Cuts to police numbers are hampering efforts to improve road safety

It was no easy task as a sizeable minority of drivers were (and still are) selfish to the point of being reckless. The only language they understood was strict enforcement. To achieve this today on our roads and motorways there has to be a very highly visible police presence. Viewing driver behaviour from a police patrol car is quite a different experience from viewing driver behaviour from one’s private vehicle.

My views on the concept of Police Scotland are well known. The force suffers from a lack of resources created by the inept politics of the Scottish Government. Police Scotland can hardly provide a basic service to the public let alone a highly-professional visible road policing service.

When will our politicians learn that our important social services cannot be provided on the cheap?

They save a few million pounds and forget that when the financial clock starts ticking as a result of a fatal road accident, the cost to society can be many millions of pounds.

Dan Edgar, Rothesay.

Read more: How to reduce road deaths: get tougher on tests

Two strikes and you're out

PATRICIA Fort (Letters, December 27) makes a good point about driver licensing. The basic problem is that driver skill and attitude have not kept pace with the performance of modern motor vehicles, and these are now being driven by people with a combination of aggression and lack of ability that will sometimes cause a collision or other event.

The test to obtain a licence is inadequate in not adequately covering aggression and skill, as it focuses on signage and bare knowledge.

To cure the problem of road collisions and their often-tragic consequences - and also the perpetual problem of speeding - licences could be revoked permanently after two offences.

This would allow local authorities to dispense with expensive and ineffective signage and flashing lights and speed bumps, and would compel all drivers to act skilfully and responsibly.

Malcolm Parkin, Kinross.

In praise of the NHS

WE hear a great deal on TV and in the newspapers about the problems with our National Health Service. With the shortage of money and subsequent shortage of staff this is not surprising.

But all is not bad.

Last week I spent a few days in the Orthopaedics Department of the Golden Jubilee Hospital. Yes, I came out with a new knee but I also came out with a sense of wellbeing as a direct result of the superb treatment I received from the staff at every level.

I feel it is important that the staff be thanked, and that is what I am doing here, but I feel it is equally important that the general public be made aware of what a good experience there is to be had within the NHS.

Anne MacKinnon, Glasgow.

Quaking at the thought

PERHAPS time for a little reflection. Let me say straight off that I believe nuclear-generated power the answer to our clean energy problems, particularly the latest, smaller even cleaner units.

All this was confirmed by the recent Icelandic volcanic eruption, which was staggering to view. It was preceded by an enormous cloud of all kinds of gases spewing from the innards of the Earth, including I would imagine many pollutants. It would be interesting to see if any of the climate change experts forever - and perhaps understandably - urging more and more restraint on human pollution, could tell us how much of, say, the UK's, annual discharge of pollutants could have been measured in an hour of that natural eruption.

I ask simply because net zero, even if everyone signed up, would not cover these perfectly normal annual discharges.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh.

A magpie in flight (Image: Getty)

It's right to cull magpies

ELIZABETH Mueller (Letters, December 27) berates Lesley Mackiggan (Letters, December 22) over the killing of magpies.

On numerous occasions I have seen magpies entice a blackbird out of its nest and then another one goes in and plucks out a fledgling or an egg and makes off. Watching a magpie rip a chick to bits is not a pretty sight so that is why I have an approved Larsen trap duly authorised and registered with the local police wildlife officer.

Happy hunting in 2024.

Clark Cross, Linlithgow.

Read more: SPOTY should be put out of its misery

Big two should act like adults

IT is long time past when the the two biggest football clubs in Scotland should have settled their differences in the ticket allocation dispute.

Football and its watching are big issues in the West of Scotland and games without opposing fans lose much of their atmosphere and excitement.

I understand that "safety and match day experience issues" are cited as reasons as to why this matter has not been resolved but to be honest that sounds like lawyer talk for "we’re not budging until the other side do".

For goodness sake, can you not behave like adults and sort this out?

W MacIntyre, East Kilbride.

The height of fashion

DURING Christmas dinner we were discussing events and people who have been in the news this year.

Our son-in-law who is a sound and light technician was remembering carrying out a job for a recently-in-the-news ennobled lady who was organising a fashion show. The fashion of the time was to use unusual places such as a car showroom or a museum and the like.

The event in question was to beheld in a car park with a maximum height of seven feet.

The instruction was to erect a two-foot-high catwalk.

"Eh," inquired our relative, "what height are the models?"

"It doesn't matter, I don't care, just get it done," was the reply.

"Better have some ambulances on hand then," he replied.

Brendan Keenan, Glasgow.