Letters: Visit from the Vatican will really get it sorted in city

WHAT incredibly poor judgement and lack of prioritising by members of this administration to give the go-ahead, at this time of severe financial constraint, to spend £22,000 to refurbish 80 metres of a street in that well-known poverty-stricken area, Morningside (News, August 27), whilst slashing expenditure on the obviously less important things such as schools and social care.

Regardless of what we are told, it is crystal clear that this is being done for the Pope's visit. You don't require the local residents to confirm this, only refurbishing 80m to Cardinal Keith O'Brien's house is a bit of a giveaway, to be honest.

However, according to Councillor Robert Aldridge, the city's environment leader, the street in question was surveyed back in March and was deemed to be one of the streets of Edinburgh which was in most need of repair, is he being serious here? If so he leads a very sheltered life.

Perhaps he should read the Evening News more often, as in that very same issue in the Get It Sorted column he would have seen two of the three street issues still requiring attention in Parkgrove and East Craigs, one of these having been reported 183 days ago, back in March.

D Wills, Parkgrove Terrace, Edinburgh

Pope should give tram his blessing

THE Edinburgh tram scheme has been beset with so many problems of late that I have even heard it described as "Godforsaken".

Now that it has been decided to move (at not inconsiderable expense) the tram currently on display in Princes Street so that the "Popemobile" might not be obscured, perhaps the Holy Father could be persuaded to pause for a few moments and bless the tram and its rails.

It certainly could do no harm and his blessing could well help to restore peace and harmony to the relationship between the tramway's promoters and contractors, thus promoting an early opening of the line.

John Eoin Douglas, Spey Terrace, Edinburgh

A nightmare for the disabled here

AS a newly disabled person with motor neuron disease, I have found access around Edinburgh a nightmare. I can find no guide available and it is always time-consuming to telephone around.

Notices should be displayed outside public places. For example, I have found the National Galleries of Scotland wonderful. There are disabled parking facilities outside, a ramp with handrails, lifts, disabled toilets and wheelchairs and wonderful, helpful staff .

In contrast to this is the Usher Hall, which will not let a taxi or car drive up outside the main entrance, with disabled parking facilities not near the entrance.

The bollards there are only for fire engines and ambulance. I can use a walker for short distance but the slope on either side of the hall is either down or up. Who was the planner of this?

Surely someone could stand outside half an hour before performance and open the bollards to let a disabled person through by car or taxi?

They do have disabled toilets and helpful staff but they are not always there when you need them.

Surveying the public at festival concerts I noticed lots of people with walking sticks, walkers and wheelchairs. Ambulance staff concurred with my observations.

Caroline Carr-Locke, Edinburgh

Inquiry is needed into Lockerbie

AMERICA puts pressure on Libya, whose leader Colonel Gadaffi "persuades" the Lockerbie bomber Megrahi to drop his appeal.

A full UN inquiry is needed into the whole Lockerbie story – not just Megrahi's release.

If Megrahi really is innocent then the real Lockerbie killers are at large. That should concern us all.

This story is far too important for domestic party prejudices to take hold.

A UN inquiry chaired by a respected figure with no links to any of the issues would have a chance to get at the truth.

Andrew JT Kerr, Castlegate, Jedburgh