Sir – It was good to read that Dundee City Council is behind plans to improve the city’s Green Circular Route.
However, I wouldsuggest that it is not a hugely ambitious plan but more tinkering at the edges.
The docks are not the problem in Dundee.
You do not need a security pass to get through, photo ID is sufficient and, in years of cycling through the docks, I have never been asked even for that. It is what is called sensible policing.
The real problem in Dundee, apart from the hills and the weather, is safety.
I have been knocked off my bike twice by cars. Some bus drivers are cycle ignorant and pedestrians seem to think that because a bike is not a lorry, it is all right to step in front of it.
If Dundee City Council is really serious about encouraging cycling within the city then they need to spend some serious money and create proper cycle lanes, not the kind that are used by cars, taxis and buses for extra parking. I refer to ones similar to what they have in the Netherlands.
A cycle lift up theHilltown would help as well!
I will believe that Dundee is serious about cycling when properprovision is made. Until then cycling will be a risk sport, rather than theeconomic, healthand social asset it should be.
David Robertson. St Peter’s Free Church, 4 St Peter Street, Dundee.
Neglect of Dundee centres
Sir, – Congratulations to the 28 Dundee councillors who voted against development director Mike Galloway’s silly recommendation to reject the plan to open a gym and sports shop in the Stack Leisure Park,supporting the Lochee traders’ views that this development would be positive for Lochee.
Mr Galloway defended his recommendation by telling us: “For every job created here we must contemplate that a job will be lost elsewhere”.
I agree.
Mr Galloway, however, didn’t let that stand in his way when he recommended for approval the many supermarkets that now surround the city, emphasising only the jobs they created and not the jobs that would be and were lost elsewhere.
While most Dundonians support the riverfront redevelopment as positive for the city, this should not be pursued to the detriment of the other centres in the city, for example Lochee, Broughty Ferry and West End, the health of which deserve consideration, sadly lacking in Mr Galloway’s one-track pursuit of city centre development.
Anya Lawrence. 74B Gray Street, Broughty Ferry.
Kind gesture at Ninewells
Sir, – I experienced great kindness from a lady who saved me from the unforgiving grips of the parking machines at Ninewells Hospital.
I had ample funds to pay the fee but wasmisled by the signindicating that change would be given.
No mention was made of it being for coins only. This kind lady not only saved me considerable frustration but also a considerable amount of time.
Alasdair Charleson. 7 Fonab Crescent, Pitlochry.
Thoughtfulness at Inchture
Sir, – A good samaritan saved me and members of Longforgan SWRI a great deal of inconvenience.
I had parked my red Peugeot opposite Inchture Hotel while we enjoyed a meal.
When we came out, there was a note on my car informing me that a front tyre was flat.
As it was 10pm and had the note not been there, I may not have noticed it .
Thankfully my son came to the rescue and replaced the tyre.
Grace Christie. 21 Gillies Terrace, Broughty Ferry.
St Andrews is sorry sight
Sir, – I do hope St Andrews does something about the clutter ofcommercial bins that dot the streets of the towncentre before The Open returns.
I am not a frequentvisitor to St Andrews but do enjoy the occasional trip for a walk on the beach and a fish supper or ice cream.
On my latest visit, I must admit I wassaddened by the town’s dowdy and unappealing appearance.
There was not an excess of litter butthese festeringcommercial bins did not project a favourable impression.
Sad to say, St Andrews now looks like any other town centre across the UK. The character seems to have ebbed away.
By contrast, on our way home, we stopped off at Cowdenbeath.
That is a town that has had its hard times but there is a sense of vibrancy about its centre.
Bob Stark. Mill Street, Tillicoultry.
End politics of confrontation
Sir, – I agree with the Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell, when he indicates that the UK Government would reject JohnSwinney’s call for fullfiscal autonomy forScotland.
The Scotland Bill was signed by all participants to the Smith Commission, including Mr Swinney, giving powers to Holyrood, including control over income tax rates and bands; a proportion of the VAT raised in Scotland; the power to create new benefits in development areas, and to make discretionary welfare payments.
As Mr Mundell states, amendments to the agreed powers, as demanded by MrSwinney and his cohorts, would effectively kill off the Barnett Formula and would end the sharing of resources across the UK.
Full fiscal autonomy would be a shambles which would cost every family in Scotland around £5000.
So is it the case that Mr Swinney is becoming more daring?
When Alex Salmond was still in power, I do recall that a leaked memo revealed that Mr Swinney was most concerned about the First Minister’s economic policies. So what has caused him to change his view, especially given theprojected drop in oil-tax revenue?
Mr Swinney’s new-found confidence may be based on bravado after the SNP’s success in the General Election. As we all know he was not always as confident as the leaked memo revealed.
The SNP made great gains at the General Election because of the first-past-the-post voting system.
But while we have to accept the results such a system can throw up, it is essential that we must also accept the recommendations of the SmithCommission to whichMr Swinney and allother parties weresignatories.
I am fairly certain that many people in Scotland would just like to return to a less intense andconfrontational political scene and just get on with their lives.
Robert I G Scott. Northfield, Ceres.
Do we really need Holyrood?
Sir, – Recent letters, including, Scotland needs an opposition (June 15) give me some reason to believe that the people of Scotland might be beginning to wake up and question what our present devolved government has actually achieved.
They are expert at rhetoric, grandstanding and general politicking but what do they actually do?
True, we have nostudent fees, free prescriptions and a freeze on council tax but that’s not too difficult to achieve with a favourable Barnett Formula allowing public spending to be at least £1200 per head higher in Scotland than it is in the rest of the UK.
It will seem like heresy to many but I begin to question whetherScotland is actuallyany better off sincedevolution than it would otherwise have been, especially in the key areas of health, education and welfare.
The evidence in those recent letters wouldsuggest not.
Has our devolved government just been an expensive waste of money that would have been better spent on direct services?
Our present government argue that they need more powers to make a real difference, but if they haven’tdone anything with the powers they have had so far, that is not a good argument for giving them more.
In short, it is time this devolved parliament started actually doing something, achieving something and making a real difference.
They need to prove their worth.
Hugh Laidlaw. North Lodge, Monimail, Cupar.
Still no SNP economic plan
Sir, – Is there anyone out there who can explain a crucial point I am trying to make clear in my own mind?
Full fiscal autonomy is the latest war cry of the SNP. If they ever achieve their goal of independence then that wouldbe entirely theirprerogative.
Prior to the referendum they published a 649-page document which made noreference to full fiscal autonomy, in fact it was dependent on the British pound.
If any nation hasgrandiose ideas ofindependence then they must have a full fiscal plan of their own and not be dependent on thecurrency and security of the nation they wish to break away from.
Willie Robertson. Grianan, Lynton, Stanley.
Free speech under threat
Sir, – With the recent resignation of Nobel Prize winning scientist Sir Tim Hunt for his comments regarding girls in laboratories it got me thinking what really was his great misdemeanour and is there a bigger picture here?
I think at worst he was naive to think that he could express his comments before a large number of journalists without it causing a major furore.
But he has a right like everyone else to free speech and I really feel that his resignation was unnecessary.
Over the last decade, Britain has entered into a culture of taking offence and political correctness has been taken to new highs.
It appears almost to be obligatory to be offended on other people’s behalf, even if they are not offended themselves.
It seems that nobody can express opinions without fear of offending anyone and we have to keep up to date with the latest terminology.
People need to stop being so touchy and accept that people have the right to freespeech.
I fear we will soon have lawyers chasing down those who dare utter any word someone in the world does not agree with.
Gordon Kennedy. 117 Simpson Square, Perth.