrs Finnie’s anger at the defence secretary not having the bottle to face the people of Leuchars and Fife.
The truth is gradually appearing. In this evening’s news it was “the end of the decade” before Leuchars will be fully operational as an army base.
I suggest that we Fifers gird our loins, say “too bad” to Mr Fox and his much diminished military and get on with making something dynamic and long-term out of this squalid setback.
Perhaps Mr O’Leary, of Ryanair, would be interested in the magnificent Leuchars runway, or we can develop an aeronautical/avionics centre of excellence in the area by accessing the high technology and sciences of St Andrews University.
I’m not sure we really need a few squaddies in our fish and chip shops.
I suggest Mrs Finnie, who has shown so much spark in her single-minded fight for RAF Leuchars, might like to get involved actively in the next phase of transforming our area into something much more special than just another army camp.
John Purvis.Brigton,Near St Andrews.
Scots have paid for defence
Sir, Lynne King’s logic (July 21) is curious. She seems to think that the RAF is not British but belongs in only one part of the UK the south.
Scotland is still entitled to be defended and, as part of the UK at present, has paid for its share of UK defence forces. Does Ms King propose that Mr Cameron should go the whole hog and knock down the hangars as well?
Ian Gilbert.16 Robertson Crescent,Pitlochry.
Go for community wind farm
Sir, Now that a firm decision has been made about the future of RAF Leuchars, it is time to make firm plans for the future.
Up to now any attempt to develop a large offshore wind farm in the outer Tay estuary has been blighted by the needs of this base and its air defence radar. With Leuchars due to close, this long-term impediment has been removed.
Dundee faces a choice. It can either continue with its carping and hostile attitude to this technology, or it can embrace it with a community-owned wind farm.
This stands a better chance of enriching Dundee than waiting for someone else to do it.
Dundee has been declining since it lost out on the offshore oil industry in the 1980s.
There is much work to be done. Income from a large wind farm in the Tay can help pay for this.
Nobody should be applauding the growth of foreign-owned wind farms in Scotland.
Philip Roberts.Ascurry Mill,By Letham,Angus.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.