Fixing fumes

Having had a very pleasant discussion with a lady conducting a survey on behalf of Transport Scotland today, it struck me that its enquiries about emissions in Scottish cities are missing the point.

Like many of us, I have noticed how the traffic in Edinburgh has been deliberately slowed down and funnelled into fewer main roads over the last 20 or 30 years. This has been caused by the very people who now want further restrictions to cope with the problem they have caused themselves.

A solution that I have advocated on a number of occasions is the development of the existing rail network which virtually surrounds central Edinburgh and which could be hived off to a rail company to furnish the old platforms (like Morningside station) which still exist and provide trains going round and round in both directions. This project

could be provided at a fraction of the cost of the unwanted tram extension and take hundreds of cars off the roads daily.

Another solution to the problem is to stop slowing traffic down, as this increases emissions. Fairly basic.

Yet another is to allow traffic to use other routes by not squeezing it into one main route, like Queen Street.

A third is to stop the use of so many traffic lights, as these exacerbate the queues and the emissions.

Combine rail access with a park & ride service, such as having one at Fairmilehead, and combine city trains with better services from West, East and Midlothian.

ANDREW HN GRAY Craiglea Drive, Edinburgh