I WAS lucky enough to be invited to the Queensferry Crossing on Saturday (September 2). I came across the First Minister walking across the bridge. She was funny, friendly and helped me to take some photographs. I felt a real sense of pride and optimism for the future of Scotland.

I have just read David Torrance’s opinion piece ("Why a bridge cannot mask a mediocre decade in power", The Herald, September 4). It made me wonder what my lot would be now if we had not had our devolved government. Would we have free prescriptions, bus passes, tuition fees, personal care and so on from Westminster?

What appeared to me to be unfair criticism of a Government which is only 10 years old reminded me of the lyrics of the old Neil Young song Human Highway, when he laments "how could people get so unkind?"

Fiona Bell,

45/1 Braid Road,

Edinburgh.

AHEM ... with apologies to MW Greene (Letters, September 1), the first bridge over the River Forth is not in Aberfoyle, but at Milton, about a mile further up towards Loch Ard. There may even be stepping stones over the river as it leaves the loch, does that count as a bridge?

A perusal of the Ordnance Survey map (Landranger No. 57) will uncover a total of 23 bridges of various types including disused railway bridges to small suspension bridges. There is one west of Gartmore on the disused Aberfoyle to Glasgow railway line which closed in 1966 that is now a public footpath. There was once the Alloa Railway Bridge where only the piers are left standing. So, 23 Forth bridges.

Ian McDonald,

2 Stuarthill Drive, Maryburgh.