What about jobs for Lochgelly?

Sir, - The announcement of new civil service hub in Edinburgh is surely proof, if any were needed, that the governing classes have simply lost the plot.

Quite apart from the fact that physical proximity is an optional luxury in an age of electronic communication, concentrating such a critical mass of jobs and associated economic benefits in one place, let alone the overheated capital, defies belief and logic.

With more than full employment, a skills shortage and escalating property prices, Edinburgh is probably the last place any rational decision-maker would choose to provide an economic boost.

There are many urban areas, like Levenmouth a conurbation of 38,000 people up the Fife Coast, which would derive much greater benefit without associated costs – and there is no need to concentrate all in one, especially the most expensive location.

Levenmouth residents will struggle to obtain any of the 2,900 jobs on offer since we have no public transport to Edinburgh other than a bus route that takes twohours.

Move some of these jobs here and I’m sure our rail link would be reinstated pronto.

Instead, this crass development will exacerbate pressures in Edinburgh, already one of the most congested cities in the UK, which will no doubt in turn generate powerful demands to improve its transport connections.

Having observed London’s dominance from afar, you might hope lessons about balanced development might have been learned.

Why are our elected representative so shortsighted, and why is there no significant pressure to decentralise “moveable” public sector jobs across in Scotland? Dr Allen Armstrong, Levenmouth Rail Campaign, 28 Viewforth, Buckhaven.