Sir, I have written before regarding Dundee’s air link to London.
Since Air France pulled the plug on the London City service I’ve been using BA from Edinburgh as it is much more convenient in terms of choice of flights and arrival location.
More importantly, it costs a lot less. My average air fare with BA is about £180 plus another £50 for parking, fuel and the DLR.
The cheapest FlyBe offer is £275 plus £40 for the Stansted Express and it also means I don’t get home until well after 8pm whereas I’m home by 5pm using BA.
However, the main purpose of this letter is to ask why I can now fly with FlyBe from Edinburgh to London City for £99.98 (using comparable flight times to my usual BA flights) or £250 at peak times compared to theheavily subsidised flight to Stansted?
Surely taxes at Dundee and Stansted are a lot less than either Edinburgh or London City?
Also, why is Dundee the only service to Stansted when FlyBe offer flights to London City from Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness?
I hark back to Scot Airways when the peak time flights in both directions were always full and competitively priced.
It’s little wonder this service is doomed to failure.
Brian Jakobsen. 2 Balmyle Road, Broughty Ferry, Dundee.
Why spoil area they found so attractive?
Sir, The suspension bridge which crosses the River Tummel in Pitlochry was extensively repaired last year but already it is covered with padlocks put there by couples who wish to record their love forever. Soon it will resemble bridges in Paris, Prague and Amsterdam which are absolutely covered with the ugly things.
Recently, I crossed the bridge and found the discarded packaging for one of the padlocks which presumably had been thrown aside by one of the loving couples.
It made me wonder about the mentality of this couple who, presumably, had come to Pitlochry and chosen to affix the padlock engraved with their names to thesuspension bridge because they recognised the attraction of this spot and the lovely view from the bridge.
On leaving the bridge they carelessly helped to spoil the view for future visitors by discarding the packaging as unwanted litter. Odd behaviour certainly! It would make an interesting psychological study to work out why some people leave their litter in so many of our most attractive areas when they have themselves presumably lingered there awhile in order to appreciate its unspoilt beauty!
Roger West. The Steading, Croftinloan, Pitlochry.
Well-handled storyline
Sir, I have to congratulate the scriptwriters, producers and directors of Coronation Street for their handling of Simon Gregson’s (alias Steve Mcdonald), depression storyline.
It is being portrayed very realistically and sensitively, not fuelling the stigma of mental illness. I really believe that this portrayal is making a difference.
My hope is that men who are at present struggling with depression will seek help as a result and that viewers will see that depression and mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. Traditionally, men are not good at seeking help for depression and current statistics show that British men are three times more likely to die by suicide than British women.
The recent tragic suicide of the talented actor Robin Williams shows how all too common and heartbreaking this issue is.
Gordon Kennedy. 117 Simpson Square, Perth.
An interesting ‘about turn’
Sir, It was interesting to note in your Friday edition that George Osborne, on behalf of the UK Government, has now decided to withdraw an objection to an EU cap on banker bonuses of 200% of basic pay.
I say interesting because some people, and political parties, would have us believe that everything the EU proposes is bad for Britain and unpopular.
The other interesting thing about attitudes to UK membership of the EU is that many of the arguments put forward for leaving or re-negotiating terms are the exact opposite of reasons put forward by the same people when stating why they thought Scotland should stay in the UK.
For example, if the UK is a bigger market for trade then the same applies, only even more so, to Europe.
Robert Potter. Menzieshill Road, Dundee.
Certainly not side issues
Sir, I was astonished to read Dr John Cameron (letters, November 18) refer to Trident and land reform as “side issues”.
I believe the current estimate for the Trident program, if renewed, is at least £100 billion. There are roughly 25 million households in the UK which means that every household (including those in Scotland) will have to pay on average an extra £4,000 pounds in tax just to pay for Trident.
This is an obscene amount of money to pay for an obscene weapons system. If the government asked households whether they would rather have Trident or £4,000 I do not believe many would vote for Trident.
Land reform is urgently needed in Scotland and is certainly not a “side issue”. Here in Cupar we have had Tesco sitting for years on a derelict site in the heart of the town which they are holding onto simply so that no-one else can use the site.
The lack of land reform is also responsible for the ridiculous planning system whereby the location of new housing is driven not by where the suitable sites are, but by where landowners and developers want them built. This is also why greenfield sites are often built on instead of re-using brownfield sites.
Andrew Collins. Skinners Steps, Cupar.
Not so small, or remote . . .
Sir, In his letter of Nov-ember 18, John Cameron describes Scotland as “tiny”, and “remote”.
In fact, there are about 82 independent countries that have a smaller population than Scotland; for example Norway, Republic of Ireland, and New Zealand. Furthermore there are about 93 independent countries that have a smaller land area than Scotland; for example Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, and Denmark.
In my opinion, truly tiny independent countries are the likes of Tuvalu (10 square miles) and Nauru (eight square miles), both with populations of under 11,000.
Regarding his opinion that Scotland is remote. Well, New Zealand is far remoter than Scotland, it has a smaller population than Scotland, and despite these facts seems to be doing quite well. So well, in fact, that every year a fair number in the UK consider emigrating there.
Thomas Murray. 127 Cairns Crescent, Perth.
Winning the ‘peace’
Sir, We all agree the No campaign won the referendum but it would appear that the Yes campaign is winning the peace. SNP membership at more than 90,000 and rising, many new pro-independence groups with equally high membership such as women for independence, radical independence campaign to name but two.
I note with interest that even the Labour Party are getting on board and appear to be ditching their position of being the red Tory tag and are going to ditch their devo-nano position and recommend that Scotland keeps all of its income tax take.
The Liberal Party at their conference (which was held in a telephone box somewhere in Scotland) are calling for all welfare powers to be devolved.
Can this be believed or will they all revert to type and withdraw back into the safety of mediocrity and establishment thinking?
I have said it before, the referendum has certainly empowered ordinary people in Scotland who now think that their opinions are valid and if they keep pushing they have the ability to change society away from the current established, and sometimes elitist, way of doing things that usually leaves the rich richer and the poor poorer.
These next few years are going to be exciting times in Scotland and maybe even in the UK as more and more people realise that Labour and Tory (both the same in any case) are not in favour of a more equal distribution of wealth and are quite happy to jog along without too much change which ensures their own personal positions and those of their friends and backers.
It will be interesting to see if any of this is reflected in the Smith Commission, or will it be something and nothing, which wouldn’t be a surprise either, but you live in hope.
Bryan Auchterlonie. Bluebell Cottage, Ardargie.
No Mary at Christmas?
Sir, Whilst shopping in a well-known garden centre last week I noticed a range of dangly things to hang on your Christmas tree. They were emblazoned with various names and since my wife is a Mary I searched the rack . . . to no avail.
Surely Christmas has not evolved into such a commercial venture that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is no longer worthy of a dangly thing for your Christmas tree?
Willie Robertson. Grianan, Lynton, Stanley.