READERS’ LETTERS: Only the SNP could order a bridge for Scotland without factoring ice into the equation

Sir, – It is really disappointing the Queensferry Crossing has been closed for the best part of three days due to ice build up on the cables (Bridge chaos brings country to a standstill, Courier, February 12).

Only the SNP could order a bridge to be built in Scotland without factoring into the equation that ice may form on the structure in the winter months.

Or perhaps they have been listening too much to Greta Thunberg and other so-called environmentalists and thought snow and ice were a thing of the past?

I certainly hope lessons will be learned from this episode and measures put in place to ensure that this type of closure never happens again.

As far as I am concerned this bridge is not fully operational as snagging work also continues, especially during the night, almost three years on from the original opening.

It appears to have been rushed to completion to save the SNP the embarrassment of it not opening on time.

As a result the motorists trying to go about their daily business are now suffering from disruptive closures such as these seen in the last few days.

We have two large road bridges across the Forth but during the last few days both of them have sat virtually empty.

How can this be allowed to happen in 21st Century Scotland?

I feel sorry for the people who have perhaps missed work or arrived late or have been forced to use public transport which is not exactly reliable on the best of days.

Having previously worked in Edinburgh myself I know most employers are not particularly sympathetic when this situation arises, even though it is not of your own making.

I hope the SNP and Scottish Government will give compensation to anyone or any firm who has lost out due to these closures?

On a side note, I hope this situation puts to bed the idea proposed by Boris Johnson to build a 20-mile bridge over the Irish Sea.

Should it go ahead I consider it to be a gross waste of taxpayer money.

Alastair Macintyre.

18 Webster Place,

Rosyth.

Winter is part of life in Scotland

Sir, – Whilst all of us must have the greatest sympathy for those unfortunates impacted by the icicles falling from the bridge in Fife, anyone with a modicum of sense must realise that winter happens all over the northern hemisphere this time of year.

Snow and ice are part of our lives in Scotland.

That reality is absent from those who now have the keys to the asylum.

Any sane person with primary school science knows that global warming alarmists skipped the botany class.

That is the one that explained that carbon dioxide is plant food, which when combined with water and sunlight causes photosynthesis to make this dreary world a green and pleasant place.

A recent freedom of information request caused a Scottish quango to reveal that 3.9 million trees had been cut down to build useless windmills since 1999.

These figures are just for Forestry Commission trees, not for private landowners and others.

On the subject of Forth crossings, am I forgetful, or did not Holyrood tell us years ago that the Forth Road Bridge was going to disintegrate within months due to cable erosion and would fall into the river?

Are they the same “experts” who are telling us Scotland will be a fiery hell in 20 years unless we cut carbon dioxide levels back to 280 parts per billion, at which all life on earth will cease to exist?

Patrick Healy.

4 Waterside View,

Carnoustie.

Bridge fixes needed quickly

Sir, – Recently Markinch Heritage Society organised a meeting at which the speaker talked about the bridges on or over the River Forth (there are 37).

The attendance on a cold Thursday night was remarkable – nearly 70 people.

I just wonder if any of their number had a prescience about the closure of the Queensferry Crossing on Monday of this week, and the reasons for it.

It is disappointing that a venture that involved engineering expertise from all over the world should need to be closed because of adverse weather conditions.

A question that does need to be asked is whether the bridge was opened in August 2017 before all anticipated technical hitches could be overcome.

Much fanfare was made about a possible opening before the end of 2016.

When that proved not to be possible because of weather conditions in the summer of that year, the revised opening date quickly became a matter of speculation and political intrigue.

There must have come a point when the Scottish Government was no longer willing to counter further delay.

Just what was not done that should have been done before the official opening by the Queen?

The public did have high expectations of what this marvellous piece of infrastructure could endure in the sometimes harsh Scottish climate.

If you had to make a detour by Kincardine Bridge in the time the bridge was closed, you can feel peeved and rightly so.

Transport Minister Michael Matheson should make quick amends by ensuring that the technology to overcome ice on cables is introduced as soon as possible.

Bob Taylor.

24 Shiel Court,

Glenrothes.

Scotland simply a ‘colony’ of UK

Sir, – While the population drowns in austerity; the Tories have given cronies in the Lords a tax-free pay rise of an inflation-busting 3.1% in April.

Their Lordships will get £323 a day simply for signing a book.

Peers could get £48,000 tax free per year.

Meanwhile, the bungling Boris has decided to press ahead with HS2.

Ten billion pounds will be the cost to Scotland with zero benefit.

Add this to the £20bn Scotland will have to cough up for the illegal Trident renewal.

It’s highly likely that the vindictive Tories will move COP26 from Glasgow such is their disdain and contempt for Holyrood.

Recently the Scottish Government sent down a detailed request for the devolution of immigration.

This was rejected by the Tories without them even reading it.

Same with the request for so-called shooting galleries to try to stem the flow of drug deaths.

The Tories did not even bother to do any research before again saying no.

Any pretence that Scotland is anything more than a colony has been abandoned by the Tories.

An independence referendum needs to be called this year.

Alan Hinnrichs.

2 Gillespie Terrace,

Dundee.

Suggestions for Boris cash

Sir, – I note that Nicola Sturgeon would like to spend the £20 billion, which is the estimated cost of a bridge to Northern Ireland, on projects in Scotland.

Here are a few projects the first minister could consider.

Building two new ferries to replace the ones likely to be scrapped, building a new Sick Children’s Hospital in Edinburgh as it looks as if the one recently built is unlikely to be occupied by patients, make the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Glasgow safe to use for patients and rectifying all the problems with the Queensferry Crossing to allow traffic to use it all year round.

Mac Roberts.

Orchard Cottage,

Inchture Station.