Sir, The response to Cycle Law Scotland’s Road Share campaign to introduce strict liability in Scotland has been encouraging, although there are misconceptions that I hope I can clear up.
The principle of innocent until proven guilty underpins Scots criminal law but not civil law.
It is civil law we hope to change, where strict liability is already widely used to protect consumers and employees.
And although motorists in accidents with cyclists would be presumed liable, they will always be able to attempt to prove the cyclist’s negligence.
Strict liability isn’t about making cyclists invulnerable to consequences from their actions but about giving those who deserve compensation their recompense quickly.
Nor will this increase tensions between motorists and cyclists.
It would actually usher in a greater sense of care and respect on the roads as motorists become more cautious towards cyclists and cyclists towards pedestrians.
We view strict liability as just one part of a range of policies the Scottish Government can and should be pursuing to improve cycle safety.
It is also an imperative if we are to catch up with our European neighbours and realise our ambition to become a cycling nation.
Brenda Mitchell. Founder, Cycle Law Scotland, Peebles.
Third party insurance for cyclists?
Sir, With regard to your article, April 16, Push for cyclists to be given ‘proper protection’.
Whilst, generally, I go along with improved cycling protection, there should still be provision for the motorists against dangerous bikers, who are witnessed almost daily.
More importantly, I would suggest that all cyclists should be covered at least for third party insurance giving a minimum seven figure cover.
David Bishop-White. 8 Pinkerton Road, Crail.
The city can’t take any more pollution
Sir, Whilst the decision to introduce lower emission buses on one of Dundee’s busiest bus routes is to be welcomed (Boost to air quality with arrival of green buses, April 18), the benefits for air quality will be more than outweighed by the overall increase in road traffic predicted in official figures.
In this light, the council’s decision to encourage Dundee residents to drive an extra million miles a year to dump their rubbish is particularly perverse. Many of these will be Ferry residents taking garden waste across to Riverside in all probability along the No 5 bus route.
Local councils expect car ownership and use to continue to grow, with increased levels of commuting, “resulting in the relevant corridors experiencing significant increases in peak period congestion” (Tayplan topic paper 7 on Transport, 2011).
With the existing high levels of respiratory diseases and deaths in Dundee, we can’t afford to have the extra load of air pollution resulting from the proposed biomass power station in the city centre, burning trees shipped in from abroad.
Concerned residents should contact their local councillors to make their views known, calling on them to reject Forth Energy’s assurances. Remember, SSE is one of the two partners in Forth Energy. On the day the biomass application was resubmitted, they were made to pay a record fine for mis-selling to the public.
Andrew Llanwarne. Co-ordinator, Friends of the EarthTayside, 8 Glasclune Way, Broughty Ferry, Dundee.
Pontificators should think back to 2010
Sir, Perhaps those who have been so vociferous over the past week about the cost of Baroness Thatcher’s funeral should be reminded of the cost to the UK taxpayer of the 2010 riots, conservatively estimated at £100 million.
I don’t recall seeing George Galloway, Dennis Skinner or any of the others recently televised pontificators condemning those costs on the television.
It may, of course, have been that the BBC didn’t think coverage of that would have been in the public’s interest and denied them the opportunity. My apologies to them if that was the case.
Jonathan Brown. Waterloo Cottage, Longleys. Meigle.
Roads can barely handle today’s traffic
Sir, Would someone from either Dundee City Council or Angus Council please explain to the residents of Downfield and surrounding area where the roads infrastructure is to carry the volume of road traffic that will ensue from a development of more than 200 houses plus blocks of flats?
The access to Strathmartine Hospital site is via either Strathmartine Road, Pitempton Road and Baldovan Road all of which are barely able to handle today’s volume of road traffic.
And what about school accommodation at the site?
Ken Dickson. Collace Crescent, Dundee.