Letters: City must rink again about ending popular attraction

I don’t know how the city leaders have the audacity to say they can’t subsidise this attraction at the expense of the public purse after they have spent millions of pounds, with millions more to come, on a tram disaster that very few of the population of Edinburgh are in favour of.

It’s also something that is not needed due to the excellent bus services which cover the whole city.

Who will use a tram from the airport to St Andrew Square? The tourists in summer, maybe.

The ice rink is very popular, especially with young people and should be open at Christmas, even if the council leaders have to use money from the public purse.

The ice rink is only open for a short time once a year and will be used much more than the trams will ever be.

D Clark, Northfield Drive, Edinburgh

A wet welcome home at airport

ANYONE arriving at Edinburgh Airport while its raining will have noticed their luggage is soaking when it finally arrives on the carousel.

Even although they have transporters with canvas covers they choose to use open-backed lorries.

If it has been raining these are already soaking and if you are unlucky enough to be the first on to the lorry, your bags are saturated.

This has been going on for years, it’s laziness on the handlers’ part and it’s a disgrace that people’s property is treated this way.

Most people don’t complain and it’s too late by the time you get home. Your insurance won’t pay out unless you notify the disinterested ground staff before you leave the airport.

At the same time you will have been shunted from one side of the airport by bus, dropped in the rain to walk to the customs area, shuffled through cattle pens to passport officers, then out at the wrong end of the airport from taxi ranks and buses.

Well thought out, must be the same bunch that’s running the trams programme

Alan John Collins, Newington

Eck-stravagant with public cash

SO Alex Salmond wants to spend £10 million of taxpayers’ money on a designer abode for himself as he thinks Bute house is not suitable.

Well Mr Salmond, what about all the people who are living in housing with black mould and damp running down walls? I’m sure their needs are greater than yours. Stop wasting taxpayers’ money on yourself, the city cannot afford it.

Concentrate on the job you were elected for.

Mary Coombs, Edinburgh

No credibility for gay weddings

I FEAR that support from the Roman Catholic Church is in danger of polluting perfectly reasonable opposition to same-sex marriage.

A church rocked by often substantiated charges of child sexual abuse of both genders by priests can expect little public credibility for its teachings on other sexual matters.

John Eoin Douglas, Spey Terrace, Edinburgh

Family life can prevent riots

OBSERVING the youths on TV during the London riots, it’s clear to see there are many dysfunctional families in our society.

In a home with two loving parents, the children have respect for their parents that will prevent them getting into trouble. That is why we must monitor very closely what they watch on TV.

With TV now, you can pay extra money to watch more film channels. So what has happened to the technology that can filter violence, bad language, and over-the-top sexual scenes?

I would certainly think it would be money well spent, so that as a family with the grandchildren we can all sit down relax and enjoy the TV without feeling you are going to be embarrassed at any minute.

John Connor, David Henderson Court, Dunfermline