Families allowed on Fife beach awash with radiation

THE clean-up of a Fife beach has been halted putting families at risk of potentially lethal radiation.

For years radioactive waste has been found at the beach in Dalgety Bay which is thought to come from the luminous dials of wrecked warplanes.

Defence Estates, the MoD’s land agents, began removing the material two years ago after experts warned it posed a serious risk.

But now the clean-up has been halted and no agreement has been reached with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to resume, despite warnings the problem is set to get worse.

Top touring car drivers race on streets of Edinburgh

By Oliver Farrimond

THE smell of burning rubber filled the air in Edinburgh yesterday as some of the world’s top racing drivers took to the streets.

Johnston Terrace, a spectacular promenade beneath Edinburgh Castle, played host to the souped-up speedsters from the UK’s premier motor racing series.

The British Touring Car Championship is set to stage one of its biggest races at Knochhill this weekend, and a crowd of almost 20,000 gathered to watch the sports’ stars prepare.

Scots drivers Gordon Shedden and Jonathan Adam powered their vehicles at top speed after signing autographs for excited fans.

30-year-old Shedden, from Dalgety Bay, said: “We’re here to bring touring cars to the people of Edinburgh under the shadow of the castle – it’s a real party atmosphere.

Sick thieves steal from tragic toddler’s grave

By Alexander Lawrie

SICK thieves have stolen a cherished statue from the grave of a child who accidently strangled
himself on a window blind cord.

Little Thomas Crow, two, was found with the drawstring tangled around his neck in a horror accident in January 2004.

The youngster, who has a twin brother Ethan, was rushed to Dunfermline’s Queen Margaret Hospital but was declared dead shortly after arriving.

Now his parents, Michael and Nicola, from Dalgety Bay in Fife, are being forced to relive their agony after learning callous thieves have made off with a two and a half foot Peter Rabbit statue from their son’s graveside.

Council takes back free bus pass because house “moved”

Matthew is now having to pay to take the bus to school.

By Cara Sulieman

 

A SINGLE mother has been told that her son cannot get a free bus to school anymore – because their house has “moved” 18 metres.

Carole Woods is outraged that her 13-year-old son Matthew now has to pay for his bus fare after Fife Council said their house is now 18 metres closer to the school than they first thought.

And that 18 metres means that they are now under the two-mile limit for a free bus pass.

The new measurement came to light late last year when Carole received a letter from the council.

She said: “In November 2008, I received a letter saying they decided that, for whatever reason, I was no longer over two miles and the measurement was 1.993 miles.

“So my house has apparently moved and I have to return my son’s bus pass.

“How is it possible to measure the same distance within a year and get such varying results? This is ludicrous.”

Since receiving the letter, Carole has been fighting the council’s decision and refused to hand back the pass.

But earlier this week Matthew’s pass was damaged and he handed it into the school office to get a new one.

Carole is now worried there is no way he can get it back.

She said: “They had been trying to get it off him before and I told the school to contact me, not my son, about the pass.

“Now that it’s been handed in I don’t know how he’s going to get to school.”

And this isn’t the first time that Carole has debated with the council over the distance.

She said: “In 2007, I was initially told that I was not within the limit, but I insisted after travelling several times over the shortest route that I was.

“They re-measured it several times and then said the measurement was in fact 2.004 miles and that therefore my son was entitled to free transport.”

Fife Council defended their actions, claiming that the whole area was recently been re-measured, and not just Matthew’s route.

Lee Cessford, transport resource manager, said: “Distances are measured by the shortest reasonable walking route from the front gate of the pupil’s home to the nearest gate of the school.

“When pupils are due to start school, travel between home and school is reviewed to ensure pupils are being offered the correct entitlement – this process takes into account various considerations such as distance, suitability of the walking routes and changes to infrastructure.

“In this case, due to recent re-measurements in the area, the walking route has been reassessed and the revised route is below two miles.

“Unfortunately, this affects the entitlement of some pupils to free transport but no passes have been withdrawn without notice being given.

“We have to administer the policy as fairly as possible. We aim to make sure that everyone who is entitled to free school transport receives it.”

Fife Heading Back To The Dark Ages

By Alexander Lawrie

BARMY council bosses could be heading back to the dark ages – when street lights are switched off to save them some cash.

Fife council want to trial a switch-off after a warning that rising costs and carbon emissions are unsustainable.

There are also plans to introduce dimmer bulbs to save power and new white-lights which use lower wattage.

A meeting was held yesterday (Thurs) to discuss the idea, which will initially affect areas in Glenrothes, Lochgelly, Kirkcaldy and St Andrews.

And if the experiment is a success, the lights could go off or be dimmed permanently between the hours of midnight and 5am from October next year.

But angry politicians have branded the idea “daft” and say the though it may cut costs, it will contribute to a rise in crime. 

Mike Scott-Hayward – an independent councillor in St Andrews – fumed:  “Its political correctness gone mad because this idea will have only marginal benefits to cutting carbon emissions. But the lack of street lighting will hinder people heading home late at night in a safe manner.

“Basically, it is a totally daft idea.”

And community council chairman in Dalgety Bay Colin McPhail insists there must be other areas the council can make cuts in.

He said: “This proposal would only encourage criminals to come into urban areas and break into houses as they wouldn’t be seen in the dark. There would likely be more thefts of cars and there could be more personal attacks, especially on females.

“Surely Fife council can make cuts in other areas”

Fife have 58,000 street lights at an annual cost of £1.8 million each year – but the council is expected electricity charges to increase by up to 50% when a new contract is negotiated for October 2009.

Police in the area have also sounded a warning over the proposed plans.

A spokesperson said: “Street light plays an essential role in crime prevention, road safety and reducing the fear of crime. While we appreciate the environmental benefits of these proposals it is important the community safety implications of any reduction in street lighting are also fully considered.”

Tony Martin, chair of Fife Council’s environment, enterprise and transportation committee, said he knew the plans were controversial, but insisted they were necessary.

He said: “To be frank we are not going to meet our carbon reduction targets unless we do something about street lights.

“There are one of two proposals such as turning them down, and in some places turning them off over night, but we recognise this is highly controversial.

“We are already seeing a climate change around the world which they reckon in caused by carbon in the atmosphere and we need to do something about it.”

Willie Rennie, MP for Fife West said: “When energy is so expensive we have to look at ways of cutting costs then passing those cuts onto council tax payers. But if there is any evidence of crime levels increasing the street lighting plans should be abandoned immediately.”