Letters: Don't blind us with science fiction terms about trams

Firstly we had the new chairman of TIE telling us that such problems on major contracts were not that unusual.

Then the leader of the council explains away the financial problems as a glitch.

Now we have the council chief executive telling us (Interactive, June 30), if you read between the lines, that we are going to get more trams whether we like it or not.

The message is couched in bureaucratic speak. What is "a significant modal shift"? I thought is was something you would hear on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.

On a serious note, however, where is the proof that trams bring about a step change and act as a catalyst for major inward investment?

The citizens of Edinburgh are not stupid, although the council appears to treat them as such. The council should tell it straight with evidential proof of its assertions, that's the least the tram-weary voters deserve,

David J Mackenzie, Parkgrove Terrace, Edinburgh

Project fans can pay subscription

FURTHER to the decision to attempt to build the tram line to St Andrew Square, with a cost shortfall around 200 million, there is a way that some of the cost could be accounted for.

There are a large number of people who are in favour of this means of reducing pollution and the chaos on our roads, so how about public subscription?

If we posit 10,000 folk with a forward-thinking financial interest, that would only require 2,000 each for a share in the system. Problem solved.

James Darroch, Montagu Terrace, Edinburgh

Help us against greedy fuel firms

WHAT chance have we got trying to fight the big six energy companies? I Just had the most amazing conversation with a call receptionist from ScottishPower.

I called to talk about my account and the recent price hike, and during the conversation I said that I was thinking of leaving them because I thought the price hike was ridiculous.

I couldn't believe my ears when she said 'it was their turn' and all the others will follow.

When I asked what she meant by 'their turn' she said that all the top six power companies got round a table and decided which company was to announce the raise first, and on this occasion it was ScottishPower. Unbelievable.

These six companies are collectively putting a stranglehold on the whole of the UK. The people in Westminster who we elect to look after our interests obviously do not give a damn, or have they got their own vested interest.

Martin McVey, Piershill Terrace, Edinburgh

Take fees fight to Westminster

THE proposal by senior Conservative MPs and English students that anti-discrimination laws should be used to prevent Scottish universities charging tuition fees for English students is ill-judged.The nature of devolution is that Scotland is able to make its own decisions on such matters, and the Scottish Government simply has no other choice as the only alternative would be an influx of English students to Scotland seeking a 'cheaper' higher education option.

Successive Westminster Governments, firstly Labour and then Conservative and Liberal Democrat, took the decision to charge English students increasingly higher fees, and there is a clear need to protect university places for Scottish students.

In an ideal world I am sure it would be the desire of the Scottish Government to ensure that all students received free higher education north of the border, but because of the London parties' lack of commitment to this, the Scottish Government has no other practical option.

It would be more productive for English students to fight their own Westminster Government in order to remove the pernicious burden of tuition fees imposed on them, rather than wasting time, energy and resources attacking the Scottish Government.

Alex Orr, Leamington Terrace, Edinburgh