AS a Coatbridge resident for more than 50 years and living for that time within half a mile of St Ambrose schools, I am well aware of the history of the Gartsherrie Industrial Ironworks Heritage, the subsequent large landfill disposal site required in the past for the Ironworks and for municipal waste adjacent to Townhead Road, and presently I am concerned about the future of the two excellent schools built adjacent to or possibly on top of the landfill site in recent years ("Teachers strike over health fear", The Herald, August 13).

It seems clear that the new schools' water supply, which is supplied by Scottish Water, has been affected and other happenings strongly suggest contamination of the schools and their staff and pupils by the environmental effects of the former uncontrolled disposal site.

I am totally surprised, on reading the recorded details of this calamitous matter, by the deafening silence from Scottish Water and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. Surely this is their area of expertise and experience and they should be strongly advising the education staff.

In addition the only positive response from North Lanarkshire Council has been a report produced by an independent panel set up by it. Other than the chairperson, I have not seen this panel named. Did this panel have long-term experience of large landfill sites and the well-known problems of such sites in relation to drainage, gases and ground stability?

It has also to be hoped that the Burginsholme Burn and other burns which have their origins near the landfill site have been closely examined as they flow southwards through substantial housing and recreational areas which take in the Drumpellier Cricket and Golf Clubs.

Professor Tom Anderson, Formerly Director of Sewerage, Strathclyde Regional Council,

Coatbridge.

VAR is not fit for purpose

I NOTE with interest Neil Cameroon's article ("VAR is for those who don't really get football", Herald Sport, August 14). l find myself in complete agreement with your reporter.

One of skills I most admire is to see a player point to where a pass should be directed, receive just that pass and to go on to score. Any player making such a pass direction under the current VAR rules could be adjudged to be offside by as little as the tip of his index finger.

Unless this daftness is addressed the game will be diminished.

If we are to have VAR, and it seems we must, only the position of an attacker's feet should be considered.

If the current VAR rules were to be applied to athletics every sprinter since starting blocks were introduced would be ruled "offside" as his head was closer than the required distance to the finishing line at the moment the starting pistol was fired.

Roderick MacKenzie, Inverness.

Touch-screen troubles

I NOTE your article on hands-free distraction ("Scots worst in the UK for using mobiles while driving", The Herald, August 14). I have recently hired a “modern car” in which there is a touch screen to adjust various controls, which were previously controlled by easy-to-reach buttons and knobs.

I had to give up reading and touching the screen as I found that this was a significant distraction and was affecting my driving. At least you don’t have to look at a knob when you adjust it.

I would suggest that trying to operate touchscreens is just as hazardous as using a mobile phone when driving.

Robert L Stevenson, Crieff.