Sir, – The recent letters regarding Leuchars as the new Dundee airport assume that Ryanair, easyJet and their like would rush to operate from there.
These firms already have a network of routes operating from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Prestwick and such a move would be unlikely.
Operating routes from Leuchars, would damage their present routes as there is unlikely to be more passenger traffic. People from Dundee use Edinburgh anyway.
Many obstacles would have to be overcome before a Leuchars airport could become a reality.
Leuchars is not an airport, it is a military base with a runway. The Ministry of Defence said they would not consider turning this runway over for civil aviation use.
Airports are not publicly owned.
Private investors would have to provide the huge sums required to build terminal buildings and provide security for the military base on the site.
Huge investment would be required to improve the road network, as the present roads, with the Cupar bottleneck and poor roads from Dundee, would be incapable of handling the volume of traffic required to make an airport at Leuchars viable.
As Dundee airport is unable to handle viable aircraft because of the runway length, huge public subsidies are required to operate the London Stansted service. The airport at Dundee may be viable as a training and flying club establishment similar to Perth but is unlikely ever to be a viable passenger airport.
Edinburgh Airport is an easy drive from Dundee.
The subsidy given to the Stansted service might be better spent improving public transport links to Edinburgh.
John Strachan. 23 Beechwood Avenue, Glenrothes.
We seek best for mankind
Sir, – Howard Evans (April 24) asks what he calls a ‘very simple question’: why did God create lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people?
The answer is the same as he created any one of us: to live full and fulfilled lives loving and serving him.
However, the accusation behind the question is a little simplistic.
Mr Evans seems to assume that sexuality is totally determined by genes and that whatever is genetic must be right.
As regards the former, while there are clearly genetic factors, it is by no means clear that all sexuality is just genetic.
As regards the latter, we have evidence that factors such as violence, alcoholism and anger have genetic components.
It is also generallyrecognised that genetically it does not seem that humans are wired to be monogamous.
In Mr Evans’ eyes this means that anger,violence, adultery and sexual promiscuity are just part of human nature and should be indulged.
The Christian churches’ perspective is not anti-gay. It is pro-human.
We just believe that the maker knows best and that ultimately it is for the good of us all if we follow his instructions.
We seek what is best for all human beings. What is wrong with that?
Rev David ARobertson. St Peter’s Free Church, 4 St Peter Street, Dundee.
Power to change our nature
Sir, – Howard Evans (April 24) states that he has never been convinced by any Christian believer on the gay issue, arguing that people do not choose their sexuality but are born that way.
It is indeed very hard to convince someone of biblical truth because God’s truth is spiritual and transcends human logic.
God’s word is received by faith, not proof, but when it is believed and obeyed, the experience is always inwardly satisfying.
However, this may help. Every person is born with sinful tendencies which can seem perfectly natural.
We observe daily a world full of selfishness, anger, lust, criminality and war, even though people are strongly inclined to justify themselves and their actions.
But when one becomes a Christian, all this changes, as the person receives a new nature.
From this point, our eyes are opened and our consciences quickened to discern good from evil with much greaterclarity, especially within ourselves and, as we change from the inside, we start to become the person God planned us to be.
Stuart Wishart. 12 Walnut Grove, Blairgowrie.
Mixed messages over oil pipeline
Sir, – I fail to understand why the Health and Safety Executive state that it is not safe for 70,000 people to attend the annual T in the Park festival at Balado, near Kinross, because the BP oil pipeline lies underneath site.
However, the same Health and Safety Executive seem to have no problem with 44-tonne lorries being driven over the same pipeline on the M90 at Glenfarg and the A90 at Kinfauns.
When the BP oil pipeline was laid in 1975, the M90 was still being constructed, while the A90 at Kinfauns (then still part of the A85) was a commuter route between Dundee and Perth because the Friarton Bridge had not been built.
In fact, in 1975 all traffic from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Aberdeen drove through New Scone, Coupar Angus and then on to Forfar.
