Green power of future means we'll gain despite tram pain

Published on Thursday 19 November 2009 09:14

PROFESSOR Salter has missed the point about power sources for the trams (Trams will find it's not easy being green, News, 17 November).

By 2011 almost a third of all Scotland's electricity will be green and from efficient renewables, and the trams can take advantage of that clean power straight away. As more and more carbon free electricity becomes available the advantages of the tram system will become even greater.

In the same way it's important for the trams to connect with the new waterfront development before it is even built, so residents there get into the tram habit right from the start.

UK Government research has found that tram and light rail is six times better at tempting people out of their cars than the bus, and the end result should be worth the painful process the city has been through.

Robin Harper MSP, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh

No joke, this came from La-La-Land

REGARDING the letter from Mandy Haeburn-Little, communications director for the tram project (News, 14 November), was it not supposed to be in the joke of the day section?

When I read her saying the traffic is flowing freely through the city centre I had to laugh. I am a taxi driver so I decided to cut it out and pinned it up in my vehicle.

Now when I'm gridlocked on the Waverley Bridge, my passengers can also have a laugh.

Some have expressed an interest in writing to her to thank her for making her laugh. Could she please kindly furnish me with the post code for La-La-Land, because that is obviously where she lives.

Davie McPherson, Magdalene Loan, Edinburgh

Services impossible at artificial rates

I WRITE with reference to your article "City U-turn on payments for hiring carers" (News, 17 November). Councillor Edie's statement that "Quite a lot of people want to keep the same pair of hands and using direct payments can allow them to do this" is only partially true.

While many people with learning disabilities do want the consistency and choice of keeping the same staff that they have often known for many years, providing them with a direct payment of only 12.65 per hour is simply not enough to allow some of the most vulnerable people in our society the choice to manage this.

He is very well aware that the cost of employing an agency to provide a quality staff support service is a great deal higher than the proposed 12.65 per hour.

In fact if employing staff only at the current minimum wage rate of 5.80 per hour, this would allow little more than 6 per hour to pay for staff training, supervision, annual leave and sickness cover.

The council cannot deliver services at this artificially low rate.

Mr AK Foreman, Southfield Gardens East, Edinburgh

Work together to create new jobs

I WELCOME the News' decision to join us in helping to improve job prospects through the launch of your "Get Edinburgh Back To Work" campaign.

As you have previously reported, Edinburgh City Council has linked up with a range of partner organisations to form the Economic Resilience Action Network, which aims to deliver a targeted and complimentary range of support services to ensure that jobseekers have all the skills and opportunities they need to get back to work.

A key element of this involves lowering barriers to employment – an example of which is improving and facilitating two-way communication between employers and would-be employees.

The new-look job section, coupled with discounted recruitment advertising rates, will undoubtedly help get Edinburgh back to work.

Cllr Tom Buchanan, Convener for Economic Development

Flail tanks could save troops' lives

REGARDING the number of casualties from roadside bombs in Afghanistan, I couldn't help but wonder why the military don't bring out of retirement the old Second World War "flail" tanks which were used when our troops landed in Europe. They preceded any advance, either by road or even minefields.

R Hogg, St Ninian's Way, Musselburgh