Letters / Appalling lack of foresight
Well “I go” – as they say – “tae da fit o wir stairs” after listening to Radio Shetland’s Speakeasy discussion on tourism.
What I find astonishing is that the panel had an appalling lack of foresight regarding the effects the Viking Energy wind farm will have.
For a good few years now tourist buses – up to five or six a day, and even up to ten especially when cruise liners are in, come over the hill from Sandwater into the beautiful and scenic Weisdale valley.
The enlightened panel will need to get up to speed on this and consider new ways to promote tourism in Shetland.
When the construction of the wind farm gets underway, a viewpoint at the Swirtwills could be a wonderful attraction where tourists can actually observe it for themselves.
The spectacular view before them will consist of major upheaval, massive dump trucks, diggers and bulldozers, mobile crushers, batchers and mixer trucks – not to mention low loaders and other vehicles. Can you imagine their excitement?
All the ‘green’ tourists will be able to witness at first hand the destruction of peat to be replaced by vast quantities of polluting concrete. Ecologists will see huge quarries destroying wildlife habitats and massive turbines (nice twinkly lights on top) which thankfully locals will “just get used to” as with the telegraph poles.
The bird population is in danger as is human health but we must save the planet at all costs, and Shetland will be a shining example.
The tourists might not make it to Yell to see the splendours of the wind farms there. It will no doubt be a great disappointment to them but the disruptive industrial traffic at the Kames would probably delay their journey for too long.
How exciting this great enterprise must be to these bright informed panellists – their insight has been truly staggering.
No one can say they haven’t got their finger on the pulse – Shetland tourism will be safe in their hands.
Evelyn Morrison
Setter
Weisdale
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