Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Mr Keith McCartney’s perspective on the result of the Kilrymont consultation (The Courier, March 14) is not surprising considering the present chairman of the education and children’s services committee, and his SNP colleagues, voted for the Kilrymont option, much to the dismay of the people of North East Fife.
However, it does surprise me that he does not acknowledge that 90% of the public and 70% of parent respondents to the consultation clearly demonstrated their rejection of the Kilrymont proposal and clearly did not consider the Kilrymont option to be “a credible solution”.
I agree that the pupils and staff of Madras College have certainly been forced to endure their environment for too long already, and have said so on many occasions, but they deserve the very best school that can be provided.
Fife Council did not conduct a transparent or exhaustive appraisal of alternative sites prior to their decision to back the Kilrymont option, therefore identification of a deliverable alternative has been delayed by their incompetence.
The electorate of North East Fife have spoken through the consultation process and the candidates who wish to be elected to Fife Council in the forthcoming elections would do well to listen.
(Mrs) Lisa Williams.82 Crosshill Terrace,Wormit.
Could do more to help themselves
Sir, – The Scottish Government’s offer to assist drought-stricken parts of England with water is an interesting contribution on how to address the issue of water shortages (March 14).
However, we should maybe forget about boosting water supply and instead curb demand, not only with a call to consumers to try and use less, but with basic engineering.
In London, Thames Water has an obscene leakage rate of 30%. The company currently loses 30% of the water it puts into the mains 200 litres a day for every customer. Paris and New York only lose around 10%; Singapore is below 5%. England and Wales leakage rates, at about 25%, are higher than a decade ago.
We also need household meters, with Britain almost alone in the industrialised world in not having universal water metering. Houses with meters use 15% less water.
The Scottish Government has presented a solution to water shortages, but there is clearly more that those in drought-stricken areas south of the border could do to address these problems themselves.
Alex Orr.77 Leamington Terrace,Edinburgh.
Police couldn’t prosecute
Sir, – David Coull’s claim (Letters, March 13) that speedometers and cruise controls are set high by as much as 10% is questionable.
When driving either my wife’s wee runabout or our family car, I have noticed that those speed-warning signs which flash when entering villages show exactly the same speed as our speedometers as we pass the sign.
Either David Coull is wrong or these flashing signs usually showing 20mph are also set high. It would be difficult for the police to obtain a conviction for speeding under these circumstances.
All the defence has to do is have the flashing signs checked. If they were showing 22mph when the speed of the approaching car was actually 20mph, the case would be thrown out and the police would be liable for court costs.
Can garages check speedometers to ensure they are accurate? David Coull has made me wonder because I am another driver (having been fined twice for speeding) who sticks to speed limits using cruise control and am passed by everything in sight.
George K McMillan.5 Mount Tabor Avenue,Perth.
Why the silence?
Sir, – VisitScotland should be congratulated for championing Scotland’s tourist industry.
Recent press reports have included the results of a survey which showed that 91% of visitors enjoyed their trip to Fife and 94% would recommend it to others with 49% saying they would return in the next five years.
Top reasons for choosing to visit Fife and St Andrews include the scenery and landscape.
But why doesn’t VisitScotland champion the very landscape and scenery that attracts so many visitors?
It habitually refrains from comment on very many planning applications for disproportionately-sized, insensitively-sited wind turbines and infrastructure which collectively will industrialise Fife’s landscape.
Nor has it made any submission to the inquiry into the Scottish Government’s renewables targets currently being conducted by the economy, energy and tourism committee.
Does VisitScotland really believe that the 26 giant turbines proposed for the East Neuk’s ridge will not harm the area’s very many small businesses that cater to visitors?
Or has its silence got something to do with the £43 million it received last year from the self-same government which is hell-bent on promoting onshore wind whatever the cost?
Linda Holt.Dreel House,Pittenweem.
Get a grip!
Sir, – Unlike Gil Sharp, I am not at all concerned by the CO2 emissions of the vintage tractor charity run and would happily wave it on its way.
We really need to start shouting down all this politically correct rubbish.
I’m sure the car driven by Gil will do a lot more damage to the planet, and I really hope Gil never goes on holiday by jet.
As for the fuel duty aspect, all you can really say is “get a grip”.
John Strachan.Glenrothes.
Mean-spirited
Sir, – In his diatribe against a vintage tractor drive for charity (:etters, March 15), Gil Sharp exhibits the typically mean-spirited “let’s find somebody to rat on” attitude to life that largely prevails today.
This is precisely what is wrong with Britain today. Too many politically correct people with no sense of style or adventure.
Malcolm Parkin.Kinross.
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. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.