If the HSE think that it is unsafe to hold the T in the Park at Balado, then the M90 at Glenfarg and the A90 at Kinfauns must be closed with immediate effect.
Douglas W Tott. Stoneyburn, Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay.
Destruction of natural heritage
Sir, – A public inquiry is being held into a proposed 39-turbine wind development at Strathy South, near Thurso.
The RSPB vigorously opposed this development because of the harm it would cause to the peat-land habitat and the birds it supports.
The charity commissioned an independent review of the carbon impact which found that the emissions involved in building and transporting the turbines could outweigh any benefits.
The inquiry heard it will take between 16 and 24.8 years to “pay back” the carbon impact of its construction.
The developers, Scottish and Southern Energy had claimed the timescale was 4.5 years.
Scotland only has 0.15% of global emissions but SNP and Green politicians have forced through a renewables policy which has destroyed our natural heritage and created fuel poverty.
Clark Cross. 138 Springfield Road, Linlithgow.
Dialogue could save us billions
Sir, – Perhaps the most important question to be asked before renewing the Trident nuclear weapons system is: at whom are those weapons of mass destruction pointed?
One would assume they are not pointed at Argentina, Iceland, bBosnia, Iraq or Afghanistan, as no use for them could be found during those conflicts.
What are the countries that our government holds in such terror
that we point such obscene monstrosities at them?
These terrible weapons would slaughter not only soldiers but innocent women, children, infants, the unborn and wildlife.
The United Kingdom taxpayer is entitled to clear details of whothese invisible enemies are.
Would it not be better to enter serious andcontinuous negotiations with these supposedenemies to resolve our differences?
Surely the problems we have with them cannot be insurmountable?
Even that old warmonger Winston Churchill said: “Better to Jaw, Jaw, than to War, War.”
Would negotiations with these countries cost more than the £100 billion we will spend on Trident?
I doubt it.
Joseph G Miller. 44 Gardeners Street, Dunfermline.
SNP owe an explanation
Sir, – Acres of newsprint and hours of television have been devoted to speculation about post-election coalitions.
So much coverage has focused on the power that the SNP will have at Westminster if the result after May 7 is a hung parliament.
How can the SNP explain to their core membership that they are still dedicated to independence and dissolving the United Kingdom while posing as a willing accomplice giving life support to one or other of the UK parties who all support the Union?
The SNP have never cared for the common good of the UK, so why should we believe they will do so in the nextparliament.
Angus Brown. The Orchard, Longforgan.
Stick to pledge on referendum
Sir, – I have been reading many electioneering claims by various politicians over the last week or two.
Many are dubious but our Holyrood leader, Nicola Sturgeon, came out with a cracker when she stated in a speech in Renfrewshire: “The leaders of the Westminster parties really need a basic lesson in democracy. It’s up to the people of Scotland to decide how to make our voice heard.”
The basic lesson in democracy needs to be learnt by Ms Sturgeon and her party.
The referendum last September, which was pushed for by her predecessor, herself and her party, was democratically decided by the people of Scotland, who voted overwhelmingly to remain part of the United Kingdom.
Also promised by the SNP was that it would be a once-in-a-generation affair.
I trust that Ms Sturgeon will stick by her party’s words.
Willie Robertson. Grianan, Lynton, Stanley.
Have Tories given up hope?
Sir, – With Norman Tebbit advising Conservative voters in Scotland to vote Labour, is this an admission that his party has no hope in Scotland?
David Cameron is telling anyone who will listen that a vote for the SNP is undemocratic and that any SNP candidate elected to Westminster should be second class and have their voting rights curtailed.
All this anti-Scottish sentiment coming from the elitist Conservatives leaves me wondering if the Conservative party in England actually wants Scotland to leave the UK and would be quite happy to lose the general election so they could say it did not happen on their watch.
Bryan Auchterlonie. Bluebell Cottage, Ardargie.