Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – I am delighted by the news (The Courier, May 11) that replacing the rail connection to St Andrews would be financially feasible, and I sincerely hope that it is backed by our elected officials and not thrown aside in favour of a far less sensible road bypass extension.
I also hope that if it comes to fruition it will also be financially feasible for the commuters hoping to use it, and provide a far more affordable alternative than running a car. I say this not only as a self-confessed rail geek, but also as a business owner who sees the many economical benefits this can bring, particularly to small businesses.
I am also someone who believes in progress. And, as an alumnus of St Andrews, I can fully appreciate the benefit of having a direct rail link to the town.
Whilst the bus service between Leuchars and St Andrews is a beacon when compared with many bus services in Fife, many students will greatly appreciate the convenience that this affords them.
With the plans to build a rail/tram interchange near Edinburgh Airport, getting to the airport for many students, and indeed the general public, will be a far less arduous ordeal.
It gives me great pleasure to see the poorly-made decisions of 50 years ago overturned, and in the wake of other routes being reopened across Scotland I hope that this is the start of a rennaissance for the railways, especially in Fife.
I find it extremely bizarre that Scotland has been left with such a dearth of rail network, given how remote and difficult to reach many parts of the country are. When compared with south of the border in England, where the density of rail routes per comparable square mile (in some far less remote areas) is much greater, I am at a loss to explain this lack of sense.
St Andrews needs a solution, and very quickly. Its mediaeval streets were never designed for all this traffic, which is only going to increase.
As a member of staff at the university, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to leave the car at home in Dundee and take the train into work, and I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that.
Rich Gordon.RG Musicom Music Consultancy,St Monans.
Lord Fraser’s view insulting to Scots
Sir, – Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, interviewed in The Courier on May 15, appears to be increasingly muddled.
He seems to link the decline of the Tory vote in Scotland with the growth in anti-unionism. This is an insult to Scots, the majority of whom have never voted Tory yet support the union. Union pessimists have for 300 years been predicting inevitable failure.
As to his view that Alex Salmond’s line is winning over public opinion in England, this is less than accurate.
Like many of your readers, I have to spend time south of the Border and would say that the prevailing view of the English, regrettably, is that the Scots are mostly whingeing dependency-junkies (at the English taxpayer’s expense) and might as well sail off into their fantasy world leaving everyone else better off.
Additionally, there is the argument, which I support, that the benefits to which Alex Salmond aspires are more likely to be achieved by a vigorous Scottish nation fully within the union than separated from it.
Ranald Noel-Paton.Pitcurran,Abernethy.
Should think more carefully
Sir, – If Lord Fraser is against independence, as he claims and as would be expected of a senior member of a unionist party, he should think a great deal more carefully before making remarks which play quite so blatantly into Alex Salmond’s hands.
This attitude of giving up and facing the inevitable must not be tolerated now any more than it would have been when our country was threatened with invasion in 1940.
I too would like to be able to travel from the Cromarty Firth to the Borders only passing through constituencies held by unionist parties. Lord Fraser appears, however, to be equating all the seats lost to the SNP with support for independence.
It may seem illogical to vote SNP but to stop short of supporting independence, but people have their own reasons for doing this.
Lord Fraser should keep his defeatist attitude to himself.
Arthur Davis.Kinnaird Steading,Pitlochry.
Helicopter puzzle
Sir, – While I am delighted that there were no casualties when the latest helicopter-ditching-in-the-sea drama took place, I am also puzzled at one aspect of the affair.
It was admittedly a long time ago, but my service time was spent in the Fleet Air Arm and I was with 703 Squadron based in the south of England.
The job description of the squadron was Naval Air Sea Warfare Development Unit and helicopters featured in a mixed group of aircraft.
Their job was to drop instruments into the English Channel to detect submarines and all of them had huge yellow ”floats” instead of wheels so that they could land safely on land or water.
I frequently see on television helicopters flying out to oil rigs and they all have wheels.
Why not floats instead, like our helicopters of long ago, as 90% of their journeys are over water?
Certainly a couple of emergency floats, like airbags in a car, appeared when the latest helicopter ”ditched” but that could have been too late.
Is it time to turn back the clock?
Ian Wheeler.Springfield,Fife.
Spoiled vote is legitimate tactic
Sir, – Your letter writer Bob Taylor seems more concerned about the system than the voter.
Perhaps he can explain in easy-to-understand terms how you end up with a successful candidate after the eighth counting of the votes cast?
The intentional spoiling of voting papers is a legitimate tactic if you do not support any of the parties or individuals standing.
They only require to be counted once. Simple.
It would serve democracy better if the majority of voters recorded a spoiled vote instead of staying at home, as happened on May 3.
It would signal to politicians that the policies they are proposing are incompatible with the hopes, needs and wants of the electorate,
Joseph A Peterson.32 Kilrymont Road,St Andrews.
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.