Sir, – The big difference between the calamitous floods around Scotland and the floods in Dalguise is that the floods here were entirely man made.
The problem in Dalguise is not so much the mighty Tay but also the railway dyke in between the river and hillside.
A bend in the river is half-a-mile upstream, which is too sharp for the water that can arrive here when the weather is very bad, so the dam in that spot bursts and Dalguise gets flooded.
The overflowing water gets trapped between the hillside and the railway dyke.
Two small bridges gaps in that dyke cannot cope with all that water.
If it is very bad, the level on this side of the railway dyke is a metre-and-a half higher than on the side of the river.
The two small bridges in that dyke are insufficient to release all that water.
What happens next is that a mile downstream, the water starts flowing over the railway line.
In a very short time it washes away a sizeable stretch of dyke, after which our troubles are over because the water disappears in an amazingly short time but the floodwater then flows into Perth.
Houses in Dalguise would not flood if measures were taken to allow the water to flow back into the river.
The only solution is to make sure that the water levels on both sides of the dyke are allowed to even out.
On the spot where the breach of the dyke is now, and was many a time before, we need a bridge with a length at least the width of that breach.
Dalguise, Perth and the railway will profit from that very sensible solution.
Guus van Goethem. The Old Post Office, Dalguise.
Pandering to green lobby
Sir, – What would Sir Peter Scott, son of Captain Robert Scott, pillar of Empire and staunch Tory, think of Lang Banks, director of the World Wildlife Fund Scotland.
Sir Peter founded the WWF in 1961, calling for “urgent worldwide action to stop vast numbers of wild animals being hunted out of existence and habitats destroyed”. No mention of fracking bans.
With no tigers or pandas to defend here, Mr Banks fills his timesheet claiming it a “massive victory” that Algy Cluff’s plans to exploit undersea coal gasification (UCG) under the Forth are moving to England, where the political situation is “more favourable”.
Mr Banks said: “The Scottish Government was right to extend its fracking moratorium to include UCG. Burning coal under the sea should have no place in Scotland’s energy future.”
WWF should have no place in Scotland’s energy future either. UCG could produce 20% less carbon emissions than conventional coal.
Do Scots who support WWF know their money is going to the destruction of Scotland’s energy and industrial future because of unelected charities and the SNP’s obsession with keeping the green vote on board?
Allan Sutherland. 1 Willow Row, Stonehaven.
Angus housing ethos destroyed
Sir, – I read with interest that Angus Council is considering using volunteer wardens in sheltered housing schemes.
As a retired employee of Angus District Council, I recall in the late 1970s the then director of housing, George Deans, introduced a voluntary warden scheme to provide support to residents living in retirement housing in Lunanhead.
This scheme ran for a number of years until a dispersed sheltered housing scheme was developed in Lunanhead and full-time wardens were appointed.
While I appreciate there are budget pressures on Angus Council I do feel that, regrettably, the council is ignoring the needs of its sheltered housing residents by destroying the ethos of sheltered housing.
JCS Edward. 4 Lower Brook Park, Ivybridge, Devon.
Tories prepare for next crash
Sir, – Many of us would have paid little notice to Chancellor George Osborne’s latest ramblings regarding the UK’s future financial perils.
Indeed, the very sight and sound of the Chancellor is enough to send most of us rushing for the off switch.
However, contained in his little sermon was not only a stark warning of what lies ahead for our union’s economy, but also a veiled dodging of the blame before the collapse even happens.
Mr Osborne thinks by suggesting it is all the fault of world markets that his government will somehow dodge the bulk of the blame when it presides over the next financial crash.
His nonsense about reducing the deficit then reducing the massive debt have unsurprisingly failed to materialise so now we get to sit back and watch it all disintegrate again.
We had the chance to do things differently and could have been well on the road to detaching ourselves from this useless method of financial mismanagement.
No one said it would have been easy but it can never be any worse than our future fate as part of a very failed state.
Richard Clark. Craigton, Monikie.
Misleading pension policy
Sir, – Does SNP MP Mhairi Black really believe the UK Government’s plans to harmonise pension ages for men and women is discriminatory?
No one wants to see the state pension age rise. We’d all prefer it to be equalised at 60, when women used to receive their pension. But especially during a period of financial austerity, there’s no pretending we’re not all living longer.
Plus, while regrettably there’s a way to go, we live in a world of increasing gender equality.
The reality behind Ms Black’s rhetoric is she is aware middle-aged and older women form a segment opposed to independence.
So the nationalist hierarchy trot out populist policy proposals, knowing they’ll never be implemented, in an attempt to grow support to break up the UK.
How affordable does Ms Black believe her pensions giveaway would have been in a post-oil independent Scotland?
Martin Redfern. Royal Circus, Edinburgh.
Correspondent in denial
Sir, – Alan Hinnrichs writes to give his view on many subjects and appears to have extensive knowledge which he passes on to readers.
In your January 8 issue, he named Dr Andrew Snelling, who believes that the Earth is 6,000 years old, to support his case against “deniers”.
To not agree with Mr Hinnrichs would seem to qualify you as a denier.
I would like to know if he has contacted Dr Snelling and made him aware of his errors, and perhaps discussed their different viewpoints, and shown him where he is wrong?
I think Dr Snelling would appreciate any help Mr Hinnrichs could offer him.
George McAllister. 2 Ceres Crescent, Broughty Ferry, Dundee.
Global warming pays well
Sir, – Alan Hinnrichs, when he sees letters which offend his green religion, resorts to insults (January 8).
Global warming, climate change and climate chaos are terms designed to reduce the population to shivering wrecks willing to pay billions to avoid extinction but it is not working.
Can Mr Hinnrichs name one global-warming scientist, researcher or university professor, who is not financially linked to the global-warming gravy train?
Mr Hinnrichs says that the ferocity of Storm Frank was what climate scientists predicted.
Nasa reported the effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon was linked to the worst floods seen in 50 years in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil and a factor in the UK floods.
Are Nasa scientists pseudo-scientists and cranks?
Clark Cross. 138 Springfield Road, Linlithgow.