Interactive: Don't blame Lothian Buses for chaos caused by trams

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Evening News, 108 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8AS

I COULD not believe my eyes at your story (News, 21 June), saying that Lothian Buses may now face a fine for lateness and bad service. I had to check the calendar to make sure it was not April Fool's day!

I have, as so many Edinburgh residents have, struggled through changes in bus stops – no shelters at temporary bus stops, no idea where the buses are going, when they can get there, for years now – since the whole ghastly tram fiasco began.

But the buses have struggled on, and the drivers have remained unfailingly helpful and polite when they must have been tearing their hair out at the whole disruptive mess.

How could any sane person expect the buses to run on time with constant route changes, road blocks, road works and so on. Edinburgh is a complete and utter mess.

And now they are to be blamed for "bad service" – it beggars belief, and I am truly sorry for them.

I lived in Washington DC, United States for 16 years and the bus service was beyond atrocious – buses hardly ever even showed up. My many US visitors are unfailingly impressed with our bus service here. Lothian's bus service is wonderful, and I'm thankful for it every day.

Do not blame them for yet another ancillary aspect of the dreadful tram debacle, or I'll truly believe that the "lunatics are running the asylum".

Dorothy L Page, Edinburgh

Group committed to completing line

YOUR article on the trams "Leithed out" (News, 23 June) contains significant untruths, and supplies speculations as fact. If you are reduced to repeating "exclusive" briefings from parties with vested interests, then you are doing your paper, your readers and this city no favours.

Earlier this week, in advance of Thursday's council meeting, I gave separate (but identical) detailed briefings to all the political parties at the council explaining to them exactly where we are, and exactly what the options going forward are. I have also kept the Scottish Government fully informed.

If one of those groups then decides to take part of that briefing, and portray one of the options as "fact" then this is understandable. There are, after all, many political agendas running, especially in the north of the city, and this is and always has been a politically controversial project.

I am also disappointed you did not include the commitment from my organisation to complete the full line to Newhaven.

Richard Jeffrey, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Trams

Affordable homes are on the rise

I CAN sympathise with Martin Adams' frustration over the lack of social housing in Edinburgh (Interactive, 18 June). However, he is wrong when he says there is no investment in social housing for rent.

The Scottish Government has already spent a record 1.65 billion to increase building of affordable housing to its fastest rate in 20 years. They also introduced a nationwide shared equity loans for first time buyers.

Thousands of affordable homes were built last year under the SNP Government in Scotland, more than at any time since the 1980s.

With government support the first council houses for 20 years are being built in Edinburgh at Hyvots whereas the previous Labour/Liberal Democrat Scottish Executive only built six council houses in the whole of Scotland in eight years, and that lack of investment has resulted in longer waiting lists.

Calum Stewart, Montague Street, Edinburgh

Thinking the worst of notice scheme

YOUR report (News, 21 June) fails to highlight the most questionable aspect of the city's Statutory Notice scheme.

The administrative charge the council inflicts on you is taken as a percentage of the repair costs and added in on top.

At best this is a tax on misfortune, but it makes you feel like the victim of some sleazy racket.

So I am inclined to think the worst of the powers that be when they claim to be the custodians of the built environment.

Alan Murphy, Brougham Place, Edinburgh