Dumbfounded by the state of a city under construction

I AM dumbfounded over the lack of care and accountability that is raised over the state of Edinburgh in general, its roads, construction and chaos which we all just seem to accept.

I walked by the Scottish Parliament building and was concerned at the extent of repairs being undertaken. The parliament building is new and should not be prone to winter repairs, so who is accountable? Who pays for these repairs?

The untold truth of small businesses being put out of business because of delays and traffic disruptions is immense.

Haymarket, for example, has been dug-up several times in a year. Could this work not be dove-tailed all at the same time, or is this too rational and obvious for appointed and accredited council planners?

And there are German subcontractors when Scotland has its own unemployment issues!

Are we not allowed to ask questions and get answers that make sense? Public money is just that, public money, and somebody must be accountable.

Mr W M Anderson, Stewart Terrace, Gorgie, Edinburgh

Let there be light ... except at night

MANY large shops do seem to spend a considerable amount of electricity keeping their lights on 24/7. Maybe there is good reason to switch off, say, at 11:30pm.

However, walking to work on a dreich Scots morning at 6:20am can be immensely improved by the bright lights of many departmental stores. What about a lights-off period, say 11:30pm till 6am?

Colin C Maclean, Hillpark Avenue, Edinburgh

Church threatened by roads revamp

AT Greenside Church in Royal Terrace there is serious alarm at the recently published plans which show a permanent restriction, once the tram line is finished, at the London Road/Blenheim Place junction. It is proposed that there be no right turn into Blenheim Place for traffic coming from the north and the west.

Traffic coming from the north and the west and wishing to go to Royal Terrace must either approach the junction from the east, involving a U-turn in London Road or neighbouring streets, or take the longer route via Abbeyhill and Carlton Terrace Brae. The junction here, involving five roads intersecting on sharply rising ground, is probably one of the most hazardous in the city.

What alarms us at the church is the clear perception that we are seen as difficult to reach by car. At a recent wedding some guests arrived late because "we couldn't see how to get to the church". In addition to the services of worship, we have a large number of people using the premises for community activities of various kinds, including many children whose parents have told me that they find the church "inaccessible".

After serving the local parish and community for over 170 years we now face the prospect of a slow and enforced decline in local life as the area in which we are situated is threatened with something far more serious than mere inconvenience and frustration.

I appeal to the appropriate authorities to think again.

Andrew Anderson, Minister, Greenside Parish Church

Rule for country, not a select few

NOW that a group of 40 Labour MPs have signed up to a radical manifesto that challenges Labour's support of "market fundamentalism", the SNP must consider its passive capitulation to public spending cuts if it wants to retain power come the general election.

To retain any semblance of left-of-centre credentials, the SNP must defend public sector workers and support calls for investment in jobs, services and housing.

Politicians no longer govern; they manage our economy on behalf of a select few. Public services are privatised and workers paid off while banks are bailed out without real reform, nationalising the debt and privatising the profits. Community centres, libraries and the rest are closed.

We must return to Keynesianism economics. Keynes argued that under capitalism full employment is not a natural condition but is determined by effective demand, requiring government spending on public works to stimulate this.

Any governing party must rule in the interests of the country, not on behalf of a select few.

Jack Fraser, Clayknowes Drive, Musselburgh