Misleading words on Braid Road closure - your views

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Misleading words on Braid Road closure

Thanks to Ian Swanson we learn that the council failed to grit the “safe” section of Braid Road which is open to pedestrians and cyclists; he asked the council why this was so (News, January 1).

 “A spokeswoman responded later, saying Braid Road was being gritted at that moment.” [ie Thursday]

In my opinion this is simply untrue; on Friday I walked the full length of the closed section; both the road and pavement were still untreated and very icy.

Time and again replies from Spaces for People to questions are untrue.

When Cllr Jason Rust asked about the double yellow lines painted on the closed section, the reply was nonsense.

“Braid Road is fully closed at the South end but the North end...... is only a half road closure....” to help Blue Badge holders; but it wasn’t true at all and nothing to do with Blue Badge holders.

Recently the council held a consultation about the proposed ‘quiet route’. When councillors and members of the public referred to the need to re-open Braid Road, they were told that the quiet route had nothing to do with the Braid Road closure.

“For clarification, the Greenbank to Meadows measures do not include the closure of Braid Road, this is a separate scheme.”

But various official documents show this is untrue, and they had to back down, saying: “The two measures are linked in so much as they create a safe corridor from the south of the city to the city centre.”

One of the Spaces for People documents proving the connection says “This [reopening Braid Road] would require significant traffic calming to main this safe and coherent quiet corridor.” Quite!

Can we believe anything this incompetent SfP team fob us off with in future?

Paul Bailey, Braid Road, Edinburgh.

Brexit outcome is not at described

Over the last few days I have been listening to Downing Street telling the country about a new dawn, about the incredible deal that has been achieved with Europe.

Should we be worried? Damn right we should. For all of Europe to agree so quickly definitely sounds the warning bells. Can anyone think of another instance where such an event has happened in that time scale? Then, when I saw the look of triumph on the face of the Southern Irish Prime Minister Mr Micheál Martin, I begin to suspect that we have not done as well as Downing Street are saying. Remember the adage, the devil is in the detail.

Finlay G Mackintosh, Lochview, Forres.

Deal or no deal, Scotland loses out

Reading Alex Orr’s letter (December 31) bemoaning the Brexit trade deal makes me wish I had a time machine, not to visit the past or the future, but rather to visit an alternative present where the transition period expired without a trade agreement. I feel sure that the Alex Orr in that ‘no-deal’ universe is currently complaining that the lack of a deal is costing Scotland jobs and money.

Otto Inglis, Crossgates, Fife.

Charitable formula

Lewis Hamilton, who is a seven-time Formula 1 champion, has been made a knight in the New Year Honours list. Many may consider this wrong since he has been living in Swiss and Monaco tax havens for 13 years and paid next to nothing in British taxes.

Others may point out that he has contributed to various charities, but this was out of money he gained by not paying UK taxes so In effect it was British taxpayers who funded these charities, not Hamilton.

Clark Cross, Linlithgow.