On today’s agenda: Perth’s new parking policy, winter driving, and Scotland’s targets for renewable energy.
Perth parking policy will aid disabled drivers
Sir,-Dr Wardrop (November 16) criticises Perth and Kinross Council’s policies on parking.
This arises from the latest initiative to have parking attendants working until 8pm. He and others state this will create a negative impact on business.
I, for one, welcome this move. Perhaps those who object would care to join me in driving around Perth looking for a disabled parking space only to find that they are taken up by selfish drivers who seem to be of the opinion that disabled people do not go out in the evenings.
I do not think visitors from Interlaken, in Switzerland, if they were visiting Perth and disabled, would be the least bit impressed at finding disabled bays were taken up by selfish drivers.
On most evenings, more so at weekends, or when there is something on at the concert hall, finding parking for a genuinely disabled person is an impossibility.
Just think of the negative impact this has on local businesses as disabled people cannot go out and do their Christmas shopping or have a meal in one of the many restaurants in Perth.
One such example, from the many available, would be the disabled parking bays outside Paco’s Restaurant, which are ideally placed for disabled persons using these premises. These bays are more often than not taken up by selfish drivers.
I congratulate the council and hope they make sure parking attendants are issued with a good supply of pens and tickets.
Stephen Windsor.The Holdings,Kinfauns.
Drivers must be responsible
Sir,-While I have every sympathy with the injuries of the Dundee College lecturer who was traumatised by the “horrendous” collision she had on Monday, I have to say that one should not be driving at 60mph on ungritted icy roads.
In a perfect world, it would be nice for us all if the gritters could cover the whole of the Scottish road network before the working day starts but this is just not possible.
We drivers have to take responsibility and drive according to the road conditions as we find them.
Maggie Winterborn.45 High Street,Strathmiglo.
60mph too fast in icy conditions
Sir,-With reference to your article (November 16) about the accident on the A90 in icy conditions, I was travelling north at the same time and I could see that the road had not been treated and drove at an appropriate speed.
An appropriate speed was not over 60mph. I would also point out that the only vehicles which did not speed past me were professional lorry drivers.
Iain McLaren.1 Clinkerheel Drive,Birkhill.
Fantasy of green tourism
Sir,-According to recent reports the Holyrood administration predict the expansion of renewable energy will lead to more than 60,000 new jobs in that industry and tourism in Scotland.
Can we expect then that tour operators will feature wind farm excursions in their brochures alongside mountain and glen trips? I have my doubts.
R. H. L. Mulheron.28 Cowgate,Tayport.
Pointless powerline
Sir,-I wonder if the angry residents of Muthill, whose beautiful village will be skirted by giant pylons, will take comfort from the Scottish Government’s hopes (November 16) for the creation of 60,000 green jobs.
As we have seen from the speech by Rupert Soames at Holyrood, the government’s energy policy has had a coach and horse team driven through it. The Saudi Arabia of renewables is a failed fantasy of the First Minister and it is sad to see someone of the calibre of John Swinney sharing in his colleague’s bunker mentality.
The Beauly to Denny line was part of this fantasy and is not required, since the renewable energy it was to carry is never short of building tens of thousands of wind turbines and hundreds of dams going to play a major part in our energy mix.
Scotland produces less than 0.2% of the world’s carbon emissions. We already have a low-carbon economy. Mr Swinney should concentrate on creating jobs in the construction of dependable power sources.
Ron Greer.Armoury House,Blair Atholl.
Scottish green dream on target
Sir,-Rupert Soames’ speech (November 13) made a series of inaccurate claims about energy policy in Scotland, principally that our renewable energy and climate-change targets are “wishful thinking”.
Mr Soames questioned the feasibility of having more than 10% of power generation from wind. Yet, by 2008, Scotland was producing 11% of its consumption from wind.
Yes, there are challenges ahead but the Scottish Government has led initiatives to address what Mr Soames calls “potholes in the road” with significant success. Scotland was generating 22% of its electricity demand from renewables in 2008 and we are well on track to exceed our interim target of 31% next year.
Longannet is front runner in the UK Carbon Capture and Storage competition and £1 billion of investment will flow into the plant and emissions will be reduced.
At Peterhead, SSE wants to make further investment so it can become the UK’s first major gas facility to be fitted with carbon capture.
Added to this is the massive increase in renewables, with commitments from major utilities and developers. More than 12GW of leases for wind, wave and tidal have been granted offshore by the Crown Estate real developments that can be delivered by 2020.
Scotland’s target to cut CO2 emissions by 42% by 2020 agreed unanimously by Parliament last year is deliverable.
Jim Mather.Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism.
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