Letters: TIE spin won't bring trams to Edinburgh any quicker

TIE's own website summary of the Infraco (Bilfinger Berger UK Limited and Siemens plc] contract states in the section titled Changes and Compensation Events: "TIE may issue changes to vary the scope of the Infraco works upon receipt of an estimate from Infraco demonstrating the impact of any variation to price and programme. TIE changes will be instructed upon acceptance by TIE of such estimates."

I am not a lawyer but the words above are crystal clear to me, if TIE does not agree the price of the change then BB is not obliged to do the work!

TIE's attempts to spin this fundamental judgment that strikes to the heart of any attempt to arrive at a final price and time scale to it being a mere brick in a wall could more appropriately be likened to a wall which has no foundation that will soon fall over.

John R T Carson, Kirkliston Road, South Queensferry

Wave goodbye to project at Porty

AS the council is shifting the display tram from Princes Street temporarily, may I suggest bringing it down to Portobello Beach for a while? That would attract visitors to Porty.

We did have "Big things on the beach" for a wee while, but the power of the sea shifted those one-armed bandits and they have now been uplifted.

Maybe the power of the sea will bury the tram forever.

R Glanville, Rathbone Place, Edinburgh

Fantasy issues won't bag votes

MIKE PRINGLE should do us all a favour and give his "charging for a plastic bag" campaign a rest (News, August 30). He knows full well that his argument failed in two previous consultations and a "third" consultation has to be instigated, at taxpayers' expense of course, before such a measure can even be considered.

Consumers, now more aware of the true facts relating to so-called environmentally friendly alternatives, what with their hygiene, transportation, increased landfill requirements and increased emissions, are no longer fooled by his and his followers' rhetoric.

Perhaps Mr Pringle could lead by example and dedicate more of his energies into tackling important matters that affect everyone's daily life such as the impending increase in unemployment, cuts in benefits to those in need, cuts in public services, increase in VAT, crime rates, vandalism and many more pressing subjects.

Elections are just around the corner and the discerning public won't be fooled easily by fantasy Lib-Dem and Green issues.

Bill MacDonald, Staunton Rise, Livingston

Fuel firms want to use our energy

I AM constantly getting phoned by call centres asking me to read my gas and electricity meters.

This latest cost-saving scheme by energy suppliers, which involves trying to get you to reading your own gas and electricity meters, in effect inadvertently becoming unpaid employees, is totally unacceptable.

Not content with pressurising you to pay your bills by direct debit with the consequence of charging you more for power if you don't, they now want you to carry out this service yourself.

They will now still save money by sending me over-estimated bills with the excess payment going into their bank accounts until they see fit to repay me the overcharge, a win-win situation for them indeed.

What next, collecting your mail from a central depot?

Frank Ferri, Newhaven Main Street, Edinburgh

Rabbits deserve a loving new home

SHAME on the owners who dumped two pet rabbits with little food and no water (News, August 28). These poor bunnies would have perished had they not been discovered.

I hope someone will give them the loving new home they deserve.

June Fleming, Hercus Loan, Musselburgh