Letters: Marathon makes travelling around an endurance test

Unfortunately if you asked many of the locals and visitors in Musselburgh who were reliant on public transport, especially after completing the marathon, they would not be full of admiration for the city.

For hours the area around Musselburgh was gridlocked with traffic, and at every bus stop heading into town, there were about 100-200 people queuing for the few buses there were. I personally had a three-hour bus trip between Cockenzie and Musselburgh, for what was to be a brief visit.

Musselburgh is a small town which embraces this event, but unfortunately has too few ways to return to the city.

If Edinburgh wishes to be taken seriously in organising a world event such as a marathon, it needs to take a long hard look at catering for the crowds that come, and not make them feel like we've taken their money then abandoned them.

Clare Morgan, High Street, Cockenzie

Trams are back, so how about a pool?

AS IS normally the case when the sun shines and the mercury rises, Portobello is a magnet for locals and tourists alike.

This most scenic of spots, though, is somewhat blighted by the eyesore that is the disused and rather dilapidated funpark site at the west end of the promenade and it is such a shame that this is the case!

Is it not therefore about time the council or whoever owns this site did something with it to both restore it and fulfil its potential, while at the same time adding to the character and appearance of the promenade?

I'm sure there are many ways in which to do this, and perhaps a modern-day outdoor swimming facility would fit the bill. After all, if it is good enough for Edinburgh to once again have a tram system, then why not a state-of the-art outdoor pool?

Angus McGregor, Albion Road, Edinburgh

Kirk must move out of Dark Ages

WITH too many churches and not enough worshippers, economically the Church of Scotland needs to sell churches so that dwindling congregations might fill and maintain those that remain. From a moral standpoint, however, the Kirk faces a far more serious problem.

After an ongoing row over the appointment of Scott Rennie, its first openly gay minister, the Church of Scotland will afford its covert homophobes anonymity when they will be allowed to air their backward views in a secret ballot as to whether homosexuals should be treated the same as heterosexuals.

When most of society has moved on from this hatred of others, which comes in part from blind acceptance of "holy" books such as the Bible, it is a disgrace that the Equalities Bill has been diluted enough to allow religious discriminators to escape justice while the rest of us would, quite rightly, have to defend our prejudices, sometimes even in court.

Jesus allegedly threw the moneylenders out of the temple. Isn't it time the homophobes were thrown out of the Church of Scotland? If it is to survive, the Kirk must move away from the Dark Ages and embrace progressive change.

Jack Fraser, Clayknowes Drive, Musselburgh

Job cuts shouldn't come as a shock

YOUR report (News, 21 May) of 1,200 "shock" Edinburgh City Council staffing cuts will surely be balanced in your archives by accounts of increases in council employee levels.

National government, councils, families and individuals all operate according to a common economical factor: in times of plenty they indulge in extravagance or luxury, and when hardship strikes they reduce expenditure by cutting back.

Recent years have seen a considerable increase in local authority employment – much of it in the desirable, rather than essential, category – so a reduction in financially straitened circumstances should not come as a shock, however upsetting it is to those on the receiving end.

Robert Dow, Ormiston Road, Tranent