Letters: Latest in a parade of white elephants doomed to fail

The people of Edinburgh should not forget that quite recently another transport project existed called the guided busway. Reputations then were put "on the line" at political and at chief official level. Despite all the talking this project quickly became yet another white elephant confined to the history book of doomed transportation projects in Edinburgh.

You would think by now that we would have learned a few lessons, but astonishingly no, mistakes made previously seem to be repeated.

During the next few months of stalemate, I would suggest that all parties in power from the council to Holyrood actually visit the sites, which this newspaper rightly highlighted.

Look at the rusting rails, the rubble, ballast, holes in the ground, the diversions and of course the model of the tram. Then ask yourself if this project looks like one worth almost 750 million or more!

Consider one other point: when will it ever be finished or should we simply run a tram up and down Princes Street and twin-up with Blackpool? I think that if I were in power I would be extremely angry and would vent my rage towards those involved with the original blueprint.

They got this one very wrong indeed and most certainly did not look at the archives of the tram network which operated in this city until late 1956.

The answers and ideas all lie within these archives, but it's possibly too late to look at them now. An in-depth public inquiry looms.

Peter J Sargent, Corstorphine, Edinburgh

Working to make park a safer place

I READ with interest Alan McEwen's article titled: "Gang fears as teenage thugs beat up man in city park" (News, 1 June). Trinity Community Council has been working very hard in the last year or so to deal with issues relating to Victoria Park.

The Community Council along with the Clean Green and Safe Action Group and the Children, Young People and Families Action Group of Forth Neighbourhood Partnership as well as the police and Granton Youth Centre have worked tirelessly to put together support for young people in the Trinity area and support for Trinity Academy where possible.

New lighting is being installed thanks to these joint efforts and this will, I hope, make the park a safer place.

The police patrol the area regularly both on foot and by car/bike and further police action is planned following the attack.

Your article was correct in pointing out that some of the playground equipment has been vandalised. This is unfortunate but the matter is in hand, the equipment is over ten years old and has been largely untouched since its installation. The delay in replacing it is due to the fact that many of the parts are no longer available given their age.

I hope this helps to clarify matters and to assure Trinity residents that their Community Council is working hard to deal with these matters progressively.

Thomas Kerr, secretary, Trinity Community Council

Gaza break .. you cannot be serious!

HE CAN'T be serious...but he is. David Cameron has announced spending cuts for us all, yet is apparently giving away 19 million to Gaza.

Perhaps our elderly, disabled and all our children should all move to the Gaza to get a crumb of Cameron's empathy.

Elaine Pomeransky, Restalrig Gardens, Edinburgh

Press them into a corner for truth

IT OCCURRED to me the other day that the daily agony and true damage and devastation done by savage cuts in all sectors of the workplace is not actually being reported in its full and glorious detail.

Is it not time for the Press to back the financial sector, politicians and government regulatory offices into a corner?

Dan Hallam, Eskside West, Musselburgh