City is cheating drivers who pay for road upkeep

WITH regard to the article "Sort it out" in the News (October 4) I was wondering if anyone at Lothian and Borders Police would be interested in pressing charges against either tram firm TIE or Edinburgh City Council and possibly both? I believe that a massive theft of road tax funds could be taking place.

It is getting to the stage that it does not matter which street you drive along in Edinburgh, it is going to be closed or obstructed. If it is not the tram works, then no doubt a bus or cycle lane has been installed.

Most drivers in Edinburgh will have paid their road tax, which appears to be increasing year on year, and this entitles them to drive on the city roads. When I see scenes such as last week at The Mound it completely angers me beyond words.

It is also becoming apparent that when the whole tram system is up and running that many roads will be for trams or buses only and not open for general motorists.

If the city council and TIE wish to continue with all these road closures and obstructions then some kind of road tax refund should be made to those who use the roads in Edinburgh most frequently. If this can't be done then the authorities should face charges as I don't see why I should keep paying for roads that are closed and obstructed and feel that this amounts to nothing short of theft from road tax payers.
Mr Alastair Macintyre, Webster Place, Rosyth, Fife

Who's telling truth about memorial?
CAN the person telling the truth about the Hearts war memorial in this council administration please stand up?

The city economic leader Tom Buchanan is quoted in the News on September 30 stating that it is nonsense to suggest that the memorial would be kept away from Haymarket permanently and that this memorial would absolutely return to Haymarket.

Steve Cardownie the deputy council leader is quoted as stating "We have no intention of permanently removing the war memorial, this was only in an official's report that will not get the backing of the politicians."

But then in News on October 3 yet another councillor, Phil Wheeler, the city's transport leader is now quoted as stating that the next two years will allow for a period of discussion over the final location for the memorial.

Would anyone in this administration like to finally tell the concerned electorate of the city which one of the above is correct in order that the matter can be resolved?

That is of course unless it is to be decided by an, as yet unknown official, who does appear to be making all these decisions for them because quite frankly, if we use this matter as an example, this lot are a shambles!
Kenneth Wright, Drumbrae Drive, Edinburgh

Walk away and shop elsewhere
IT seems that with the removal of the zebra crossings in George Street the city council, which is often accused of being anti-car, is now turning on pedestrians.

No wonder people choose go shopping in Glasgow, where you can you can do so without having to dodge in and out of the traffic.
Mr A Morris, St Leonard's Lane, Edinburgh

Cost rise puts heat on energy users
I ATTENDED the public meeting in the Nelson Halls about soaring gas and electricity bills mentioned in the News (October 1).

I was glad to hear that Colin Fox and the Scottish Socialists are as angry as I am about this issue and they at least are speaking out against these outrageous bills.

One elderly woman at the meeting mentioned that her gas bill for June, July and August had just arrived and said despite it being for the summer months it was the highest she had ever had. I dread to think how many people like her across the country are living in fear of their winter bill.

Colin Fox must surely have spoken for many more when he warned the gas companies they were drinking in the "last chance saloon", that people will not put up with further increases. Energywatch the industry monitor now estimates there are 5.5 million households living in fuel poverty in Britain, which is to say they are paying more than ten per cent of their income on this one bill.

Politicians from all parties should recognise that people are livid about these increases and believe the power companies are ripping off the public.
Robert Dickson, Mortonhall Road, Edinburgh

Let's see if local taxation is fair way
DO you remember being warned that local income tax would be bad for the economy and that it might even trigger a recession? Well, we are heading into one now, but not because of LIT.

The latest lie is that LIT would result in hard-working Edinburgh folk having to subsidise local services for work-shy spongers in poorer parts of Scotland where the councils can't raise enough cash locally, (News, October 3). We happen to be doing that already.

Council tax is such a lousy way of fishing for funds that every council in the country is mainly funded via national taxation.

LIT, being more effective and about half as costly to run, should enable most authorities to be self-sufficient. Council tax lets highly paid people off the hook, charges double-income households the same as single-income ones and a quarter of its bills need to be covered with benefit money.

When everyone pays their fair dues under LIT we shall see who really needs to be subsidised.
A Murphy, Learmonth Grove