Letters: Don't forget about us poor pedestrians when gritting

Life in Edinburgh is extremely difficult for those of us without cars at the moment.

The pavements are treacherous. Some people can't get to their local post office, bus stop or even buy a pint of milk!

Our council (to whom we pay large amounts of council tax) spends a great deal of time persuading the citizens of Edinburgh to leave their cars at home, and walk instead – or take the bus.

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However, as soon as it snows, the council reveals its true colours. The roads are gritted. Cars are the only thing that matter. Pedestrians are left to fall on the ice, causing numerous injuries that cost the NHS large sums of money.

The pavements remain untreated – no sign of sand or grit anywhere.

Seems quite clear to me – only cars are of importance. Pedestrians don't count!

Lucina Prestige, Canonmills, Edinburgh

Special treatment for Capital road

MY wife and I have been driving from Balerno to the Western General in the mornings this week, setting off from home at just before 6am to get my wife to work to start her shift at 7am.

Yesterday morning, in a heavy snow-storm we passed three pavement gritters while the Lanark Road was being reduced to a single track for lack of gritting /ploughing.

We eventually passed our first and only road gritter in the West End busily ploughing and gritting a residential road.

I was left wondering which senior city councillor or official lives along that particular road.

Philip Cosgrove, Cairns Drive, Balerno

Altitude leaves us high and dry

I LIVE in one of the highest points in Edinburgh, Bonaly Rise.

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Although we pay our council taxes like everyone else, because we are not on a bus route, we do not get the gritters.

Consequently, I, and most of the folks up here are completely stuck as the conditions are really atrocious.

A friend was in town yesterday and noticed that the side of Princes Street where the Gardens and Ferris wheel and other attractions are, were being completely cleared for tourists.

Surely this says something about priorities in this city. I may also add, that, because of our roads being in this appalling condition, there are many housebound older people whose carers cannot get to them to check if they are OK.

Geraldine Howard, Bonaly Rise, Edinburgh

Advertising ban a futile exercise

AS with any pastime that is given a bit of a glamorous and exciting image but is not designed for minors, I believe banning alcohol advertising near schools (Interactive, November 30) would be a futile exercise.

It is more than likely that such a ban would just make the children all the more determined to get their hands on alcoholic drink.

If there is to be any advertising involving alcohol, then perhaps the most appropriate ones would be those highlighting the dangers to our health and the negative side effects which in some cases can result in tragedy.

After all, the children of today are the adults of tomorrow.

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And if Scotland is to seriously tackle its rather serious problems with alcohol, who better to start with than the youth of today?

Angus McGregor, Albion Road, Edinburgh

Taxing problems for Nationalists

THE announcement by the Scottish National Party that Scotland would be 900 million worse off under Calman due to the huge loss of people earning income tax over the last four years is very interesting.

Who is to blame for so many fewer Scots being in work over the last four years of SNP Government?

In addition, what would the huge drop in income tax payers mean for the SNP plans for a localised income tax?

M Smythe, Dalry Road, Edinburgh

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