SIR, – I refer to your excellent piece (July 28) in which you stated that a report commissioned by Aberdeen Airport suggested that developments at the airport could boost the Scottish economy by over £620million over the next 30 years.
Unfortunately, the promised runway extension, scheduled for completion last year, has not been completed. The promised international arrivals hall, although promised for some time, hasn’t come to fruition.
The report speaks of the need for improvements in the transport links in the north-east, highlighting the need for the Aberdeen bypass to be completed as a matter of urgency.
This city and region surely have had enough of reports, surveys and questionnaires and this report is only another mirror image of many other reports highlighting the same scenario, and still we see not on iota of progress on any major investment in long-awaited infrastructure projects.
Surely the report that the decommissioning of North Sea oil rigs is due to start in earnest would get the alarm bells ringing, but no, the penny still refuses to drop and protest groups still follow a negative agenda with regard to the bypass and the government still buries its head in the sand and hides behind the forthcoming legal challenge to the road.
Aberdeen needs leadership more than at any time since the early 1970s or we will face the future of a city left with a parting gift of disused oil rigs.
James Noel,
54 Leggart Terrace,
Aberdeen.
SIR, – Your story (July 27) headed “Future looks bright for capercaillies” reflects the considerable conservation efforts that have taken place in the birds’ stronghold area on Speyside in recent years, and well done to Rothiemurchus and others for all their efforts on this, but do we know that this picture is replicated across the country?
Anecdotal evidence from Perthshire, Loch Lomond and several other areas is that populations have become very fragmented and are now practically extinct in some locations.
The last national census in 2005 was positive, returning about 2,000 birds, but there have been a number of poor breeding seasons since then and the 2009-10 census which took place last winter has not reported yet, although it is understood that this was badly hindered by the very poor winter conditions and may not have been completed properly.
It would be interesting to know when the results of the 2009-10 count will be available so that we can get a picture of how the Scottish population as a whole is doing.
Have we had a net gain or loss in capercaillie numbers since 2005 and has the Biodiversity Action Plan target of having 5,000 birds by 2010 been achieved or not?
Victor Clements,
Scottish Native Woods,
1 Crieff Road,
Aberfeldy.
SIR, – The timing of the Aviemore Half Marathon fits in with the school October holiday, thus allowing more people the opportunity to travel to the area and appreciate the beauty of the Cairngorms.
The creation of the public cycling and walking path, paid for by the Scottish Government, is fantastic and has improved the half-marathon’s route.
The “event public”, as Rothiemurchus Estate owner Johnnie Grant refers (the Press and Journal, July 22) to those of us who take part in events, have as much right as “non-event” public to use the path.
Mr Grant states that the area is overrun with events. I am sure his business benefits hugely from the number of people attracted to the area for these events, either as participants or spectators.
At a time when the government is doing all it can to get people active, it seems outrageous to me that a landowner can prevent the use of a track that was made with public funds.
The “public on holiday” will be far more inconvenienced by having four miles of road partly cordoned off than maybe having to give way to runners and joggers for a few hours.
Clearly there is a safety issue: it is much safer for all concerned if the route uses the four miles of logger track, rather than four miles of busy road.
Joan Munro,
Guisachan,
Black Isle Road,
Muir of Ord.
SIR, – Your correspondent Gordon Casely (Letters, July 27) is not only inaccurate but misleading.
To correct Mr Casely, Steve Montgomery, managing director of ScotRail, did not express delight at the service quality incentive regime results.
For the record, Steve said: “We welcome the significant fall in penalties. It is a step in the right direction, especially with ever-more rigorous standards set by one of the UK’s toughest regimes."
He also made clear: “There is still work to be done."
The regime penalties fell by 17%, despite the worst winter for decades. Our focus on standards and investment in stations and on trains, and developing our staff, will continue.
John Yellowlees,
external relations manager,
First ScotRail,
Atrium Court,
50 Waterloo Street,
Glasgow.
SIR, – A person can be skilled scholastically and or practically.
In days gone by, a degree used to refer to a person who had passed in scholastic exam subjects such as literature, science, theology and so on.
Nowadays, a degree can be given for success in practical work such as hairdressing, playing an instrument, mending a TV and so on.
These accomplishments used to be rewarded with a City and Guilds Certificate for jobs like plumbing and joinery. For work which entailed complicated ideas, the National Certificate was awarded or Full Technological Certificate, both far more practical and useful than the old degree.
Charles W. Brown,
3 Netherwood Cottages,
Banff.