Today’s correspondents give their opinions on subjects including cycling in Perthshire, a Gorilla that may soon be overshadowed, and compromise on minimum alcohol pricing.
UK could not repatriate forces from GermanySir,-Mr I. Carroll’s comments about potential Ministry of Defence savings to be gained from repatriating our forces in Germany should have attracted comment from senior officers residing in The Courier area but they haven’t.What Mr Carroll proposes is a non-starter.
Everyone should be in no doubt as to what repatriating such a large force would entail.
We are talking about heavily armoured forces like tank regiments, tracked artillery, armoured engineers, tracked infantry together with the many units that go towards supporting such large formations.
Where would they all go to? The Salisbury Plain and Catterick areas are already at capacity and UK forces even now place an enormous burden on most of the training areas.
How would they be accommodated? The last Government imposed a massive sell-off of barracks.
Finding barracks for these forces would involve the expensive purchase of land and huge costs in building accommodation.
Secondly, about 35% of the army are married personnel, thus, we would have a requirement for approximately 7000 additional married quarters.
Building further married quarters in Britain today, apart from being prohibitively expensive, would put great strain on schools, hospitals, medical and dental clinics and the welfare system.
Should our forces in Germany be repatriated? Probably yes. Could they be repatriated? Emphatically no.
J. N. Fleming.419 Blackness Road,Dundee.Spend on cycle safetySir,-I heartily endorse the comments by Sandra Murray (September 4) about the council’s failure to make proper provision for cyclists in Perthshire.
I have written to the council on more than one occasion about the lack of any cycle path, or even a facility for pedestrians, along the Baiglie Straight.
In his most recent correspondence on the subject, the area roads engineer promised to have the matter considered in the latter part of 2010.
However, he thought it unlikely that a cycle path would be considered justifiable because it met only three of the six criteria which were required.
Now, of course, the council can also excuse any lack of action on the grounds that there is no money available.
The Baiglie Straight is often a very busy road with fast-moving traffic.
In addition, it is quite narrow so that cyclists and pedestrians are exposed to vehicles passing within only a foot or so.
I am convinced that it is only a matter of time before someone is killed or seriously injured on this stretch of road.
Perhaps, then, money will be found to make the prospect of cycling or walking along Baiglie Straight rather less daunting.
Eric Brownsmith.39 Sutherland Crescent,Abernethy.Turbines will dwarf GorillaSir,-You reported (September 3) that the Rowan Gorilla VII, currently anchored in the Tay, has been raised to 300 feet (91 metres) above sea level.
The wind turbines proposed for the Port of Dundee will be 417 feet (127 metres) in height.
Anyone who thinks that such monstrosities are a good idea for Dundee should take a long hard look at the oil rig in its present position and try to imagine a structure over one third as much again in height.
(Prof) Andy Grieve.20 Albany Road,Broughty Ferry.Unified drink policy neededSir,-Is there any room for compromise in the Scottish Parliament over a minimum price for alcohol? (September 3)
Just last month, Prime Minister David Cameron suggested that local authorities in the Greater Manchester area could get together on this to tackle some of the anti-social behaviour aspects of alcohol abuse.
This might have been a cue for the Conservatives north of the border to abandon their opposition to a minimum price in Scotland.
Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats seem to think that a minimum price (perhaps based around increased duty and VAT) might be workable at United Kingdom level.
Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon wants a 45p per unit price perhaps backed by a sunset clause to review its operation after, say, six months.
These are different party positions certainly-but they are differences of emphasis rather than principle.
Whoever forms the new government after next year’s Holyrood elections is going to be faced with the realities of this country’s difficult relationship with alcohol.
The parties may feel that there may be electoral gains in taking up one position or another.
Meanwhile, the horrendous health and crime problems associated with cheap booze will continue to affect us.
The public was divided about the extent of the smoking ban introduced here in 2006 but the then government had the courage to introduce it.
All parties here need to be big enough to get a workable compromise on the minimum price this autumn.
The health and security of this and future generations depends on it. It is a nettle they should all grasp.
Bob Taylor.24 Shiel Court,Glenrothes.