Road to trouble

Why, oh why do the citizens of Edinburgh and our ineffective council allow themselves to be held to ransom by the service industries carrying out roadworks? In my immediate alone we have witnessed Groathill Road North being closed or traffic disrupted for months for gas works, we have a four-way traffic light system outside the Western General Hospital for weeks for electrical works, there are roadworks with traffic lights going on in West Granton Road and recently, electrical works have started in Davidsons Mains, causing major holdups which a notice informs us will last for six weeks.

The most annoying aspect is that usually when you pass there appears to be little or no activity, with nothing happening in the evenings or at the weekends. The cost to the economy must be enormous, never mind the pollution.

Maybe we should ask the Americans to come and show us how to do it. Their public would not tolerate these major road delays and when they do carry out road repairs the labour force works hard and quickly to complete them.

Why are our service companies not told to get in, do the work, working round the clock where necessary, certainly on major roads and complete the works asap? Surely the labour force could be concentrated on one site and complete the work rather than have works strewn across the city with a few men working, apparently for minimum hours. I have mentioned works in my local area but am sure most other areas of the city are in the same situation.

CAPTAIN RA YOUNG Silverknowes Brae, Edinburgh