Letters: City's single tram could be a streetcar that Fringe desires

OVER the last few years the Edinburgh Fringe Festival has had a shortage of space for some of the groups that want to put plays on in our city.

After seeing the story in the Evening News on 5 May about the tram being placed in Princes Street for all to see, I wondered if this tram could not be used as a venue for the duration of the Fringe.

It is in a good central location and I am quite sure there would no be shortage of punters should this tram be used as a venue for the few weeks that the Fringe is on.

It appears that this is an ideal empty space that could be utilised for profit by our council for the Edinburgh council tax payers if it helps to keep the costs of this project down.

If it is successful this year any group putting a play on in this tram could maybe come back for a sequel next year providing the tram is still lying there while we wait for a decision on when our trams are going to be up and running.

Someone out there must have a play in mind that could be performed in the tram that appears to be going nowhere for a long time in our city. All we need is a council with a little bit of imagination and the will to make the right decisions.

Andrew Murphy, Royal Mile, Edinburgh

Feet on the seat not a treat on bus

IS IT beyond the ingenuity of someone to develop a system of letting a bus driver know when there are passengers with their feet on the seats at the back of the bus?

Particularly in the 14-to-mid-40s age group, they seem to think it is normal to put wet/dirty/snowy boots, trainers and shoes on the opposite seat, or to even use it to clean their dirty footwear.

Presumably they all do this to the furniture in their own homes.

P McPherson, Belmont Gardens, Edinburgh

Give housing the boost it requires

THE Lib Dems' Nick Clegg sent me a letter noting that the UK needs 1.8 million houses to be built to meet demand from UK council waiting lists.

How did it get to be so high? Surely the government has a duty to put housing near the top of its priorities? Surely we should not have unlimited amounts spent on Trident when there is a definite and real need for affordable houses?

It is time that housing was given the boost it desperately needs.

Trevor Swistchew, Victor Park Terrace, Edinburgh

Foul-mouthed provost must go

I WAS disappointed to read your story about Midlothian Council's provost, Adam Montgomery, making a 150-mile round trip to buy a Kilmarnock Football Club kilt on expenses, costing a total of 950 (News, 4 May).

As a politician, the shock factor of it mirrors the "lower league" level of his political status compared to the "champions league" class of some for having their snouts in the trough.

However, there was a point which the story did not focus heavily on which left me absolutely disgusted.

Mr Montgomery, the public face of Midlothian, said: "I've got **** all to explain to the SNP group, and you can quote me on every word of that."

This foul-mouthed oaf represents his council and should be expected to behave with some dignity – he is the provost, not the profaner, of Midlothian.

If he had any decency, he would apologise and resign from his office. But that is clearly not his strong suit.

He is an embarrassment to the area he represents and ought to be shown the door as a matter of urgency.

Mr F Jack, Uphall, West Lothian

Thanks to kind shopper for phone

MY GRATEFUL thanks to the very kind and thoughtful motorist/shopper who found my mobile phone on the ground.

Unknown to me, it had dropped from my pocket.

The person left a monkey-faced notelet on my windscreen and handed the phone in to an information desk where a relieved me retrieved same!

Name and address supplied