Cyclists pay more than fair share of costs

By Courier readers

July 30 2016, 10:51am

Sir, – I’d like to assure Mr Clark Cross that there is no conspiracy against him from the pro-cycling correspondents by “orchestrating” our letters to appear the same day in The Courier letters section.

That is entirely up to the editor to decide if and when letters are published.

Unlike Mr Cross, I do read all the information contained in reports and letters before I reply and I cannot recall any report or letter that supports the small minority of adult rogue cyclists.

Where did he get the definitive information that there are “supporters” of rogue cyclists?

One thing I’ll ask Mr Cross to do is to write to the letters section in, say, two years’ time, to confirm, citing official reports so I can read them myself, that all of the 500,000 air weapons have been accounted for by licensing and being surrendered to the police if he thinks that’s a good example of effective legislation.

Many letters have highlighted the reality that cyclists pay more than their fair share for the total road transport system and the health and environmental benefits of cycling and I’m not willing to continue to flog a dead horse.

No doubt there will be more letters from Mr Cross against cyclists, every time he has his car insurance, MOT bill and vehicle excise duty to pay, which seems to me to be his motivation in writing his anti-cycling letters.

Dave Brimner.
Mearns Drive,
Montrose.

Campers should pay legal bill

Sir, – A senior judge has given the go-ahead for “selfish” and “arrogant” independence campers to be evicted from the grounds of the Scottish Parliament.

They had vowed to stay there illegally until Scotland became independent. This has taken seven months and taxpayers’ money.

These people should be made to contribute to the legal costs and the clean-up costs, curtailing their welfare benefits where necessary.

If they are not penalised, then others may feel they can flaunt the law for their causes.

Clark Cross.
138 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.

Tackle Perth traffic problem

Sir, – Is it beyond the wit of Perth and Kinross Council to do something radical about the log-jam which is Atholl Street in Perth?

For example, the council could synchronise the traffic lights so that east-bound traffic can get all the way from Dunkeld Road through Bridgend on a green light.

The present chaos, 25 minutes to get clear of this 500-metre stretch, is not uncommon at rush hour. It is frustrating, costly and unhealthy due to the poor air quality it causes.

The Scottish Government also needs to develop proposals for a new bridge further up the Tay as a matter of urgency.

City status means stepping up to city standards rather than the current one-horse traffic management arrangements.

David Roche.
6 Conachar Court,
Isla Road,
Perth.

SNP has helped wealthy voters

Sir, – Mr Robert Donald (July 28) lists the freeze on council tax as an SNP achievement.

This is just another SNP policy which benefits the better off in their high-banded properties. He also listed free prescriptions and free travel for millionaires.

Yes, there is free education for Scots students as Mr Donald mentioned but because of an EU rule, Scottish taxpayers have to pay for the education of EU students at a cost of about £100 million a year.

Michael Rogalski.
82 Feus Road,
Perth.

Benefits of Blue Flag beaches

Sir, – In the mid-1990s I worked on the economics of securing Blue Flags for up to 40 beaches around the coast of Wales on behalf of Welsh Water and the Wales Tourist Board.

It was clear from my research that the benefits to tourism clearly outweighed the costs of improving water quality and putting in place various other improvements required to obtain the Blue Flags.

The programme of works included investment in sewerage infrastructure, including UV treatment and long outfalls, and was successful in securing European funding based on a cost-benefit analysis of the scheme. Replacing an internationally recognised benchmark with a home-grown one sends the wrongs signals to would-be visitors, who are entitled to interpret the abandonment of the Blue Flag as a signal that our beaches are now not up to scratch.

John Stephens.
Dragonwyck,
Crossford.

Family values undermined

Sir, – Thank goodness we are part of the UK, so that the Supreme Court can protect the rights of Scottish families against the increasingly totalitarian SNP government.

It should be noted that much of the impetus behind the No to Named Person campaign came from Christian organisations.

Though opposition to the scheme became very widespread, it was the particular emphasis on the centrality of family life found in Christian teaching that sparked resistance to this unwarranted intrusion of the state into family affairs.

While we may rejoice that the SNP’s wings have been clipped, the party’s damaging philosophies of education and childhood will continue to harm children and family life.

The incessant emphasis in schools on children’s rights will produce selfish and demanding young people, primed with latent victimhood.

The SNP still intends to use schools to promote a radical gender ideology that will result in confusion and hurt for many.

The Scottish Government campaign to remove punishments from schools will continue apace, leading to ever-declining standards of discipline.

The bizarre notion that children should not be punished will have a knock-on effect in families, undermining parental authority.

Richard Lucas.
11 Broomyknowe,
Colinton,
Edinburgh.

Impossible power target

Sir, – I am not sure that Robert Donald’s list of vote-catching freebies is the best endorsement for responsible government; and “heading towards 100% renewable power supply”, though a laudable aim, is a physical impossibility in Scotland when relying on wind generation.

Hector Maclean.
Balnaboth,
Kirriemuir.