A couple of newspaper reports caught my eye this morning regarding goings-on in Scotland. The firsti was in the Scottish edition of the Daily Telegraph:
Nicola Sturgeon ‘better off moving out of government HQ’ than making it go green – Report reveals that her policy of replacing gas boilers at St Andrew’s House with eco-friendly ones would not provide value for money
In a delicious irony, making a mockery of the Scottish government’s “green” plans, it turns out (according to the Daily Telegraph) that St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh, currently heated by gas central heating, cannot efficiently be converted to a low emissions system of the type that the Scottish government demands be put in place by home owners and in offices by 2030. Instead, the government has been advised to consider selling the property and moving out, given the difficulties of justifying a spend of almost £5.8 million for the conversion.
The Telegraph article is based on a report commissioned by the Scottish government and obtained under a Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request. That report apparently says that “direct electrical heating will incur hugely disproportionate running costs” compared to gas, thanks to the building’s size.
This all begs the question, of course, of who would be rich enough (or stupid enough) to buy St Andrew’s House, should the Scottish government take on board the advice, and put the building up for sale. Presumably any purchaser would have to incur the “disproportionate running costs” from no later than 2030.
Further, the article reminds us that:
More than a million homes must be converted to “zero emissions heat” by the end of the decade to meet the country’s greenhouse gas targets, under the Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings strategy.
Legislation is to be introduced requiring the “installation of zero or very near zero emissions heating systems”, with the new standard to be phased in for off-gas grid areas from 2025 and on-gas grid areas from 2030.
All buildings are to be converted to “zero emissions” by 2045 at a total cost of £33 billion. However, the SNP-Green coalition has so far announced only £1.8 billion of support, raising fears that homeowners and businesses will have to meet the vast bulk of the cost.
Good luck with that.
SNP minister’s A9 upgrade visit kept quiet during ‘climate week’
The second articleii appeared in The Courier, under the above headline. Again, this story appears as a result of a FOI request. SNP ministers are not normally known to be shrinking violets when it comes to headlines and limelight, but when the road contractors responsible for major upgrade works on one of Scotland’s main north-south road links sought some publicity on completion of the project, for once they found the SNP government less than co-operative. And why should that be? Because it conflicted with all the “green” publicity they were busily drumming up around COP 26.
According to the Courier:
Documents released under freedom of information laws reveal officials feared “negative comment” and a perception of “conflicting priorities” if they publicised the event. ..
…A series of events were planned by contractors in September to underline the community benefits from the completion and opening of the £96 million upgrade of the A9 section between the Inveralmond roundabout in Perth and the Pass of Birnam.
Transport Minister Graeme Dey was invited to attend, but memos show officials were concerned about the timing, and said the press should be kept away.
In a briefing prepared for the minister, they said: “We are aware that the Scottish Government Climate Week 2021 is being held 13-19 September and there are plans for the Cabinet secretary for net zero, energy and transport to deliver a parliamentary update during the same week that sets out the scale of the challenge and an indicative pathway to reducing transport emissions by 75% to 2030.
“We recommend therefore that the event is undertaken as a closed call to minimise the risk of attracting negative comment given the potential perception of conflicting priorities between promoting the benefits of a new road project in the same week as the focus on sustainability/climate change.”
The note added: “The footage/images captured during the event will be used for a subsequent press release and social media updates to promote the success of the community benefits delivered by the project which will be released at an appropriate time following the visit.”
This all strikes me as rather Machiavellian and sinister. The press are to be kept away, because the timing is bad. But when the timing is better, it is to be milked for all it’s worth. And who is making this call? Supposedly non-political civil servants.
