Letters: Waverley taxi ban won’t stop terrorists attacking

Published on Wednesday 15 February 2012 12:02

THE decision to ban taxis and cars from Waverley over Olympic terrorist fears is ridiculous (News, February 14).

I fully acknowledge the horrors of the London and Madrid attacks on public transport systems but these were down to the terrorists simply entering stations – both mainline and underground – on foot, so why punish motorists and taxi drivers?

Cabbies, in particular, are suffering due to the recession, so limiting their access to key pick-up and drop-off points such as stations is going to make their lives almost impossible.

The cold, hard facts are that if someone really wants to blow up a building, station, train or whatever else they fancy, they will find a way. Banning taxis is not the solution

Willie McKenzie, Clermiston Crescent

Uphill struggle for elderly travellers

WHILE rail bosses are merely concerning themselves with supposed terror threats during the Olympics – you know, those Games taking place 400 miles away from Edinburgh – have they stopped for a minute to consider elderly and disabled passengers?

Banning taxis from Waverley means a big climb up to street level, either up the road access ramps to Waverley Bridge, or the steps to Market Street or Princes Street. That’s hard enough at the best of times for some but, with the added struggle of dealing with luggage, it could become almost impossible.

As someone who regularly travels from the station to visit family in East Lothian, I can only hope that the new escalators at the Waverley Steps are fixed in time for the ban kicking in but, judging by that ongoing farce, I won’t hold my breath.

Mrs G Dundas, Slateford Road

Bridge deals are failing Scots firms

Transport Scotland has had to admit that seven more sub-contracts have been awarded to foreign companies for the new Forth bridge.

This is in addition to the 37,000-ton steel contract which went to Spain, Poland and China. The value was £79 million.

In an attempt to fudge the issue, Transport Minister Keith Brown had argued that 76 per cent of the contracts signed to date had gone to Scottish firms.

Only later was it admitted that the 118 sub-contracts were only worth £20m.

£20m out of £1.6 billion. Not a lot.

No wonder politicians and union leaders have accused the SNP administration of failing Scotland’s workers.

Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow

Go the extra smile for our great city

IF we’re not complaining about trams, Ferris wheels, public toilets or the state of the roads, it’s school closures, bus fares and litter. Come on people, cheer up. Where’s your sense of enthusiasm?

Despite what Martin Hannan says (“It’s true, we are Europe’s worst”, News, February 14), we live in one of the best cities in the world, which regularly features in tourists’ favourite destinations. We have a famous and flourishing arts festival, a zoo with giant pandas and many other exotic species on display that is the envy of the rest of the UK and beyond, as well as Michelin-starred restaurants, top theatres and shops.

Throw in the Castle, Holyrood Palace, the parliament and Forth Bridge and it just gets better – and that’s without mentioning the abundance of parks, hills, coastline and beaches on our doorstep.

So, come on, enough of the doom and gloom. Let’s celebrate all that’s great about the Capital.

We’ll maybe not mention the football, though . . .

Kenny McLaughlin, Easter Road

Playing the name game won’t work

ARE we really meant to believe that changing the name of the Chalmers Sexual Health Clinic will result in a surge of patients wishing to be examined (Sex health clinic prescribes name change remedy, News, February 13)?

“What’s in a name?” as Shakespeare once asked? You can call it the Magical Happy Fun Centre but those who are too nervous or prudish to go for a check-up will remain so.

Allan Davidson, Stenhouse

Comments

There are 9 comments to this article

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 1

• 1
• Show all

9

THX1138

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 01:59 PM

#7 Well, the fact is that anyone with a reasonable grasp of science and technology CAN make a bomb, and deliver it to the heart of Edinburgh, or London, or anywhere - particularly if they are prepared to die with the device. Sure, you can make reasonable attempts to protect your most vulnerable places - the Scottish Parliament, or aircraft for example - but you are stupid if you imagine that you can stop a determined and intelligent attacker from killing dozens of people. What we CAN do, though, is to carry on normal life as best as we can, because if we continue down the road of constant surveillance, constant security checks, constantly and incrementally restricting our movements, etc. then we do the terrorists work for them and they will have won without having to lift a finger.

• Report Unsuitable

8

jasbar

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 12:52 PM

Yes, but anything that is good about Edinburgh is because the council hasn't had anything to do with it.

• Report Unsuitable

7

edinburgh100

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 08:33 AM

To you all. If you dont think there is a terrorist threat to Edinburgh and that your whole arguement is based on "well anyone can make a bomb". Should we stop bagage checks at airports ?. The Olympic games are in London yes so obviously the terrorists will attack London ?. So obvious in fact that a terrorist might say I wont attack London because thats were all the bl88dy police etc are I will go elsewhere for instance Edinburgh. You people have not got a clue about how terrorists work and are so blinkered into the idea that Scotland is immune from terrorist threat that you have already forgoten about the attack on Glasgow Airport.

• Report Unsuitable

6

Beelzebub's amanuensis

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 09:16 PM

Curious Yellow - #1 is a wee sleekit, cooring, timrous beastie who expects to be wrapped up in cotton wool in case it hurts itself. The rest of us are not such craven cowards, and we value our freedom of movement, even it we're wheelchair users or elderly. You can easily make a bomb that can be carried invisibly on your person, so citing terrorism as a reason for banning taxis and cars is simply a demonstration of the rail company's respect for our intelligence.

• Report Unsuitable

5

james(1)

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 07:28 PM

Banning taxis and cars from the Waverley is a stupid idea sold under the guise of preventing terrorism. Some idiot with no common sense has come up with this idea. I can just see it now as the would be terrorist finds out that you cannot get a taxi into the station. He will immediately abandon his fanatical beliefs and we will live happily ever after. Rucksacks! Trainers! Suitcases! Now this is not me printing out a suicide bombers guide to places you could conceal a bomb but now I have made it common knowledge are we going to stop people bring these items into the station? No, no don't thank me, I am just making sure you are safe from terrorists and like my idiotic friend who banned taxis this will save lives.

• Report Unsuitable

4

ansell thomas

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 05:10 PM

In my life time this is the third upgrade the Waverley has had. Maybe it's time to knock it down and build something fit for the 21st century or should we go back to the horse and cart to suite network rail

• Report Unsuitable

3

cynicalm

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 04:53 PM

If #1 could spell, he might not sound so drunk!

• Report Unsuitable

2

Curious Yellow

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 01:37 PM

#1 - Willie is 100% correct! Banning taxis and other vehicles from inside the station will not malke the slightest difference. He erefers to madrid - were the bombs not, in fact, on the trains? What do you suggest, then? Ban the trains as well? Come on - get real. as Willie says, if someone really wants to blow up a building, station, train or whatever else they fancy, they will find a way. Aparat from that, as Mrs Dundas points out, the bl**dy Games are 400 miles away! WTF has that gotr to do with Edinburgh? This decision has nothing whatsoever to do with the Olympics; it's window dressing for a local decision.

• Report Unsuitable

1

edinburgh100

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 12:46 PM

Willie McKenzie, Clermiston Crescent So Willie the authorities are trying to .limit the routes of attack but you dont think that helps. So i pressume that if an attack does happen and if you are involved in it you wont be shouting for compansasion ?. As your idea is is that it would have happened anyway.

• Report Unsuitable

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 1

• 1
• Show all

Logged in as:

Comment here. Start typing your comment here:

Post comment

Please adhere to our Community guidelines

Your view

Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.