Sir, – Your article, Tough road ahead in bid to decarbonise timber lorries (October 29), reveals a dangerous focus in the minds of planners on the permanent use of road vehicles to transport timber in Scotland.
Nowhere in the article is there any mention of rail, yet this is the obvious way to transport huge quantities of heavy timber.
Of course the timber needs to be transported to the nearest railhead but the number of vehicles needed to do this would be far fewer than the number currently used to move multiple individual loads on our road system.
Clearly it is necessary to replace diesel lorries with battery or hydrogen-powered vehicles. However the expense in terms of carbon emissions during lorry construction, and use of scarce minerals in the power units, should dictate that the most economical and environmentally-friendly method of transport should be chosen, keeping the number of separate road vehicles to the absolute minimum.
An example of an ideal system is the planned loading facility at Altnabreac (in Caithness). Self-powered vehicles will be needed to move the timber to the loading point on the railway. Once it is there it will be able to make its journey by rail direct to the West Fraser factory near the new Inverness Airport Station (once the company installs the rail connection which has been designed into the adjacent track formation).
This is not only a question of making the best use of limited resources while keeping carbon emissions at a minimum, it is also a safety and environmental matter for our roads. HGVs loaded with timber damage the road surfaces and can make driving unpleasant for other users.
A single timber train replaces dozens of HGVs.
It is to be hoped that the Roads Directorate and Rail Directorate of Transport Scotland are working hand-in-glove to achieve the necessary outcome, which may well involve some financial incentives and assistance to ensure this.
Ian Budd, Convener, Friends of the Far North Line.
Dons fans feeling blue as club falters
Sir, – The result at Ibrox on Saturday, a 4-1 defeat, was a disaster for Aberdeen and particularly for the supporters, who travelled to Glasgow expecting to see a competitive game at the very least.
Once again, however, a humiliation was served up to those who travelled.
Make no mistake – that is exactly what that was.
The club has spent millions on a top-quality training ground, on coaching and sports science personnel, and has outlined ambitious aims of progress.
However time and time again, whenever we play the two big clubs in Glasgow, the only result is one of failure.
Why?
It is known we cannot compete on resources, but surely we can compete on energy and determination, plus a willingness to almost die for the cause – aspects which were not apparent last Saturday.
I remember Sir Alex Ferguson lambasting his team when, on one occasion, they celebrated obtaining a draw at Ibrox.
He rounded on them, demanding nothing but a win.
Perhaps the club should include a psychologist, to instil a winning ambition, because otherwise what is the point of travelling to Hampden?
George A Cormack, McLauchlan Rise, Aberdour, Fife.
Stop the falsehoods over climate science
Sir, – Will there be no end to the nonsense and falsehoods put out by climate science deniers?
The letters from Neil J Bryce and Charles Wardrop (October 27) are but the latest examples of such misinformation.
Since both letters start with falsehoods about the proportion of manmade carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, it is worth examining that subject in some detail.
Mr Bryce claims this human proportion is just 3.8%. That is not true.
The facts are these:
Evidence from direct measurements and ice cores show that atmospheric CO2 has increased from c.277ppmv in 1750 to c.417ppmv now, after having been more or less stable (between 260 and 280ppmv) for around 10,000 years prior to 1750. That is an increase in CO2 of 50% since 1750, caused by an extra 1,096 billion tons of CO2 remaining in the atmosphere. (1ppmv = 7.83 b t CO2).
The CO2 emitted to the atmosphere by human use of fossil fuel since 1750 amounts to 1,847 billion tonnes (source CDIAC and BP Stat. Review 2022).
So, the atmosphere has gained 1,096 b t CO2 while human fossil fuel use added 1,847 b t CO2, showing that i) the increase was entirely due to human activity and ii) the “missing” 751 b t CO2 have been absorbed by the world’s oceans and terrestrial biosphere, that have acted as net sinks (not sources) of CO2.
Thus, the present proportion of manmade CO2 in the atmosphere is 33%, (140 out of 417ppmv) not 3.8%.
Mr Bryce’s claim that “natural sources constitute 96.2%” of CO2 in the atmosphere, while “human emissions make up the remaining 3.8%”, is false. Such misinformation, endlessly repeated on the internet, is typical of the confusion and misinformation, uncritically accepted and propagated by climate science deniers. Such stuff should have no place in any serious publication.
Similar misinformation infests both the above letters, but it takes many more words to refute than does the original false claim.
Suffice to note that neither Patrick Moore nor Tom Harris have any expertise or peer-reviewed published work in climate science.
Patrick Moore was not the founder of Greenpeace, though he was active there in its early years. He has since, according to Greenpeace, become “a paid representative of corporate polluters.”
Tom Harris is a PR consultant who has “worked with oil and gas, coal, nuclear, environmental and aerospace clients for whom he has conducted effective media and public relations campaigns.” Information on both individuals is available on the Desmog.com internet site.
Roy Turnbull, Torniscar, Nethy Bridge.
Death of banker is the end of an era
Sir, – It is with great sadness I read of Bob Maiden’s death in The P&J (October 29).
I knew Bob Maiden almost all of my life.
He was not only a colossus in the banking world, but a kindly Christian man.
He explained economics and what I now know as monetary policy to me, when I was around 12 years old.
He responded positively to my peculiar interest in these things and tested me on what we had previously discussed. He had a profound influence on my life.
It led to my interest and career in business and investment.
On a wider stage he was probably the last of the traditional bankers whose Scottish caution and canniness was an international watchward.
Bruce Pattullo, who we also lost recently, was his contemporary at the Bank of Scotland and of the same ilk.
They possibly do represent the end of an era.
GF Farquhar, Farburn Terrace, Dyce, Aberdeen.
Move on these parking pests
Sir, – Recently I saw students parking their car in a permit-only section in Montrose Drive in order to nip down to RGU.
I was about to challenge them when I noticed that they did have a permit. This is still an abuse of the system, as they are coming from the other side of Garthdee and filling a space that should be for Montrose Drive residents.
Since the start of term my own frontage has been a nightmare with voucher buyers parking where they are not allowed. The wardens, I regret to say, appear to be non-functioning. The other day, one warden walked passed three improperly parked cars, doing nothing about them.
I hardly use my car Monday to Friday mornings as I would be most unlikely to get a parking space on return. Nor can I offer a reasonable chance of a space for any visitor or tradesman.
Most of my time inside is spent writing complaints to councillors, RGU, or press about the matter – no sign of light at the end of the tunnel – to be repeated every year.
How do you think I feel when the students are on holiday?
Norrie Brand, Aboyne Road, Garthdee.
Give women a chance
Sir, – Yet again the EE back pages were full of Aberdeen’s chances of beating a vulnerable Rangers only to crash back to earth with the familiar post-match guff about the financial gulf and lessons to be learned.
Quoting Delia Smith, on a weekend where the Dons men again slumped, it was disappointing how few season ticket holders took up the offer of a free seat on a sunny afternoon for yesterday’s match at Pittodrie.
Unlike the men’s team, many of the women’s team are Dons fans through and through.
Unfortunately many fans don’t even give them a chance, though are willing to follow the men’s team across the country and beyond.
George Rutherford.
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