Letters: Courts have powers to put brakes on double parking

Let me propose my own, under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005, it is against the law to "impede" providers of emergency services. Fines up to 5000 or up to nine months in jail can apply.

These careless drivers certainly impeded the firefighters doing their job so hopefully the Act applies. If it doesn't let's get our parliament to amend it so it does and get the offenders dealt with using an Act that highlights the real dangers these menaces cause and not using parking offence legislation.

If it can already be applied, one has to ask why it hasn't been used so far?

Gavin Barrie, Warriston Drive, Edinburgh

Point scoring will drive you to drink

Politicians wishing public support for any measure must display honesty, not party advantage. Never have I witnessed so low a level of debate as on the question of minimum alcohol pricing.

The SNP claims evidence of numbers of lives to be saved by a unit price of 45p, but identifies no supporting statistics.

For the Labour opposition, Jackie Baillie claims that the idea is worthless because it has never been tried - surely a perfect reason for trying it!

Meanwhile, police sources say they already have sufficient powers for dealing with offenders, while official statistics actually show a steady fall in consumption.

A supposedly massive problem should be broken into smaller prioritised sections. Thus, a start might be made on underage drinking. This is a parental failure which might be effectively countered by suspension of child benefit for anyone under the legal age for purchase found drunk or in possession of alcohol.

Robert Dow, Ormiston Road, Tranent

City right to step back from events

I WAS glad to see that Terry Crossley is going to keep the Santa fun run going in these changing economic times (Terry steps in to keep Santa race running, News, September 15).

This is an event that lets people contribute to their own charities in a way that they see fit. Over the years our city has built up a lot of good events but it is quite clear that some of them were getting out of hand, with too much money being pumped into them without question as to what they were achieving and where the money was going.

Because times have changed it was right for our council to take a step back and see what it can afford to support. It was also right for our council to ask where the money that they were paying for these events was going and to see if they could be streamlined.We have seen the fiasco of the Gathering coming to light just now and in the scheme of things it might not sound like a lot of money if it brings tourists to our city but it is right to see if they can be done cheaper.

I wish Terry and the people doing the walks and runs for charity all the best and I also hope people will support these charity events that can be done a lot cheaper than the way our council was funding them.

I hope that the people participating in these events continue doing them knowing that the money that is being raised is going to the good causes that they choose.

Andrew Murphy, Royal Mile, Edinburgh

Disgusted by council Scrooges

I AM disgusted at the decision of the city council to cancel Santa and the reindeer (Santa's presence not wanted, News September 9).

For the past four years I have taken my grandchildren to Edinburgh to see this wonderful sight, which they talked about for days afterwards.

Maybe next year I will be able to take them to see the trams. On the other hand, I might have to wait until they are teenagers.

Nellie Watson, Main Street, West Calder