Readers of the Press & Journal and the Evening Express discuss the issues that matter to them the most including roads in Caithness, drop-off charges at Aberdeen Airport and the big oil rig in Torry.
Scotland’s crumbling roads don’t just affect the Central Belt
Sir, – There is righteous anger but no surprise at the latest pronouncements from the Scottish Government on the dualling of the A9 south of Inverness.
Closer to home, however, there is the matter of funding for Highland Council roads.
The buck has been passed between Inverness and Holyrood for some time.
We are told there is not enough money for anything like the amount needing done yet, according to the lead article in the Caithness Courier of February 1, we have the news that up to £171 million is being given to Highland Council to promote “active travel” in some of the major thoroughfares in the Highlands.
In an edition of The Courier this week, the front page carried pictures of a pensioner with a broken wrist and stitches in her forehead who tripped on an unmaintained pavement.
On page three was a picture of a disabled woman who was thrown out of her wheel chair having encountered a pothole.
Surely the priority of the government should be concern for the safety of all travellers and repair the roads before they deteriorate still further.
If this “active travel” money is ringfenced then it is a scandal and just proves that the Highland region is considered of no account in Holyrood.
And this cannot be blamed on Westminster.
Margaret Gunn. Watten, Caithness.
Apocalypse moves closer in Ukraine
Sir, – Jonathan Russell and I sing from the same hymn sheet on the critical importance of a negotiated settlement in Ukraine and I can only add to his excellent letter in The P&J (February 10).
With every passing day I feel we are moving ever closer to the apocalypse.
President Zelenskyy, as is his right, pleads with the Western allies to supply air power to counter Russian aggression and drive the conquering army from the eastern regions of his country and Crimea.
A worthy aim but at the risk of terrible consequence for those involved.
Send 100 planes and tanks to help Ukraine “finish the job” says Boris Johnson, further evidence of his unsuitability as a world leader, his forte – the dramatic announcement having precedence over measured thought on possible consequences – rightly ignored by those now in power.
We can hope the US as the spearhead or, in truth, the only nation with the power to call a halt in the madness of arms escalation, does fulfil this role. With the present administration I find it hard to be optimistic.
The worst possible scenario is a face off between the major nuclear powers, a macho arm wrestle without a winner.
Diplomacy is the only avenue that will save our fragile world, but with so few wearing the suits of sensibility and so many dressed as the noble warrior, many more will die in a war that could end with humanity as losers.
Ivan W Reid. Kirkburn, Laurencekirk.
Art gallery walls are devoid of art
Sir, – When I have visited Aberdeen Art Gallery since its refurbishment, I have been struck by large expanses of bare walls where pictures have been conspicuous by their absence.
Some, of a minimalist persuasion, may think that less is more but I am afraid that, in this case, less is just less.
Roddy Millar. Osborne Place, Aberdeen.
Extra mountain on top of Cairn Gorm
Sir, – With regard to your story on the four-day assault on the summit of Cairn Gorm by a team of celebrities for Red Nose Day, I am dismayed that Cairn Gorm is now habitually described as Cairn Gorm Mountain, even by its local paper.
Most locals, and certainly those who are familiar with the hills (who think nothing of ascending Cairn Gorm in a day, probably taking in Ben Macdui at the same time) will know that cairn effectively means mountain and it is redundant to stick another mountain on after its name.
So, simply Cairn Gorm from now on please.
Ken Gow. Bridge of Canny, Banchory.
Hands off our Torry
The Torry community has been ignored yet again in regards to the giant tower rig at the new south harbour.
As stated in Harbour Trusts Scotland guidelines, the local community is at the top of their stakeholder list – but were never consulted.
The pollution from the work will affect the population a short distance from it. Why is this allowed to happen?
We have already got a stinky sewerage works, an incinerator being built and big business (ETZ) trying to take our last wee bit of green space!
We are sick of being a dumping ground.
Keep yer hauns affa Torry.
Renee Slater, Walker Place, Torry
Charge keeps people moving
Regarding the price of dropping people off at the airport – I for one support the charge.
If it was done away with then the drop-off will become a free for all with people “hogging” parking for long periods awaiting their passengers. By keeping a time limit then cars are forced to not be there longer than they need to be.
I remember when there was no charge, and I hated dropping off and picking up simply because all the spaces were occupied and I was forced to drive round and round until one became available.
Blue badge holders and electric cars that have registered get free main parking and drop-off parking.
Free parking is available at the long stay where a bus takes people to the terminal.
If you don’t want to pay it, then use the free parking. That said, people then drop off at the roundabout to avoid paying creating congestion and a safety concern.
Make it free and people will abuse the parking, spending in some cases up to 30 minutes or more in the same space!
Like everything else in the world you pay for convenience.
A. Murray
We’re all marching out of step but SNP
Sir, – With regard to Peter E Smith’s letter (February 14) which rather opportunely opened with the sentence “Out of step and out of time” – it seems that it is he who is out of step and out of time.
In his letter Mr Smith asserts that “there was a significant uptick in support for independence after viceroy Alister Jack’s petulant meddling in Scotland’s affairs last week”.
I’m not sure of where said uptick has been reported because that is absolutely contrary to widely-reported statements in many newspapers and the news media that the popularity of the SNP, for Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish independence has fallen sharply to a five-year low as the party’s crisis over the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill has deepened.
Even Alex Bell, a former SNP policy chief, accused Nicola Sturgeon of betraying Scotland saying that the affair (the GRR bill) has been “a disaster for the first minister and the SNP” – and Alex Salmond agrees.
The policy on self-identification was not even in the SNP manifesto at the last election and it is not supported by the majority (about two-thirds) of the public, according to opinion polls.
Why the undue haste to pass this bill before the Christmas recess when there are much more relevant and important issues requiring attention?
The SNP is beginning to look like the anti-Scotland party, and next in its sights are the proposed reforms to the marketing, branding and advertising of alcohol which is highly likely to severely harm the Scottish whisky industry.
Focus upon getting the ferries built and leave the whisky industry alone.
Keith Smith. Baillieswells Road, Bieldside
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