Keep the tolls
Tom Minogue from the National Alliance Against Tolls argues (Letters, September 26) that removing tolls from the Forth Road Bridge will bring "economic revival to Fife, Tayside and the Lothians". In fact, the effect is likely to be the opposite.

Removing the tolls will lead to more traffic jams, more delays for drivers and more cost for business. This could have been avoided if the City of Edinburgh had gone ahead with the congestion charging scheme proposed by the previous Labour council. However, that scheme was rejected after LibDem councillors shamefully withdrew support, making it difficult for any city in the UK outside London to put forward similar plans.

Encouraging more cars on to our roads is not the solution to our transport problems.

Doug Maughan, 52 Menteith View, Dunblane.

Proud to serve
Press reporting and recent ill-informed comment on a snippet of a private letter leaked to the press and politicians suggest that the golden thread between the Royal Regiment of Scotland and its antecedent regiments is being betrayed. It is not.

The links between our antecedent regiments and the regiment of today are very much alive. These links support, stimulate and motivate us as individuals, battalions and as a regiment.

The small but vocal group of nay-sayers misses the point that the golden thread exists to link the regiment as it looks to the future, and its individual battalions as they go about their operational business, to the history, tradition, pride and confidence of all the antecedent regiments and to Scotland, from which we draw strength and support.

The regiment is fortunate to be manned by some of the finest officers and soldiers in the British Army, the majority of whom will deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan in the coming year. They and their families welcome the increased stability and broader career opportunities that come with being part of a large regiment.

They are very proud of their links to our famous antecedent regiments and fiercely proud to be officers and soldiers in the Royal Regiment of Scotland. They and their regiment deserve the full support of their countrymen - retired servicemen, politicians and journalists included.

Major General Andrew Graham, Director-General, Army Recruiting and Training Division, Trenchard Lines, Pewsey, Wiltshire.

Confused message
A trawl of the Scottish Liberal Democrats' website reveals its leader, Nicol Stephen, quoted as saying: "I'm passionate about empowering people and communities," and: "It is time to put trust in people." Yet the party remains opposed to a referendum on independence. Is this indicative of a belief that its leaders feel less than confident about articulating sound arguments against independence in the run-up to a referendum and thus is a scenario best avoided? If the Scottish Liberal Democrats will not invest trust in the people in a referendum, why should the people trust the Scottish Liberal Democrats?

Richard King, 7 Coldstream Avenue, Dunblane.

Time to come home
The Herald reported (September 26) that Alex Salmond is preparing his party for a snap British election. Why? Surely it is time to repatriate the SNP team from London to bolster the new government in Edinburgh and leave behind another example of our well-kent antisyzgy: the indignity of Scottish Nationalists loitering on the benches of Westminster.

Thom Cross, 64 Market Place, Carluke.

Privileged upbringing
I read that the grand-daughter of Tony Benn is to enter politics (Latest Benn aims to be youngset MP, The Herald, September 26).

I could not but note the privileges which his talented grand-daughter has received. She went to one of the few grammar schools left in England (Labour abolished most of the others) and by the age of 17 has already had work experience in Downing Street. I wonder what chance a young person from Ferguslie Park in Paisley would have of obtaining such an education and such work experience.

Robert Ferguson Gibson, 2 Southview Drive, Blanefield.

Golden recollection
Keith Aitken should be commended for his attention to factual detail (Letters, September 26), especially on such a serious subject. I, too, was an aficionado of Captain Hurricane, but, like Hugh MacDonald, my favourite was Alf Tupper. I am surprised Hugh did not mention Alf's appearance in the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh when, having been rebuffed by the English selectors, he won the marathon representing Tristan da Cunha. I am afraid to say I cannot recollect whether he won it by "a gnat's whisker".

Mike Flinn, 17 Avondale Road, West Kilbride.