Not health and safety’s fault

Sir, – I read with interest the article about health and safety gone crazy and the market being banned from Market Street in St Andrews (April 25), but was puzzled about which health and safety regulations applied.

The answer is none, so it is unfair to lay the blame of moving the popular market at health and safety’s door.

If the real reason is that there has been a significant increase in traffic and a higher risk of injuries, why not say so? The “elf and safety” excuse looks tired.

I’d urge any of your readers wanting to check if a health and safety excuse is genuine to contact the Myth Busters Challenge Panel at www.hse.gov.uk/myth David Snowball. Director Scotland & Northern England, Health & Safety Executive, Belford House, 59 Belford Road, Edinburgh.