JOHN Rankin (Letters, December 2) alerts us to the downside of electric vehicles and our useless politicians who are led by the nose by the green lobby who want us to return to the Stone Age. OK, I exaggerate: back to the horse and cart. Is China, which is responsible for 30 per cent of global emissions going to go all-electric? No, it is too busy growing its economy by building yet more coal-fired plants and importing seven million barrels of oil every day.

Can we believe China when it says it will be net zero by 2060? I doubt it, since it refuses to sign a legally-binding Climate Change Act. I do not blame the Chinese, since less than a dozen countries have done so. The other 180-plus only made promises and one knows that promises can be broken.

Clark Cross, Linlithgow.

BRIDGING THE GAP

REGARDING your article on the replacement of the Great Bernera bridge ("Building bridges: £2m crossing to maintain vital link for island", The Herald, December 1), surely a temporary bridge costing a probable £2 million, with a lifetime less than a third of a long-term bridge costing a probable £5m, is a false economy. There is going to be disruption in either case, albeit for a greater timescale with the long-term option; however could some of the cost not be offset by incorporating a green energy grant-aided, and subsequently revenue-generating, subsea turbine within the project?

On a lighter note, could they not just tow up 102m-long Glen Sannox, currently floating outside the Fergusons yard, to bridge the 33m crossing as a stopgap, and give it a meaning in life? I am sure another few years added to its completion date will make no great odds.

George Dale, Beith.

JOHNSTONE’S HIGH NOTE

I NOTICED that Brian Beacom, when writing about his home-town Johnstone and Covid ("Can my home-town show Scotland how to beat Covid?", The Herald, December 2), omitted to draw to our attention to the fact that Frederick Chopin visited in 1848 and stayed in the town as a guest of the Houston family. It’s possible that not many people knew that. Perhaps if we heard more about matters like that and the impressive talent nurtured by the town, identified in the article, there would be a better balance created with what is described as the "negative headlines typeset upon the face" of the town.

Let us hope that the pilot goes well. The information to be generated is important not just for the town, but for us all.

Ian W Thomson, Lenzie.

IN PRAISE OF BUSES

I NOTE John Macnab's concern over the future of public transport (Letters, December 2). I have been to Edinburgh city centre just once in the last 10 months. Why? There is no logical reason for taking a car into the city when a perfectly good, clean and reliable bus, driven by a usually cheery and polite driver, is available a short walk from my house. From my previous address I drove into the outskirts and then took a perfectly clean, reliable, etc etc.

Unless it is absolutely necessary I avoid driving into any city centre as it usually involves congestion and parking problems; so once I've got my vaccination I'll be back with Lothian Transport and my bus pass. I fully hope and expect to see many familiar faces.

Rachel Martin, Musselburgh.

THROWN BY CELEBRITY STATUS

YOUR “Name the Celebrity” photos can be a bit of a challenge sometimes. But a darts player, celebrity, really?

Steve Barnet, Gargunnock.

MARK MY WORD

ALLOWING myself brief respite from Covid concerns and foreseeing forthcoming Brexit chaos, am I likely to be wrong in predicting that the Oxford English Dictionary Word of the Year for 2021 will be “Omnishambles”?

R Russell Smith, Largs.

PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS

I NOTE your great picture of someone placing a penny on the tram tracks, the way we did (“Those were the days", The Herald, December 1). Why did we do that again?

John Dunlop, Ayr.