Letters: Now is the time to blow away wasteful wind farms

The fact that every wind turbine gets a huge subsidy via our energy bills is being realised by more and more people who are questioning this form of renewable energy.

In Denmark the Danes pay twice as much on their energy bills as us.

If we build as many turbines as the Danes then that will be our fate.

A 2MW system gets 250,000 and a 3MW gets 375,000 every year.

That is billions of pounds for an inefficient energy system.

Just how long can these wasteful subsidies continue?

The lifespan of a wind turbine is approximately 18-20 years.

Denmark, Italy and Spain have drastically reduced or even cancelled their subsidies.

If we continue down a similar path, our Government will, at some point, be forced to do the same.

No subsidies means no developers.

The Government must then ensure that the - mostly foreign - developers who have made millions of pounds do not walk away from their responsibilities to restore the land to its original state, since we would then be left with 1000 tons of concrete for each turbine and gigantic rusting turbine hulks to further despoil our countryside.

Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow

Failed Lib Dems running scared

I NOTE with interest that Margaret Smith MSP has, for the very first time, got herself placed top of the Lib Dem wish list for the Lothians list for next year's Scottish Parliament elections ( News, September 22).

As I understand it she has never felt the need to do this before. I wonder why?

Could it be that, because of the Lib Dems' ineptitude on the local council and their betrayal of voters in the Westminster elections, voters are now heartily sick of their empty promises?

Ms Smith is clearly running scared. With good reason. Labour came a close second last May in her constituency, with the biggest swing from Lib Dem to Labour anywhere.

Margaret Smith is clearly scared of losing her job.

Just like the thousands of public sector workers up and down the country!

D. Wills, Parkgrove Terrace, Edinburgh

Everyone must share pain of cuts

The stage seems set for yet another Government v unions battle over cuts in public expenditure, with the helpless public again caught in the crossfire.

Both sides should lead by example.

Unions should themselves identify suitable areas for economy to protect genuinely essential jobs. Plenty of scope exists, while members might question union leadership posts (surely part-time?) attracting many times the average worker's wage.

Even more waste exists at parliamentary level, with most of our laws made in Brussels. Ditch the House of Lords completely, reduce all salaries and allowances and scrap all ministerial pay elements.

We're all in this mess together, and everyone should share the pain fairly.

Robert Dow, Ormiston Road, Tranent

Full trams inquiry is long overdue

Has the time not come for a full public inquiry into our council and its dogmatic approach to the trams?

We were promised a 21st century transport system for our city, but since the council contractors started the work we have been told that this system has had to be cut back due to lack of money and bad management.

Most people were prepared to give our council the benefit of the doubt and the time to see what they could do, but it has become clear to most people by now that our council should not have been the people to set up a company to do this work.

Our council needs to tell the people of this city where they stand through a proper inquiry before they try to justify spending even more of our money on a project that is floundering through bad management.

Andrew Murphy, Royal Mile, Edinburgh