Letter: High wire action

WITH speculation rife over the future of Edinburgh's beleaguered tram system (your article, 17 May) we should also remember that, not withstanding how much track will eventually be laid, overhead wires have still to be erected too.

Many of these wires will have to be attached to private properties. I can imagine the "not-in-my-back-yard" objections forthcoming when this needs to happen.

James L Shearer

Cargilfield View

Edinburgh

IT HASN'T taken new Edinburgh list MSP Kezia Dugdale (your article, 16 May) very long to jump on the tram fiasco bandwagon with her call for politicians to stop playing the "blame game".

Given that Ms Dugdale is a Labourite member at Holyrood, one would have thought a little humility might be called for. It was after all Ms Dugdale's party who initiated this vanity project in the first place and have insisted on its continuation despite calls from the SNP to call a halt at various junctures.

Given the impending disruption of another ten months of roadworks to Princes Street; the effect this will have to trade along our most famous thoroughfare and the fact that two-thirds of the money earmarked for the scheme has now been spent with just one third of the work completed, there is another option.

Offer the people of Edinburgh a referendum as to whether they want the scheme to continue and abide by the result. I suspect Ms Dugdale knows what the answer would be and it isn't the one she would want.

Gavin Fleming

Webster's Land

Grassmarket

Edinburgh

WE have reached a critical point in time for the tram project (your article 17 May).

The reasons for building the scheme remain as strong as ever in transport, environmental and connectivity terms. These are the very same reasons that are leading cities across the world to invest in new light-rail schemes.Edinburgh is a world-renowed city and we should be under no illusions as to the importance of this project, it is not a purely local issue. The way that this is handled will be noted around the world and will reflect on the reputation of the city and Scotland as a whole.

Now is the time for those in power in Edinburgh and at Holyrood to come together to put the project on a firm footing and ensure its rapid completion.

Paul Tetlaw

Transform Scotland

Rose Street

Edinburgh