While Dundee is not on this scale, is there any test set by the trade or the council before a driver can get behind the wheel of a taxi in this city?

With all the new building going on I must confess there are many places I would not find.

And that’s despite living in the city all my life. — Driven Demented.

[A Dundee City Council spokesperson says, “A three-part test is carried out for taxi drivers, administered by the cabs enforcement officer with Tayside Police.

“They have to sit a street knowledge, Highway Code and road signs test.”]

However, I disagree with Furious’s suggestion that the park should be bulldozed. As a night worker who tries to sleep in the morning, it’s been almost impossible to do so during the “regeneration”, which has been ongoing since April.

This is the latest in a long line of noisy taxpayer-funded ‘‘developments’’ in which they demolished the old toilets, replacing them over the road with a ‘‘superloo’’. Then another superloo was built back where the old toilets were.

Greenery was ripped up, partly to make way for a lay-by and also because it was apparently attracting rubbish. Now there’s so much litter it looks permanently awful.

Near the Hilltown Clock a new pelican crossing was added a few yards from an existing one and lowered pavements installed. The main effects of this are to further congest this busy junction and encourage cyclists to use the pavements.

Then the Stirling Street play park was demolished, ostensibly on safety grounds.

With drunks on their way home occasionally heard shouting and bawling even as the shops are reopening, and neds coming out in the middle of the night to do likewise, it’s difficult enough to get a decent sleep as it is.

I would prefer the authorities to deal with these problems before throwing money at projects which provide only marginal improvements.

I did receive notice of the park plans, but did not respond because of disillusionment with all things political, and also because if such a garish design could be considered, there was probably little chance of a U-turn. — Geez A Break.

This area has elderly tenants and some are disabled, but the council has ignored my request to repair the slabs.

I have also requested a grit bin to be housed within the complex but this has been rejected for nearly five years and it is never gritted in winter. — Mike Roncone, Albert Crescent, Newport.

[A Fife Council spokesperson said, ‘‘The complainant to date has been anonymous, therefore the Area Officer had not been able to identify the defective slabs.

‘‘After an inspection of the area, we are considering a project to either uplift and relay all slabs or replace with tarmac surface. Although there are no major trip hazards, the area is slightly uneven.

‘‘I have requested that a grit bin be supplied, as the area is predominantly older residents and this will be considered by the relevant service.’’]

The Golden Age of 1973-86 saw bands like Mafia, Ringer, Misbehavin’ and the legendary duo Dean and Dawn, groups who had such a great following that you had to arrive early to get entry to the venues they were playing.

I remember a night in Roseangle Ex-Service Club when Misbehavin’ had just arrived back from Paris. They played the gig in striped T-shirts and berets.

Now we have new bands like Snow Patrol following in their footsteps. Great stuff. — Harry Higgins, Taits Lane, Dundee.

[Sadly, the death was anounced last week of Dundee singer and entertainer, Norrie Maiden, part of the Dean and Dawn duo.]

Johnny Hudson’s Hi Four, who later became Poor Souls, played at Perth City Hall on the night President Kennedy was assassinated.

The late Jim Kelly was another who should have gone further. — M. Timmons, Caswell Close, Dundee.

I am sure Republican Guards would have had no qualms about tackling Osama and his mates in territory well known to them.

Little mercy would’ve been shown to al Qaida. — George Aimer, Kinghorne Road, Dundee.

We then went the next night for the Musical Review and the same characters gave another astounding performance.

Unbelievably, they carry this on all week. All involved should be congratulated, and we will certainly attend all future performances by Tread the Boards. — Fiona, Amy and Leanne, Dundee.