Ramblers attack power line plan

Campaigners have called for alternatives to the plan

The president of Ramblers Scotland has called on the government to reject plans for a new 137-mile power line.

Dennis Canavan said installing 600 pylons along a route from Beauly to Denny would damage the landscape and said a new approach was needed.

Ministers are due to make a final decision on the Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) proposals later this year.

Mr Canavan made the comments as Ramblers Scotland launched a series of advertisements about the power line.

Speaking ahead of the organisation's annual conference this weekend in Pitlochry, Mr Canavan questioned the wisdom of the scheme and also the limited remit of the recent public inquiry into the issue.

'Subsea transmission'

He said: "It is astonishing that the inquiry reporters did not permit evidence on a potentially less damaging alternative route for the powerline down the eastern side of Scotland, largely using existing pylons and closer to the main locations for existing and proposed windfarm developments.

"When reaching their decision on Beauly Denny, ministers must not only have regard to the flaws in this inquiry but also substantial new evidence that has emerged since the inquiry was concluded in Dec 2007 on the benefits of subsea transmission down the east and west coasts of Scotland."

Mr Canavan said more than 17,000 people had sent objections about the proposals.

SSE wants to develop the �320m proposal to transmit electricity from renewable sources via the power line from the north of Scotland to the central belt.

The new transmission line - which would carry 400,000 volts (400kV) - is to replace the existing 132kV line.

The recent inquiry into the plans was the largest in Scotland since devolution and heard evidence from almost 200 witnesses over 105 days of evidence.