Homeless charity feeds 55,000 this year in Glasgow as fuel poverty brings more hungry kids to service
Meanwhile, it was reportediii (under the above headline) just three days ago that:
A homeless charity has handed 55,000 hot meals to the needy in Scotland’s biggest city in the last year…
…bitter temperatures and rising energy bills have also brought more children to the service in recent months, with a spike in parents struggling with fuel poverty…
…“Right now we have lots of children coming with their families and we’re seeing parents who are choosing whether to heat their house or feed their kids…
In some respects, of course, England is no better, but the Scottish government for some time has seemed hell-bent on pursuing a “green” agenda that is anything but, and which is having a disastrous impact on so many aspects of life in Scotland. Whatever madness English politicians and climate zealots seek to introduce, Scotland, it seems, must always trump them, running harder and faster to leap off the cliff. And with a new SNP/Green coalition, things can only get worse, I’m sure.
RIP Scotland. It was nice knowing you.
Endnotes
i https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/12/27/nicola-sturgeon-better-moving-government-hq-making-go-green/
ii https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/scottish-politics/2848890/snp-ministers-a9-upgrade-kept-quiet-during-climate-week/
iiihttps://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/homeless-charity-feeds-55000-this-year-in-glasgow-as-fuel-poverty-brings-more-hungry-kids-to-service/ar-AAS89Ld
Climate Scepticism 
It sounds like the people of Scotland are beginning to experience the logical outcome of believing in something as illogical as the “climate crisis”.
LikeLike
I especially liked the bit that coyly referred to ‘perception of conflicting priorities’. The conflict is not a perception but a reality, and what is needed is management of reality rather than management of perception.
LikeLiked by 2 people
John, thank you for drawing that point out. It occurred to me as I was writing, and I meant to return to it. No harm done, though, thanks to you. 😊
LikeLike
Quote: “In some respects, of course, England is no better,…”
Of course. The problem of converting many more homes, for both heating and cooking, has simply not been addressed, still less honestly & openly discussed with those whom it will affect, i.e. the public (because the elite in charge will always manage to take care they don’t suffer from whatever foolishness they impose on the rest of us).
When the penny finally drops all round, there will be hell to pay as well as weeping and gnashing of teeth (can I squeeze any more metaphors into the mix?) Not to mention having all their internal combustion vehicles taken off them (or left to rot) and forced to buy incredibly expensive,exotic-resource-consuming EV’s with a poor range, or potentially explosive hydrogen vehicles, or more likely, just priced out of the private vehicle market altogether.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Conflicting priorities. For politicians. Fancy that.
LikeLike
And today’s Daily Telegraph, Scottish edition, has another similar story, this time about Bute House (The First Minister’s official residence). Even though it’s leased by the Scottish government from the National Trust, the taxpayer is to foot the £800,000+ bill for converting it from gas to electric heating, it appears.
LikeLike
“Covid in Scotland: Restrictions impact ‘worth it’, says Sturgeon”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-60102560
“…she told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme that “we’re hopefully seeing Scotland firmly on the downward slope”….”.
I know she was talking about covid, but she still expressed a very real truth under SNP governance.
LikeLike
“Thousands of Scots already struggling to afford energy bills ahead of price hike
More than a third of Scots are already struggling to pay heating bills ahead of a price cap rise in April.”
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/thousands-scots-already-struggling-afford-26026556
“One in three Scots are already finding their energy bills unaffordable, a poll has found just weeks ahead of an announcement which could see rates soar.
Some 36% of people say their energy bills are unaffordable, a survey for Citizens Advice Scotland (Cas) by YouGov found.
Kate Morrison, the charity’s fair markets spokeswoman, said: “With one in three people finding their energy bills unaffordable, lots of us are struggling with soaring bills.
“But it’s significant that hundreds of thousands of people would identify their home being hard to heat as a reason why they are finding bills unaffordable.”
Rate payers across the country are facing soaring bills, with the energy price cap expected to rise in April. An announcement on the new level of the cap is expected early next month, with fears bills could go up by as much as 50%.”
