Sir, – I was really sorry to read in The P&J that the museum at the former Peterhead Prison is under threat of closure.
I was at a family birthday in Ellon recently and went through to Peterhead to visit this museum and it was really worthwhile, the whole experience was great.
It was so interesting to see at first hand the conditions that prisoners in one of Britain’s most notorious prisons were held.
The prison held some of the most infamous prisoners in Scotland and it is fascinating to see where and how they were treated.
I know that Peterhead is not exactly on the main tourist route of Scotland but I would urge anyone who has the chance to visit this impressive museum and hope that it can be saved from closure because once it is gone it is unlikely that we will ever have anything like it again.
Hugh Millar, Castlegreen Road, Thurso, Caithness.
No signage that speaks volumes
Sir, – I refer to your story regarding the number of fines (more than 45,000) being handed out for supposed violation of the Aberdeen Union Street bus gate. I am just this week in receipt of such a fine myself.
Reference has been made to a lack of reasonable signage in order for vehicles to realise the situation in good time and amend their intended driving route. This was my experience as well. Having not been in Aberdeen city centre for some time, I had no idea I was at fault. I would suggest more proactive signage.
Looking at the photographic evidence, I see I am followed by at least four other cars. A cynic could comment that the city council’s lack of visible signage may be creating this lemming situation where drivers are being led into a costly (for them) situation.
The poverty of the council’s purse and the ease with which this sum of £2.5 million has been raised seem no small coincidence. I am sure whoever dreamed up this scheme is congratulating themselves on such a rapid money-spinner.
Perhaps they will extend their imagination to a revamp of what is a dilapidated and embarrassing city centre.
If my financial contribution were to be spent doing up the city centre so that it resembles somewhere I would rush to drive (legally) through again, I would be less reluctant to pay up.
Anne Robertson, Campbell Street, Cullen.
Back-door revenue of the bus gate
Sir, – The situation that’s arisen by reason of motorists inadvertently straying through the bus gate on Aberdeen’s Union Street is ridiculous.
It must surely have occurred to the authorities that something’s wrong here when 42,220 drivers were fined for being in the bus lanes over a period of six months.
That the council hasn’t stepped in to correct the problem might suggest they’re using the gate as a cash cow, with a potential £2.5 million being pocketed. I see the gate was put in place as part of the Spaces for People initiative, and I can tell you we suffered enough of that nonsense in Inverness at the hands of Highland Council.
In the same issue, and much as we would welcome the rail line to Inverness being electrified, C.A. Smith’s suggestion that high voltage transmission lines be carried atop railway overhead gantries sounds more than dodgy. No great surprise to read that Fergus Ewing seems to have been of similar mind.
Keith Fernie, Drakies Avenue, Inverness.
GPs and question of urgency
Sir, – Reading the letter from Dennis Dunbar reminded me that three years ago, before the problems caused by Covid, I did look into the number of doctors at my practice and the number of hours they worked.
I was shocked but it did not prepare me for when I requested a medications review last week and was told that as it was not urgent I would have to wait five weeks for a phone consultation with a GP.
What is not urgent now could well be in five weeks time. And this is in the city.
Margery A. Farquharson, Queen’s Den, Aberdeen.