Madam, – Today I watched from my window as car after car came down the narrow St Gregory’s Lane to park on the cliffs at Kirkhill in St Andrews.
A procession of single students then emerged with their books and bags heading for the faculties.
Some were the usual dog-walkers and “chancers” looking for free parking but most were students as this only happens with the start of a new academic year.
Thus a line of steel stretched for more than 200 yards past the iconic view of the castle and Castle Sands.
There’s no natural turning point at Kirkhill so anyone exiting will either be blocked in or forced into complex reversing moves, churning up the grass verges as they go, hoping no-one will notice.
Once gone, out of sight out of mind.
Never mind the car alarms detonated by the sea breeze or the residents denied access to their homes, or the council warden unable to get to the sheltered flats, or the emergency services unable to gain access, or the sheer lunacy of one of Scotland’s most iconic views being despoiled.
When I was a student in the 70s virtually no-one had a car but today’s student comes with the latest model.
I wonder if a grid-lock of steel was what the principal of St Andrews University had in mind when she talks of green and sustainable development for Scotland’s oldest university.
Tell me anywhere in St Andrews which is not accessible by foot, bus, or bike?
Chris Main.
5 Kirkhill,
St Andrews.
We’re pussyfooting on drugs crisis
Madam, – Another forum, another debating body, another task force to consider how to reduce the death rate among drug addicts and who has the authority to declare a public health emergency (The Courier, September 18).
If addicts, who are using illegal substances, shouldn’t be called criminals, what are they – patients and their supplier’s pharmacists?
Once again the Scottish Government, like most other governments, is pussyfooting around the addicts’ real problem which is the availability of drugs.
If governments were serious about tackling the drugs problem, which for some reason unknown they seem not to be, they could form an alliance to defoliate the drug growing areas of Colombia and Afghanistan, just as America did with Agent Orange in Vietnam.
A clue for their apparent reluctance to act may lie in former prime minister David Cameron’s recent confession that he and his wife used to get stoned out of their minds on cannabis.
If the elite and ruling classes use illegal drugs this may well explain their apparent reluctance to tackle the problem head on.
The results of random drug testing of MPs might be revealing.
In the meantime, Scottish drug addicts are dying at the rate of a hundred a month and rising.
George Dobbie.
51 Airlie Street,
Alyth.
Groundless and idiotic SNP claims
Madam, – I refer to the letter in today’s Courier (September 18) ‘Underhand tactics of SNP’, from Robert IG Scott.
In yet another rant against the SNP, Robert once more displays his complete lack of knowledge on the subject he writes about, on this occasion the court case over the actions of the PM to prorogue parliament.
He states “but remarkably that did not satisfy the SNP minority administration at Holyrood. They took the matter to the Court of Session in Edinburgh”.
Robert should be informed that this case had nothing to do with the SNP at Holyrood. The case was brought by 70 parliamentarians and peers of all political persuasions.
Robert states that in his view it is just another case of the SNP trying to undermine the UK Parliament.
Well in my view Robert would do well to make sure of even five very basic facts before making such groundless and idiotic accusations.
Stephen Windsor.
The Holdings,
Kinfauns.
Climate change consequences
Madam, – I was surprised to read Dr John Cameron’s dismissive attitude regarding climate change (Letters, The Courier, September 17).
His title would suggest he is a man of education so presumably could envisage the consequences of shutting all the windows, blocking off the chimney and lighting a fire with the heating on full blast.
Multiply that on a global basis with the addition of mass air travel, wars and fossil fuelled power stations and it’s fairly obvious that mankind will be paying a high price for our recklessness.
Maybe it’s time to ignore the statistics, surveys and consensus and try looking around at what’s happening to formulate an opinion.
Graham Ellis.
Moredun,
Auchterhouse.
Dangerous times to live in
Madam, – I have watched two excellent political series on TV this week.
One was The Rise of the Nazis which covered the period when Hitler had just assumed power, and, in the initial sequence, he is described thus: “he refuses to engage in the boring day to day detail of running a country, he has no interest in the opinions of experts and refuses to read briefings: instead he tasks his team with a simple assignment: destroy democracy and make him dictator”.
The other programme was the first of a new series on The Troubles – a secret history, which described the origins of the long running conflict in Northern Ireland, in which more than 3,600 died, and many thousands were injured: a conflict ended by the Good Friday Agreement, which is currently under dire threat from Brexit.
Already a young journalist has been shot and killed, and several bombs have been found, so far without death or injury.
We live in dangerous times!
Les Mackay.
5 Carmichael Gardens,
Dundee.
Ways to save the planet?
Madam, – On September 20, many people will strike to raise awareness of the climate crisis and encourage governments to take action to tackle it.
While this is a worthwhile endeavour, there’s no need to wait for a special date to commit to saving the planet.
If you truly want to combat climate change, you can start today by removing meat, eggs, and dairy from your shopping list.
Animal agriculture is the single largest source of methane and nitrous oxide, greenhouses gases that are 25 and 300 times more potent at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, respectively.
That’s why the United Nations has stated that a global shift towards a vegan diet is essential.
So by all means, take part in the strike for the climate. But remember that change starts on your plate and choose planet- and animal-friendly vegan meals.
Sascha Camilli.
PETA Foundation,
London.
Brexit hardly conclusive
Madam, – Brexit reporting is as though we had all voted to leave the EU. However nearly half of us voted to stay, and the margin for Leave was just 3.8%.
Hardly a conclusive result!
Malcolm Parkin.
Gamekeepers Road,
Kinnesswood.
