Letters: City didn’t move in right circles for project research

The whole point of a tram is that it can be driven from either end and all that is needed is a simple trailing or facing set of points at the terminus or anywhere else along the route if needed.

Dare I suggest that is the reason it was going to run around St Andrew Square. It’s a wonder they did not build a turntable in the middle of Princes Street they are so inept

The Croydon Tramlink (now called London Tramlink) is a system I know well and have used on numerous occasions, and it has no turning circle.

Rather than wasting time and money on expensive hotels with various groups to discuss their latest problems a simple visit to any of the new tram systems would have been more beneficial and cheaper.

I hope it’s not too late to bring some sanity to this situation.

Scott Miller, Coillesdene Avenue, Joppa, Edinburgh

Blame coalition for tram blunders

THE letter on the council decision on trams from my fellow Leith councillor Marjorie Thomas (August 29) is disingenuous to say the least.

The option she favoured was one that would have seen the council borrow another £231 million, taking the council’s borrowing to a high of £1.5 billion. Repayment of this loan would cost £15.3m per annum for 30 years, with total loan repayments for all loans making up over 11 per cent of the council’s budget each year.

Thursday’s decision was not just on trams, but also the council’s financial position and the ability of this to affect council services for the future.

A phase 1 of tram to Haymarket had the least risk financially, the least risk for Lothian Buses, the least risk for council tax payers and the least risk for council services.

All of the decisions before us on Thursday were unpalatable but the reason for us being in that position has been the SNP/Lib-Dem coalition which has been in office but not in power in this city.

Audit Scotland at the SNP government’s behest examined the tram project and gave it a clean bill of health in June 2007. Spend to March 2007 was £44m and in June this year was £440m. Readers can draw their own conclusions as to why councillors were facing a series of unpalatable decisions.

Cllr Gordon Munro, Leith ward Labour

Police move is a gamble for SNP

WHILE there may be some social, logistical and financial positives in having just the one national police force you do wonder what sort of impact this might have on crime, especially violent crime.

It may be fair to say that compared to some cities Edinburgh is a relatively safe place in which to live, but how much of this would be compromised if there was no Lothian and Borders Police to enforce law order?

The proposed merger may prove to be the biggest gamble of the SNP government and if it should backfire upon them in the form of an increased crime rate, the chances are the SNP will suffer at the next Holyrood election.

Angus McGregor, Albion Road, Edinburgh

Report puts NHS Lothian in clear

WITH reference to the article “NHS ‘failed’ family of boy who killed himself” (News, August 25).

The article said the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman criticised NHS Lothian for the level of care it provided the boy.

The SPSO report clearly stated that the accountable body during the period of Master C’s treatment in 2000-2001 was Lothian Primary Care NHS Trust and not NHS Lothian. The original complaint also relates to this time period.

We have the deepest sympathy for Mr and Mrs C. As the SPSO report states, NHS Lothian commissioned three reviews, following a complaint by Mr and Mrs C in 2006, by an independent clinical consultant in adult and child psychiatry in an attempt to address their complaints and ongoing concerns.

Pat Dawson, Associate Nurse Director, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh