Letters: Big stores turning smaller shops into basket cases

LABOUR, the Lib Dems and the Tories have clubbed together to kill off plans for a levy on the largest retailers. This levy was designed to raise £30 million to invest in public services that otherwise face the axe.

I hope voters remember this the next time any of those parties preach about backing local shops.

In my part of Edinburgh we have seen the very direct impact on local shops of Asda at Chesser and Sainsbury's at Gorgie. When big supermarkets open and create "new" jobs it is at the cost of existing jobs. Supermarkets are a net loser of jobs.

Since 2003 Labour has been given millions of pounds by Lord Sainsbury and has taken sums from Tesco, as have the Lib Dems. The Tories count Asda among their donors.

These companies made their donations wisely, it seems

Gavin Corbett, Briarbank Terrace, Edinburgh

The SNP is taking voters for mugs

METHINKS SNP Councillor Norman Work doth protest too much (Interactive, February 2).

He conveniently forgets, in his anti-tram diatribe, to mention the undeniable fact that he – and all of his 11 SNP colleagues – voted in favour of the current tram contracts on May 1, 2008. Indeed, a related amendment by one of his colleagues, Councillor Tom Buchanan, was moved and agreed on that day!

He also forgets to mention that the same Tom Buchanan is on the Board of Transport Edinburgh Limited and has never raised concerns about the project via that route.

It's taking voters to be mugs to suggest nothing which has happened between 2007 and 2011 has anything to do with them.

Julie Marshall, Calder Gardens, Edinburgh

Airport is a poor advert for nation

ON Saturday, January 8, I was due to depart from Edinburgh Airport at 0600. The previous evening, approximately two to three inches of snow fell.

The snow had stopped around 0300. I checked in at 0430 and noticed no attempt to clear snow at aircraft stands occurred until 0800.

It only took an hour-and-a half to clear the area. Inbound and outbound flights were delayed until the airport reopened at midday.

Had staff been available to clear the snow in the early hours no delays would have occured. Without question this caused hundreds of travellers major inconvenience.

At no time during my extended stay did I see one representative from management explaining to the many travellers why the airport had been closed for such a minor snowfall.

It was extremely embarrassing hearing many delayed overseas visitors ridiculing the airport, especially those missing onward connections.

I did e-mail the airport asking for their explanation and querying if this delay in clearing the stands was due to potential overtime cost alone. Unfortunately all I received was what I consider a computer-generated e-mail which could also be sent to someone querying the colour of the tiles in the toilets.

When one considers charging 1 to drop off, a minimum of 2 to pick up and unnecessary delays such as I experienced, the Capital's airport really is a poor advert for Scotland.

John Keating, Craigentinny, Edinburgh

Futures Trust has saved millions

THE next time any local politician complains about cuts they should be referred to Margo MacDonald's article (News February 2) on the expensive PFI/PPP method of finance, which is draining more than 30 million a year from the city council education budget and costing Lothian Health Board 1.5 billion to pay for the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

While it will probably be too expensive to amend these 25 to 30-year contracts, the alternative new Scottish Futures Trust set up by the Scottish Government to reduce the costs of building new schools, roads and hospitals produced externally audited figures in September 2010 showing it saved the public purse an estimated 114 million in its first full year.

Calum Stewart, Montague Street, Edinburgh