Interactive: Pull the plug on questionable idea of MSPs' electric car pool

Published on Monday 28 December 2009 09:42

Do you think an electric car pool is a good idea to make our MSPs lead by example, or would it just be a waste of taxpayers' money? Get in touch and let us know what you think

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I READ in the News (23 December) that Green Party MSP Patrick Harvie wants a pool of electric cars for MSPs to use rather than pay for taxis.

Just what we need – more public money spent on a wizard idea with questionable merits from the green lobby (remind anyone of a 500 million pound project that's already an ongoing issue in the middle of the city?).

Mr Harvie likes nothing better than to be centre stage. There was the fuss over his "tweeting" at a dinner party attended by Scotland's political leaders.

And there was his "toys out of the pram" moment when the SNP wouldn't give him the sweetie he wanted when the budget was being put together.

But the wee Green man could not be any more at the centre of the attention he so craves than if he were to be seen pushing one of these 'planet saving' vehicles up through snow towards Holyrood after its batteries haven't quite managed to power it to its destination. Maybe that would be worth taxpayers' money!

Mr K Welsh, Easter Road, Edinburgh

Ad campaign for Capital is no good

I WAS not surprised to read that footfall in Edinburgh is down despite an 800,000 advertising campaign. It's a depressing place to be at the moment, and even putting all the tram paraphernalia to one side for the moment, which is effectively what has been done, there's not much to lure people here for Christmas shopping. The stores themselves are not that good – why else do many natives of Edinburgh head somewhere else for a spot of retail therapy?

And don't even mention the tartan tat to be found on the Royal Mile.

No-one should have expected much of a campaign featuring brilliant ideas such as an advertisement for Edinburgh at Glasgow Queen Street station. If you were standing there, you would presumably have already figured out where you were going, ditto for London's airports. Simply not good enough, and sadly that is what we have become used to.

A Morris, St Leonard's Lane, Edinburgh

All city residents deserve the same

FOR close to a week now the city has been struggling under a big freeze and though some roads and pavements – notably the Royal Mile and Princes Street – have been fortunate enough to be gritted and salted, Abbeyhill has been left like an ice rink.

What is the council playing at? Is Abbeyhill so full of council tax dodgers that they have just decided to ignore us? I doubt it.

All city residents deserve the same standard of service from the council and if they don't get it they know what they can do – vote them out!

Max Tomlinson, Milton Street, Abbeyhill

One-o'Clock Gun notion is a dud

A MODEL of the One o'Clock Gun for the Grassmarket (News, 23 December) is a daft idea. Why have a monument to something in the shadow of the real thing?

What next, a model of Arthur's Seat just outside the Scottish Parliament? A scaled-down Holyroodhouse at Dumbiedykes?

Also, when saying it could be a "visitor attraction", I think district gunner Sergeant Jamie Shannon was, this time at least, off target.

Ryan Osbourne, Willowbrae Road, Edinburgh

NHS working hard to recruit for roles

YOUR recent article "Not enough health visitors for mums" (News, 21 December) said that pregnant women and mothers with new babies will only receive "limited care" in Lothian. This is far from the case.

NHS Lothian employs some 365 health visitors to provide these important services. Far from there being a shortage there are only seven health visitor vacancies in Lothian and there are plans in place to recruit to these important posts. In addition, since 2006 the numbers of health visitors in NHS Lothian has increased by almost 100 additional staff.

I want to reassure your readers that contrary to your article there are no shortages of health visitors in Lothian.

However, we are not complacent in terms of working to ensure future recruitment and retention of these important roles.

Melanie Hornett, nurse director, NHS Lothian