Letters: The lowdown is taxis are vital for Waverley journeys

REGARDING the taxi ban from Waverley station, I would like to ask, how many main stations are built as low down as this? London’s main stations, York, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness are all at street level.

As far as I am aware, others are all easily accessible by taxi.

I travel a lot to visit family in England, and the thought of getting to and from Waverley without taxi or a disability car makes me wonder how someone sitting in an office can make such decisions.

Can you imagine the queue waiting for the lifts coming from the packed London trains, not to mention others? It is bad enough sometimes at the moment as there can be a wait for taxis with so many passengers.

It is nice to have the new escalators, but not if you have heavy luggage which has to be lifted on to them.

I am sure there could be some scheme set up to monitor cars and taxis arriving or picking up. Come on, get out and see what alternatives can be made.

If the ban goes ahead, I will be restricted to day or short trips. Doesn’t Edinburgh deserve a break after all the disruptions we have been having?

Isa Morey. Crewe Road Gardens, Edinburgh

Action needed to fix this blackspot

YET another accident at this blackspot in Lasswade (News, February 20).

The whole valley is a traffic hold-up. Ideally the only traffic entering the area should be access only. A high-level flyover is needed to take all the through traffic with direct entry on to the bypass.

This would also help relieve the dangerous slip road which most of the Edinburgh traffic is heading for anyway.

Midlothian is becoming gridlocked, and all three access roads to/from the existing bridge are inadequate in themselves, but upgrading those would almost certainly make the situation worse.

A flyover at a high enough level would connect all the high ground surrounding the area.

John Byrn, Seventh Street, Newtongrange

Authorities must work within law

YOUR editorial (February 14) and some of your correspondents favour the practice of prayers at meetings of Edinburgh City Council.

However, the issue confronting elected members of the council, and those of some other Scottish local authorities, is that they have to satisfy themselves that it is legally competent for them, according to Scottish law, to conduct prayers or religious activities as part of the business of the council.

Norman Bonney, National Secular Society, Edinburgh

Give better focus on fighting crime

THE photograph of the culprits in the Portobello slashing (February 18) is of shocking quality.

When you can consider Google can zoom in from outer space, right down to show you clearly the name over any shop on your local high street, it is quite astonishing that the technology of CCTV cameras produces such appallingly blurred images from a mere 20ft.

Dave Warren, Morningside, Edinburgh

Can we choose our nationality?

IF Scots did have a brain meltdown and voted for Salmond’s proposal, would those born within the Union have the right and choice to retain UK citizenship and passport?

Jim Taylor, The Murrays Brae, Edinburgh

Working with all for best results

WE, as the developers behind Springside, note with interest the comments made by Gavin Corbett (Letters, 18 February) with regard to his desire to build a new Fountainbridge, balancing mixed-use development with real community values and needs.

We are continuing to deliver our commitment to the wider area and welcome the launch of the community-led Fountainbridge Canalside Initiative.

We intend to work closely with them, as well as other local organisations, to help continue transforming the wider area into a neighbourhood of which the community can be proud.

Robin Blacklock, Grosvenor, Castle Street, Edinburgh