Letters: Time politicians came clean over real cost of renewables

They will decide what to do with the turbines, blades, the tonnes of concrete in the base, the roads and restoring the landscape to its original state.

The latest research has shown that turbine blades cannot be recycled and end up being incinerated or being dumped in landfill. Incineration releases toxic fumes and landfill is expensive to the taxpayer.

Surely the planning departments in councils should have been asking the developers how they would deal with redundant wind farms before granting approval?

They should also have secured a financial bond to ensure the clearing up work is carried out and the developers do not just vanish.

Not only are turbines a gigantic blot on the landscape whilst they are inefficiently and expensively producing electricity but they also could remain rusting monstrosities forever.

I trust that a bond and clean-up conditions will be part of the planning process or are the councils being pressurised by politicians who want to strut the world stage with "the best renewables targets in the world"?

Clark Cross, Springfield Road Linlithgow

Devastating cuts must be rejected

Politicians in Westminster are now debating the fate of 80,000 disabled people as they decide whether to grant government the power to remove the Personal Independence Payment mobility component, which will be replacing Disability Living Allowance, from people living in residential care. This is a benefit that helps people meet extra mobility costs like an adapted car or accessible taxis.

The Government hopes this will save 160 million out of the 81 billion spending cuts it plans to make by 2014/15. However, whilst the savings may be small in relation to the overall cuts, the impact on individuals will be devastating. Removing this benefit will leave disabled people living in residential care isolated, unable to afford to leave their homes and denied the independence most people take for granted. MPs cannot allow this to happen and are able to stop it.

Last month around 5000 people protested against the cuts as part of The Hardest Hit campaign.We are once again calling on MPs to remember disabled people, who are being affected by spending cuts in many ways, as they decide the fate of 80,000 people living in residential care.

Angela Airlie, Moredunvale View, Edinburgh

Road works to benefit us all

Is Edinburgh Council yet again about to miss a few tricks concerning forward planning for cyclists and the unwanted/unloved tram line?

A small but vociferous section of the Capital's population call for improved facilities for their minority activity of cycling on public roads but offer no suggestions as to how these improvements are to be paid for, other than through general taxation. Why not re-introduce the Road Fund Licence, applicable only to cyclists? Net income from the annual charge, set at an appropriately high level to cover administration and enforcement costs, could be ring-fenced to pay for the facilities being called for.

As regards the tram line, when or if the highways are ever resurfaced for use by 21st century vehicles, beside the 20th century tram, why not lay the surface higher than the top of the tram rails. At the same time, spend another few million pounds - it will not be noticed amongst the likely 600-650m total costs - to acquire covers to fit over the rails. These covers can be held in storage until the annual operating loss of the tram line is considered unbearable. Then the covers can be put in place to restore the road surface without the cost and disruption of digging up the rails.

In the meantime, why not do a deal with Croydon Council to lease for a few years the number of buses displaced by the tram from the 22 route? The buses can then be returned to the Capital when the tram line is covered over and perhaps the trams can be sold to Croydon, at a loss, of course.

F Ritchie, Craigmount Avenue North, Edinburgh