Sir, – We are writing to highlight our concerns arising from the decision by the Scottish courts to uphold a challenge by the RSPB of the consent by Scottish Ministers for four offshore windfarm projects in the Firths of Forth and Tay.
Our companies, GeoSea, Prysmian, Siemens Plc and Siemens Transmission and Distribution Ltd are the main contractors for the Neart Na Gaoithe (NNG) project, which is one of the four.
We have made advanced plans for significant works to be assigned to the local supply chain in Scotland.
The project is expected to create hundreds of skilled jobs during its manufacturing, installation and operation phases, and support the creation of a sustainable new industry to help alleviate the downturn in the oil and gas industry that is being deeply felt.
We see Scotland as having potential to be a leading international centre for offshore wind expertise to compete with major centres in mainland Europe.
In 2015, we participated in supply chain events throughout Scotland and were very impressed with the interest expressed by local companies and the capacity of those companies to contribute to our construction plans for the £2 billion NNG project.
We trust now that Scottish Ministers will urgently consider how best to address the issues raised by the court ruling and to ensure that this major project for Scotland’s energy infrastructure is properly consented and brought into operation in a manner that addresses the concerns of the RSPB.
Jan Klaassen,
GeoSea (DEME Group.
Mike Grainger,
Siemens Transmission and Distribution Ltd.
Clark Macfarlane,
Siemens Wind Power and Renewables.
Ian Knowles,
Prysmian Group.
Build bypass at Broxden
Sir, – The question about Broxden roundabout at Perth rears its head again. I doubt that those dealing with this in Perth and Kinross Council are any better than those many years ago when the roundabout was last dealt with.
The last time, Councillor Willie Wilson asked me if I could advise him on this as he did not drive.
I produced a map showing what could be done.
The main thing was having the A9 bypass the roundabout on the west side heading north away from the roundabout itself.
Willie submitted this to the person or persons dealing with the matter.
They glanced at the map, threw it in the waste paper basket, and said: “What does he know about the matter?”
By that time I had driven around Broxden very many times, of course, and may well have done so rather more often than the those in the council.
Bill Fairweather.
23 Viewlands Road,
Perth.
Traffic lights delay motorists
Sir,- I totally disagree with your correspondent Edward Burns. Traffic lights a Broxden roundabout would not improve the congestion.
Also, the control of the traffic flow at Inveralmond has not been a success as there are many long tailbacks there.
The lights go green but the next set round are at red, so the traffic tails back, blocking the roundabout.
I am a regular user of both these roundabouts daily from approximately 8am through to 5pm and so have experience of both.
Incidentally, I find that when the traffic lights are not functioning at Inveralmond there is a lot less queuing and traffic flows more smoothly.
It would be a disservice to road users to introduce traffic lights at Broxden.
Roy Moffat.
Bollyglosh,
Gilmerton.
Cacophony of misery
Sir, – I wondered if the army might fancy a change from its usual live firing at Buddon and consider some light and heavy weaponry stationed outside my bedroom window from 5am. There will be an abundance of moving, squawking targets, as the gulls circle and stomp on my roof.
I will be wide awake already.
Hamish Hossick.
3 Avondale Terrace,
Broughty Ferry.
Did Ms Sturgeon block the sink?
Sir, – According to Mr Clark Cross (July 26), in addition to being targeted by the entire cycling community who continually threaten his life and limb and that of his close relatives, there is now an “orchestrated” campaign by myself and two others who have replied to his letter.
I’ve yet to meet or hear from these people so I’ll have to take his word for it.
I’m also upbraided by Mr HR Canale of Arbroath in these pages, who bravely maintains, contrary to every other public source available to us, that the Brexit result in Scotland was in fact 40% Remain and not as we thought, 62%.
It seems, according to Mr Canale, that this was yet another dastardly plot by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who, when not stirring up trouble on the Continent (according to Mr Martin Redfern, July 26), conspires with the whole of the British media to give us misleading referendum results.
Now that’s very troubling, and it’s very clear that this pesky woman is at the root of all our nation’s present difficulties and I wouldn’t be in the least surprised that she had something to do with the blocked drain of my kitchen sink.
George White.
2 Cupar Road,
Auchtermuchty.
Safeguards were too risky
Sir, – Kenneth Wood (July 27) stated that Scotland did not vote to stay in the EU since only 42% of the electorate voted that way. That is correct, but by that logic only 37% of the UK electorate voted to leave and 63% did not.
The Trade Union Act 2016 stipulates that any industrial action by workers in “important public services” requires support by both a majority and at least 40% of the electorate.
No Tory MPs voted against this act, or against the EU Referendum Act. If the referendum act had had a 40% safeguard, Remain would have won.
The question every Conservative politician should answer is why the party considers a one-day train strike more important than the UK’s future and its EU membership.
The obvious answer is that the Government did not dare confront its backbenchers or UKIP who would have been furious at any safeguards.
James Christie.
2 Dryburgh Crescent,
Perth.
Flytippers can be traced
Sir, – Any environmental health officer worth their salt should have been able to prove where the mess in the Dundee play park shown in your photograph (July 26) came from.
There was plenty of packaging, so there must have been an address somewhere. In fact, I think I saw an address label in the mess of cardboard beside the child’s bike.
A box that had held a new electrical appliance must have had a shop label or a bar code that was traceable.
If not there are other boxes from new purchases which could lead to the dumper.
Have faith folks, the environmental health officers are able to trace these offenders and will keep our streets clean.
But they need your help, so report any suspicious dumpers.
Bill Crowe.
80 Castle Street,
Montrose.