Letters: Waverley taxi ban won’t stop terrorists attacking

I fully acknowledge the horrors of the London and Madrid attacks on public transport systems but these were down to the terrorists simply entering stations – both mainline and underground – on foot, so why punish motorists and taxi drivers?

Cabbies, in particular, are suffering due to the recession, so limiting their access to key pick-up and drop-off points such as stations is going to make their lives almost impossible.

The cold, hard facts are that if someone really wants to blow up a building, station, train or whatever else they fancy, they will find a way. Banning taxis is not the solution

Willie McKenzie, Clermiston Crescent

Uphill struggle for elderly travellers

WHILE rail bosses are merely concerning themselves with supposed terror threats during the Olympics – you know, those Games taking place 400 miles away from Edinburgh – have they stopped for a minute to consider elderly and disabled passengers?

Banning taxis from Waverley means a big climb up to street level, either up the road access ramps to Waverley Bridge, or the steps to Market Street or Princes Street. That’s hard enough at the best of times for some but, with the added struggle of dealing with luggage, it could become almost impossible.

As someone who regularly travels from the station to visit family in East Lothian, I can only hope that the new escalators at the Waverley Steps are fixed in time for the ban kicking in but, judging by that ongoing farce, I won’t hold my breath.

Mrs G Dundas, Slateford Road

Bridge deals are failing Scots firms

Transport Scotland has had to admit that seven more sub-contracts have been awarded to foreign companies for the new Forth bridge.

This is in addition to the 37,000-ton steel contract which went to Spain, Poland and China. The value was £79 million.

In an attempt to fudge the issue, Transport Minister Keith Brown had argued that 76 per cent of the contracts signed to date had gone to Scottish firms.

Only later was it admitted that the 118 sub-contracts were only worth £20m.

£20m out of £1.6 billion. Not a lot.

No wonder politicians and union leaders have accused the SNP administration of failing Scotland’s workers.

Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow

Go the extra smile for our great city

IF we’re not complaining about trams, Ferris wheels, public toilets or the state of the roads, it’s school closures, bus fares and litter. Come on people, cheer up. Where’s your sense of enthusiasm?

Despite what Martin Hannan says (“It’s true, we are Europe’s worst”, News, February 14), we live in one of the best cities in the world, which regularly features in tourists’ favourite destinations. We have a famous and flourishing arts festival, a zoo with giant pandas and many other exotic species on display that is the envy of the rest of the UK and beyond, as well as Michelin-starred restaurants, top theatres and shops.

Throw in the Castle, Holyrood Palace, the parliament and Forth Bridge and it just gets better – and that’s without mentioning the abundance of parks, hills, coastline and beaches on our doorstep.

So, come on, enough of the doom and gloom. Let’s celebrate all that’s great about the Capital.

We’ll maybe not mention the football, though . . .

Kenny McLaughlin, Easter Road

Playing the name game won’t work

ARE we really meant to believe that changing the name of the Chalmers Sexual Health Clinic will result in a surge of patients wishing to be examined (Sex health clinic prescribes name change remedy, News, February 13)?

“What’s in a name?” as Shakespeare once asked? You can call it the Magical Happy Fun Centre but those who are too nervous or prudish to go for a check-up will remain so.

Allan Davidson, Stenhouse