Sir, Much has been written about the relocation of T in the Park because of underground pipelines but no one has ever spelt out what threat they pose.
The pipes have been in place many metres below the surface since the 1970s and the festival has taken place on the Balado site for 20 successive years since 1994.
These pipelines, made of heavy steel and of various diameters, were laid from St Fergus, near Peterhead, down the country to the Shell-Esso processing plant at Mossmoran, south of Cowdenbeath, then on to a ship-loading facility on the north of the Firth of Forth. There are further sections that go over to Grangemouth.
The pipelines were laid below dozens of roads and under the rivers Ythan, the Dee, the Don the Tay and the Forth.
How have these pipelines become a problem to a four-day concert but are safe when being driven over by dozens of 45-tonne lorries every day of the week?
Why has this become a problem in some areas and not others?
Are there a steel deterioration problems we should know about?
Colin Cookson. Stenton, Glenrothes.
Pipeland not right for Madras
Sir, Regarding Madras College, St Andrews, and the proposed replacement site at Pipeland, Colin Brown (April 20) says “succeeding generations may see things differently” so should make their own decisions.
But once it is built there, those decisions cannot be reversed until next century.
Fife Council’s decision was not endorsed “by significant majorities”.
It was backed by a few hundred supermarket box – tickers without democratic statistical credibility.
Lord Doherty didn’t rule or imply that “it can only” be built there. Pipeland objectors do not treat parents “with contempt, determined to thwart the wishes and needs of the next generations”.
They comprise older parents, young parents, recent FPs and Madras pupils, focusing on about 15 future school generations and neighbouring houses and hospital.
We all want a facility to bring out the best in our children but Pipeland would not provide pupils or staff easy access to university facilities, nor enable more after-hours activities or reduced travel times for Taybridgehead’s pupil-majority. Its pitches cross a right-of-way, are exposed, cramped and risky for team games, with no nearby tennis, cricket or golf.
Carroll Finnie. 17 St Bunyans Place, Leuchars.
Park criticismof Glenrothes
Sir, I refer to Laurie Richards’ unfair criticism of parking facilities in Glenrothes town centre (April 23).
I wonder why Laurie chose to park in one of the pay-and-display car parks when there are so many free car parks available?
However, even the pay-and-display car parks cost only £1 for the whole day, which compares very favourably with other towns.
Bob Hutchison. 2 Rosemount Crescent, Glenrothes.
Church not in decline
Sir, The church in Scotland is not in a state of theological and moral decline. It is at an exciting juncture in its journey with God.
The Bible is not a fixed set of rules and laws.
The Bible is the stories of people on an ongoing journey of discovery of the mystery we call God and the journey continues today and into tomorrow.
People are turned off and are leaving a church which tells us we have arrived at the destination called God.
I have just been involved in an excellent, stimulating and challenging study group.
We recognised and acknowledged our diverse range of thoughts on God; we came as friends, we stayed as friends and we left as friends, each one of us continuing our journey of discovery with God.
If some people are happy with a box labelled, God, so be it.
God, in whom I put my faith, hope and trust, calls me forward in this beautiful, sad and ever-changing world, opening up new and exciting possibilities, where all people can come together in all their richness and diversity without having to become clones of a particular belief system.
If I am wrong, I’ll need to go out and buy my wife a hat for Sunday.
Grahame Lockhart. Myrtle Cottage, 15 Scott Street, Brechin.
May 7 choice is very clear
Sir, How could anyone be in doubt as to how to vote on May 7?
Labour’s record of fiscal incompetence is unbroken over the years, finally leaving us near bankruptcy in 2010. If elected again they will once more spend us to oblivion.
The SNP will go to Westminster for the sole purpose of breaking the Union, in spite of a referendum vote against that.
The Conservatives have always had the problem of clearing up after Labour and so have inevitably acquired a reputation as the nasty party. But if they had not succeeded in that each time, we would now be taking our orders from the International Monetary Fund.
Malcolm Parkin. 15 Gamekeepers Road, Kinnesswood, Kinross.