Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir,-Flash flooding has occurred in many places.
While owners of property are responsible for protecting their property from flooding, Perth and Kinross Council staff go out in all weathers to deliver sandbags to grateful residents.
But the casual passerby spotting the odd sandbag cannot be aware of the full horror of this flash flooding.
This regular problem with sewage pipes affects not just the Feus Road residents but those of Fairfield, in particular Ladeside Court and Wallace Court in Hillyland.
While I am sure that the sewage system was fit for purpose when it was built, it is obvious that it is now inadequate for the challenges of Scottish weather.
This constant and regular problem costs tax-payers money. It also costs residents money. They will not only have their insurance premiums raised after each claim but in parts of the country the flood excess can now be as high as £7000.
Not only does this level of excess stop many householders from making claims, it also affects anyone who pays for insurance but who does not claim as insurance companies put up their premiums.
The problem in the Feus Road, Fairfield and Wallace Court area is one of raw sewage being amongst the water. In the case of Wallace Court, the toilets were overflowing with sewage.
Throughout my tour I heard nothing but praise for the work of council officers and all the others, most especially the fire brigade and Tayside Police.
Since the problems with the sewage seem to centre on pipes around Feus Road, I have contacted Scottish Water.
I urge anyone affected to contact Scottish Water at Dunfermline to make their feelings known.
(Cllr) E. Maclachlan.Perth & Kinross Council.
Let down by bus terminal
Sir,-I have just spent a wonderful four days last week hosting and escorting two lovely American students on a flying visit to Scotland, showing them the delights of Angus, St Andrews and Dundee.
Glamis never lets you down with the annual Transport Extravaganza and tour of the castle. St Andrews lived up to the girls’ expectations, and a visit to Crail harbour was a bonus.
Dundee has so many attractions now it is difficult to fit everything into one day, but we managed to visit the Discovery and McManus Galleries.
Now I come to the blot on the landscape. The girls travelled to Dundee by coach, arriving at 8.20pm on Saturday.
We were there to meet them and I was disgusted to see the filthy state of the bus terminal. There was litter all over the floor.
The so-called sitting area was packed with backpackers but with so little seating they were mostly having to sit on the floor.
Not one of the information monitors was working and no coach officials could be seen.
Several people actually came over to ask us for help, seeking bus information, but unfortunately we could not do so.
We talk about the growing numbers of tourists to Dundee when the wonderful Victoria and Albert Museum opens. What sort of impression will visitors get when arriving at our one and only coach station for Dundee?
Dundee City Council should take action now.
George Gavine.The VeldtMonikie.
Solar panels a better bet
Sir,-I read in The Courier that St Andrews University is proposing the installation of a number of turbines to generate electricity for its own use and for selling to the National Grid.
I am surprised that the clever people at the university are taken in by the wind turbine scam. Has it not occurred to them that when the wind does not blow, they will get no power?
In my opinion, the university should give consideration to the installation of panels of photovoltaic cells which will create electricity on the existing roofs of their buildings during the hours of daylight. This will happen quietly and with scant visual intrusion to the surrounding area.
Elizabeth Dunlop.6 Gladgate,Auchtermuchty.
Let McTaggart light Olympic flame
Sir,-Seb Coe is looking for names for the person to light the Olympic Flame so I want everyone to vote for Britain’s greatest ever amateur boxer, our own Dick McTaggart.
Dick won a gold medal and also won the Val Barker Trophy for the best boxer at the 1956 Melbourne Games, a bronze medal in Rome in 1960, and in 1984 he was team coach at Los Angeles games.
Dick is 75 and is still wanted at boxing shows and meetings all over the world, so please back Dick.
Phil McIntyre.30A Bank Street,Kincardine.
Please give to DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal
Sir,-The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) in Scotland is urgently seeking the help of Dundee residents as it works to help more than 10 million people in East Africa where some regions are facing the worst drought in over half a century.
Thousands of families across large areas of Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan have been caught up in the crisis.
More than 1400 people a day, the majority of them children, have been arriving at the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya, which now has a swollen population of 350,000, almost the size of Aberdeen and Dundee combined.
This year’s drought follows up to four years of poor rains in some areas which have hit all communities hard. Child malnutrition rates in many areas are more than twice the 15% emergency threshold.
Please make a donation to the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal. You can donate £5 by texting the word CRISIS to 70000.
Kathy Galloway.Chair of the DEC appeal in Scotland.Glasgow.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.