Letters: Where is missing £200m for trams coming from?

I attended the City Chambers along with my colleagues from Lothian Buses last week to listen to the debate on the future of the tram project.

After witnessing the outcome of a proposed 773 million tram line to St Andrew Square being slipped through with only the support of 16 Lib Dem councillors, I now know why the trams are in such a mess.

The council must find more than 200m to complete the project. Where will this money come from? From future council projects, the sale of surplus trams or borrowing against assets like Lothian Buses? Perhaps even worse, the sale of Lothian Buses?

We were told the projected profit from a tram to St Andrew Square would be more than 2m per annum. Unfortunately not one councillor questioned this figure.

Less than a third of the city's councillors voted for this tram line, and they were all Lib Dems.

The remaining parties washed their hands with weak objections and failed face- saving tactics.

This group of councillors have been utterly inept and the public will have their say come the 2012 local elections.

The position of the joint trade union committee at Lothian Buses was consistent and clear - mothball the project until more prosperous times and keep Lothian Buses in full ownership of the people of Edinburgh and the Lothians.

The Scottish Government has already said not a penny more will be given to this tram fiasco. We have grave concerns as to where the 200m will come from.

Rab Fraser, Chairman, Lothian Buses JTUC branch

No democracy, and it's a disgrace

THERE are very few people, if any, who are not disgusted by the way Edinburgh City Council has handled the trams.

The financial mess is breathtaking. However, what this entire fiasco also highlights is the complete lack of democracy, openness and accountability by those involved. Time and again it was shown that the overwhelming majority were opposed to the trams, but to save political face the council pressed ahead.

I was of the opinion that in a democracy the majority view was upheld. Not in Edinburgh apparently.

That is democracy in 2011, under an SNP government, in Scotland. It is a disgrace.

David Black, Kenmure Avenue, Edinburgh

Salmond must swallow his pride

Alex Salmond struts the world stage with his "green dream" of 100 per cent energy from renewables by 2020.

He will shut down nuclear plants and not replace them, and thinks that wind turbines, wave power, solar and coal with carbon capture will achieve his dream of having the "best CO2 reduction targets in the world".

Centrica and other energy companies last week told the Department of Energy and Climate Change that if Britain is going to spend 100 billion, yes 100bn, on building thousands more wind turbines then they had better build another 17 dedicated gas power stations solely for back-up for when the wind does not blow.

Cost? 10bn.

Since Scotland has proportionately more wind turbines than England, how will Mr Salmond provide this essential back-up?

Although he wants complete independence, will he be forced to swallow his pride and import mixed energy, which includes nuclear, from England and from France?

Mr Salmond may not wish it to be widely known but there has been a global temperature standstill for the past decade.

Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow

Our country's still worth defending

IF this government thinks that by dismantling our armed forces by the back door (cutting services) it is saving money, it is not.

It is, however, cheating the taxpayer of a first class defence, and preventing the youth of our country the right to a vital training scheme.

If the Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary consider that Britain is not worth defending, say so, and the voters will choose someone else.

CJR Fentiman, Polwarth Gardens Edinburgh