I AM certain that I am not alone in being shocked to learn that the proposed solution to the intermittent closure of the A83 Rest And Be Thankful road is to involve complete closure over some years ("Rest And Be thankful to be shut 'for years' as £470m shelter is built", The Herald, October 12).

Given Scotland's appalling record on big-spend jobs I shudder to imagine what the final cost will be but I imagine it could well be double. I am reminded of the reaction of Lew Grade when learning what the final cost was of making his film Raise the Titanic. He is reputed to have observed: "It would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic."

In fact almost the entire road from Arrochar to Inveraray, including Glen Kinglas, could be subject to future landslips as our weather is thought to be getting even wetter. I would have thought a more transferable solution should be investigated as the open-sided shelter design only suites certain parameters.

In the case of the single-track Old Military Road, the suggestion it be widened makes sense, but the steep exit at the top presents an issue, though even that cannot be unsurmountable. Since the army under Major Caulfield built the old road in 1749, perhaps the current army could have a role in finding a more affordable solution if a shelter is the best which civilians can conjure up.

Bill Brown, Milngavie.

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Is there no ambition?

I READ with dismay the Scottish Government's plans for the Rest And Be Thankful, £470m plus an unspecified sum for upgrading the Old Military Road probably in the tens of millions, which will improve no aspect of living in Mid-Argyll nor improve the economy. This very large sum of money could pay for a fixed link across the Clyde and bypass a much larger portion of the A83 subject to frequent landslips while also greatly increasing the capacity of the road network in Mid-Argyll.

The willingness of the Government to spend such a vast amount on a scheme of dubious efficacy that does not increase the road capacity at all is baffling; does it have no ambition for Scotland beyond managed decline? Given the purple prose spoken about reversing rural depopulation it does suggest that even if ministers are not fools they certainly think we are; if they proposed to spend £1 billion dismantling the Kingston Bridge for years while the traffic was diverted via the tunnel then putting it back again they would be regarded as insane, yet this is apparently official government policy.

David Bradshaw, Helensburgh.

Tourist tax will hit Scots too

ALAN Simpson ("Tourist tax must give benefit to our visitors", The Herald, October 12) wonders whether "foreign tourists" and "international travellers" would be deterred from visiting Scotland when a visitor levy or tourist tax is introduced. Surely he must know that all guests in Scottish hotels will pay this tax whether they hail from Benbecula or Barcelona?

Mr Simpson believes it "unlikely" these visitors will be deterred, no doubt rehearsing the well-worn trope that most countries have a tourist tax and it doesn't stop tourists from visiting. However what most countries don't have is the the highest rate of VAT, at 20% as the UK does. The Scottish Licensed Trade Association has long campaigned for a more favourable rate of VAT to be applied across all aspects of the hospitality industry, perhaps the 10% levied in France, the 7% in Germany, the 10% in Italy or even the 9% levied in Ireland. Making the visitor experience in Scotland more expensive surely risks reducing numbers of both inbound tourists and home-based travellers. One point upon which Mr Simpson and I do agree is that if a tourist tax is implemented all revenues raised by it must be rigorously ring-fenced and used only for the purposes intended.

Billy Gold, Glasgow.

A futile ambition

I SEE that the Scottish Government is considering following Wales in introducing 20 mph speed limits on urban roads ("Scotland’s national speed limit could be changed in bid to cut road deaths", The Herald, October 9). Given that the police do not have the resources to enforce the 30 mph, 50 mph or 70 mph limits, I can see this proposal speedily heading into the dustbin of justice, along with the pavement parking ban and interlinked fire detectors.

Scott Simpson, Bearsden.

Missing out on Mauchline

AS Honorary President of The Mauchline Burns Club , my blood pressure reached a new high on reading the Herald Magazine article on historic graveyards ("These are 10 of the most historic graveyards to visit this autumn", October 12). Kirkoswald is highlighted with two Burns-connected graves, and Mauchline with over 20 is overlooked Those interred include close contemporaries of Burns during his four years in the village: friends, foes and family.

Among them are Holy Willie Fisher, the minister Daddy Auld and my ancestor Andrew Noble, teacher and session clerk. Others range from Poosie Nansie herself, to Gavin Hamilton, the poet’s patron. Sadly four of Burns's children lie here as well. However, other graves include a Covenanter and a Chartist. Of more interest is the grave of the Smith family, the owners of the universally famed Mauchline Ware. All of these are marked by a blue plaque and a background brochure.

As you will realise Mauchline Kirkyard deserves a full article itself. My blood pressure, thankfully has gone down a notch.

Ian Lyell, Mauchline.

It is not just overseas visitors who will be affected by a tourist taxIt is not just overseas visitors who will be affected by a tourist tax (Image: Getty)

Hogging the wedding show

MENTION of the Rev James Currie (Letters, October 11) reminds me of his acclaim at wedding receptions. Speech time often over-ran by an hour or more when the Rev James was in charge. Other guest speakers might have felt overshadowed by the non-stop cheery banter of his Reverence, but the wedding band would quietly rejoice as their performance stint timewise was inevitably reduced. Conversely, there was some frustration with the serving staff who were unable to clear up.

Regardless, any minor irritations were soon forgotten when this unique and much-respected man was in full flow. Happy memories for many and not just his parishioners of the 1955-1960s era.

Allan C Steele, Giffnock.