Thursday’s correspondents discuss Royal Mail’s performance in Dundee, the danger of winter micro-climates and Scotland’s reaction to the snow.
Royal Mail delivered only Christmas upset Sir,-I am writing to add to the huge postbag of complaints about our mail deliveries.
On November 30, I ordered a Christmas present for my wife from a supplier on the internet.
I know we have a new delivery system, which is a very backward step for our esteemed Royal Mail.
I know all about our bad weather since the beginning of December.
However, our paper boys delivered our papers every day without exception.
After 15 days I contacted my supplier who kindly said he would send a replacement to arrive in time for Christmas.
One afternoon, my neighbour handed in my mail with a note saying they could could not deliver as the package was too large to go through the letter box.
My neighbour lives only yards from me, I have a large sign with my name and house number displayed prominently at the steps leading to my house.
It beggars belief that the postie did not see this. I will now have to go to the Dundee East delivery office.
I should say that we stayed in every day expecting mail which never arrived.
John Alexander.3 Seabourne Gardens,Broughty Ferry.
Moaning Murdo’s lack of solutions
Sir,-I note that Murdo Fraser MSP is reported as again moaning about the state of roads in Perth and Kinross.
What is his plan for road maintenance, if he has one, and what are the costs?
If they are greater than the current budgets, where is the extra money to come from?
What funding sources does he know about that we don’t?
If there is no additional money, what would he cut to provide the additional funding? Finally, has he now discovered why vehicles have suspension systems?
(Cllr) Alan Grant.Strathmore member,Perth and Kinross Council.
Be aware of road conditions
Sir,-With the current weather conditions and the spate of accidents on the roads, all drivers should be made aware of micro-climate areas, which are acknowledged as a major hazard.
All drivers should be advised to look out for micro-climates which can cause frost and wet patches to linger in some areas after they have disappeared elsewhere.
Ice can linger in landscape features such as valley bottoms, shaded hillsides and shaded slopes, or large areas of shadow cast by trees or buildings and can result in sudden skidding.
Bridge surfaces are often colder than the surrounding roads because they are exposed on all sides to wind-chill and can be icy when nearby roads are not.
Patchy fog is particularly dangerous and is a common cause of multiple road collisions.
I am 71 years old, still going strong, passed the advanced driving test 40 years ago and currently voluntarily coach car drivers up to the advanced driving standard for the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) and RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders.
Keith H. Bennetto.Hillview,Blairforge,Kelty.
Rethink snow clearance policy
Sir,-Although it is many years since I was resident in Switzerland, I recall the October morning when I woke to about two feet of snow.
To my amazement, things went on as usual.
The roads and pavements were quickly and expertly cleared, the children who had cycled to school the previous day went by skis, the milkman did his rounds by sleigh, the trains ran on time with the engines equipped with rotary snow blowers which blew the snow into the fields and traffic carried on as usual with vehicles being fitted with snow chains or studded tyres.
And no mention of this was made in the press or on the radio.
As the winter progressed the snow got worse but everything carried on as usual, if perhaps a little slower.
When the time came for me to return home, the snow was around eight feet deep and a drift at the back of our village in the Landwasserthal was roughly 50 feet high, yet my train travelled through such conditions and reached Zurich a minute ahead of schedule.
What must our continental neighbours think about our failure to cope with a little snow?
Has the time not now come when completely fresh thought is given to dealing with these adverse weather conditions which happen all too regularly?
How should we deal with roads and railways, particularly asking if our antiquated equipment is really coping with these so-called emergencies?
I think the expression is back to square one.
David A. Scott.3 Traquair Gardens,Perth.
On the road to Damascus?
Sir,-Poor Stephen Moreton (December 27).
His frequent diatribes against Christianity remind me of what was said of Paul before his conversion.
He was “still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples” as he went to obtain letters of authority to imprison Christians.
As he later admitted, “I persecuted the followers of this way to their death.”
But Paul was in for a surprise.
Maybe Stephen Moreton is too.
Geoff Miller.Glebe Cottage,Newtyle.
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