Letters: Taxis should be hailed for vital role in city transport

WITH regard to the letter by Councillor Mackenzie (May 25), we are obviously grateful that the problems caused by a ban on taxis with advertising in Holyrood Park have been resolved, though it remains confusing to us and others that visitors to the park may not hail a taxi to take them out of it.

We have already placed on record our appreciation for Historic Scotland's help in resolving the problems. Given that we have also seen another victory for common sense as the threat of ASBOs for taxis using Waverley Bridge has evaporated, we think there are important lessons to learn.

With the launch of the Edinburgh Licensed Taxi Partnership (ELTP), there is now a genuinely representative trade body that must be consulted by public agencies in Edinburgh. Both of these unhelpful controversies could have been avoided with a little prior consultation.

Taxis are part of the lifeblood of Edinburgh's transport infrastructure, providing an invaluable service for residents, businesses and visitors. It would be interesting to see what happened if a big organisation were to make major changes to public transport arrangements, as happened at Waverley Station, without consultation with Lothian Buses.

Yet taxis in the city play an equally vital role in transport, and employ more than twice as many people as Lothian Buses.

The ELTP looks forward to discussing these matters in the near future with Cllr MacKenzie, and others, to ensure that Edinburgh's support for its important transport services gets better and smarter in future.

Hopefully problems such as those experienced recently can be avoided.

Jeremy Sweeney, on behalf of Edinburgh Licensed Taxi Partnership

Botanics building no enhancement

DOES anyone think the domineering new Botanics building has "enhanced the environment" (News, May 21)? The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Scotland must mean "enhanced" in the sense that the university skyscrapers enhanced George Square in the 1960s.

I fear we will soon see some "environmentally friendly" blocks of flats enhancing the south-eastern slopes of Inverleith Park.

The battle against the sell-off has not been won yet.

My only hope is that the thousands of people who objected to the sale remain vigilant and maybe even start bombarding the council and the Scottish Parliament with letters of protest.

Alan Murphy, Learmonth Grove, Edinburgh

Consider human cost as priority

I WRITE to welcome the Scottish Government's announcement to halt funding cuts for home adaptations.

A recent unpopular change in policy would have meant housing associations would have to find an extra 8.4 million to help people stay in their homes.

The resulting strain on the public purse in healthcare and social services would have been unsustainable. But, without government support, housing associations, with already squeezed budgets, would, in many cases, simply be unable to afford to make the adaptations. This would lead to people having to move out of their homes and some people being stuck in hospital, adding to 'bed blocking', which is costing the health budget so much today.

The individual human cost is what must always be remembered and put at the forefront of decision-making.

I support the calls by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations for housing associations to work with the government to find the most cost-effective and sensible solutions to allow people to live in their homes for as long as possible.

Keith Anderson, Port of Leith Housing Association

Get real over the rail project funds

THE Forth bridge budget will go well over the estimate, and if the SNP expect to build a railway from Edinburgh to Galashiels for 300 million, they're having a laugh - they will be lucky to get past the city boundary for that.

Derek Wood, Oxton, Scottish Borders