Tuesday begins with discussions on the MoD’s response to the submarines in Rosyth dockyard, solutions to traffic problems, the joys of “a postprandial cheroot” and comparing the meerkats to television’s other offerings.
Rosyth nuclear submarines bad for business Sir,-I cannot believe the puerile response from the MoD spokesperson on the issue of the irradiated hulks lying in Rosyth dockyard (August 6).
Councillors William Walker and Douglas Chapman deserve a much better response than this MoD effort which simply managed to say a lot without actually saying anything.
It seems to me we are entering the platitude phase of what, I suspect, is a softening-up exercise by the MoD, prior to their preferred option of dumping all the UK’s naval nuclear waste on us.
Clearly worrying is the spokesperson’s lack of knowledge of the current situation where he said the submarines were not rusting but were being maintained.
MoD sophistry is also worrying when, only a couple of weeks ago, it was reported that the rupturing of one submarine’s hull was attributed not to rust but to a natural process of bacterial attack.
They miss the point Councillor Walker was making about the subs being bad for business by informing us of the private nature of part of the dockyard, as if rotting nuclear waste was somehow not a factor in attracting new business to the area.
Lastly, the spokesperson is quite wrong to say there have been public consultations on the issue.
Would that there had, as we could have highlighted the unfairness of Devonport getting the jobs and Rosyth getting the junk.
(Cllr) Ian Chisholm.Lochgelly and Cardenden.
Fewer cars only solution to jams
Sir,-As a motorist myself, I, too, get frustrated when I meet traffic queues (August 9).
Although Cupar was highlighted in your story, it could have been anywhere from slow drivers holding up traffic to others parking inconsiderately.
In my experience, it is usually the former as they sit at junctions afraid to move out or drive at 30mph on open roads.
So what can be done with Cupar for example?
Apart from building a bypass which is totally out of the question, the only real solution is fewer cars on the road. No matter what solution is put in place, in a short time, it would be inadequate.
One only has to look at bigger-scale solutions such as new motorways.
At busy times they become car parks.
The local authority can only do so much and it is up to drivers to help themselves. The gentleman in your story travelled from Callander.
No mention of the day of the week. If it had been a weekend, he should have known the roads would be busy in the Cupar area and taken the route via Dundee and the Tay Bridge to St Andrews.
This way he would have helped the Cupar traders as he would have freed up road space in the town. Of course, then he hits St Andrews with its own traffic problems. A never-ending story.
John Montgomery.24 March Crescent,Cellardyke.
Blight on our landscape
Sir,-I am very disappointed about the permission given for the latest wind farm at Callicher in Perthshire. Our beautiful landscape in Scotland is going to be destroyed by so-called green energy.
Onshore wind power is a swindle and it beggars belief that our government and politicians are going full steam ahead with it.
Tourists from all over the world come to Scotland for its unspoiled beauty. What will they think now?
It is very sad.
Fraser Brown.Knocklee,Park Lane,Blairgowrie.
Impracticality of smoke wardens
Sir,-I am glad that Mr Bob Smart extols the virtue of plain speaking (August 6) because, in my opinion, his views on what to call fat people and how to reduce the number of smokers are ill-informed, inane drivel.
First, there seems to be no published evidence that any health professional in Scotland has been punished for calling a person fat.
They have always been able to call someone fat without impunity but most choose to use other descriptive terms.
Second, Mr Smart’s solution to dealing with serious public health issues seems solely to consist of creating, at taxpayers’ expense, a tier of petty officials to patrol our streets to harass the law-abiding citizenry.
This smacks of 1930s-style totalitarianism and we are far better off without it.
As a large fat man who has no problem with being called fat by anyone, I would take a very dim view of any jumped-up jack-in-office who dared to challenge me on the contents of my lunchtime pie.
And woe betide any tobacco-cam-wearing jobsworth who interrupts me as I smoke a postprandial cheroot.
The success of the scaremongering/nagging approach has been limited.
There are better ways to persuade people to change their attitudes, such as happened with, for example, compulsory wearing of seatbelts or the reduction in drink-driving.
While I do not preclude the sensible use of the law, unworkable suggestions such as smoking wardens must be shown the saloon door.
Martin Doran.4 Melville Terrace,Glenfarg.
Meerkats ‘ad’ value to television
Sir,-What a shame it is that the producers of television programmes seem unable to provide viewers with quality productions in keeping with high-tech transmission technologies.
Television is now a digital disappointment.
However, there are one or two exceptions to the rule the meerkats adverts certainly deserves recognition and are a lot more entertaining than much of the programmes being shown these days.
Kenneth Miln.22 Fothringham Drive,Monifieth.