LikeLike
Under the SNP, I fear that Scotland has turned into a banana republic:
“Humza Yousaf denies ferries contract was awarded for political purposes”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-60886637
“A Scottish government minister has denied claims a £97m contract to build two ferries was awarded for “political purposes”.
Humza Yousaf said he did not agree with the assessment of Jim McColl, who owned the yard which won the contract.
The ferries will be five years late and could cost more than £250m – the additional costs will have to be picked up by the taxpayer.
It follows the publication of a damning report by Audit Scotland into the saga.
The watchdog was unable to establish why the order was given to the Ferguson shipyard without normal financial safeguards.
Official documents show several former and current ministers were involved in the decision to award the contract.”
Here’s the Audit Scotland report:
https://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/news/multiple-failings-have-led-to-delays-and-cost-overruns-which-continue-to-obstruct-delivery-of
“Major problems remain unresolved at the shipyard constructing two lifeline ferries for Scottish islands. More than two years after the Scottish Government took over control of the shipyard, significant operational failures still need to be fully resolved and further remedial work on the vessels continues to be uncovered.
The project to deliver Vessels 801 and 802 for the Clyde and Hebrides has been beset with delays and spiralling costs. The ferries are now almost four years late, with no certainty on when they will be complete. The total cost of the project is currently estimated to be at least £240 million, around two and a half times the original contract price. These issues have frustrated island communities and weakened resilience across Scotland’s ferry network.
Scottish ministers approved the contract award to Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited (FMEL) in October 2015, despite significant risks caused by FMEL’s inability to provide mandatory refund guarantees and the severe misgivings of Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL). There is insufficient evidence to explain why Scottish ministers made this decision.
As the project progressed, delays, costs, and a contract dispute between CMAL and FMEL, escalated. Despite CMAL and the Scottish Government intervening to support the project, FMEL entered administration in August 2019, with the Scottish Government bringing the shipyard into public ownership.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said:
The failure to deliver these two ferries, on time and on budget, exposes a multitude of failings. A lack of transparent decision-making, a lack of project oversight, and no clear understanding of what significant sums of public money have achieved. And crucially, communities still don’t have the lifeline ferries they were promised years ago.
The focus now must be on overcoming significant challenges at the shipyard and completing the vessels as quickly as possible. Thoughts must then turn to learning lessons to prevent a repeat of problems on future new vessel projects and other public sector infrastructure projects.”
LikeLike
I think this shows that the SNP windbags are finding out that actual government is harder than it looks, i.e. when real things have to be done, like building ships. Bit more difficult than expending hot air on how wicked the English government is (although they are experts at that, I’ll give them that).
LikeLike
“Sturgeon lobbying London firms over ‘willingness’ to fund net zero policies”
https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/20090521.nicola-sturgeon-lobbying-london-firms-willingness-fund-net-zero-policies/
“NICOLA Sturgeon has lobbied London financial heavyweights to help plug a £31 billion funding gap to decarbonise Scotland’s buildings in just eight years’ time.
The First Minister has admitted she would back her Government and UK ministers jointly drawing up “green new deals” potentially worth billions of pounds to help Scotland’s biggest cities clean up how buildings are heated by 2030.”
Unfortunately the rest is behind a paywall, but those 2 paragraphs are enough to see what a mess the policy is. Comments are totally hostile to the SNP and their policies. This offers a flavour of them:
“Why do these scientifically illiterate clowns persist with this net zero rubbish. Attempting to achieve it will be financially ruinous and will leave people with a much lower quality of life. Perhaps Harvie and has gang of eco crazies think a modern economy can run on sunbeams and puffs of wind, but China, India and the rest of Asia do not. They are building hundreds of new coal fired power stations to supply cheap secure electricity.”
LikeLike
“Use £700million windfall to protect Scotland from ‘green lairds’, says ex government minister
A former government minister has called on the SNP to use a recent £700 million windfall to buy-up land across Scotland to protect it from the new “green lairds”.”
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/politics/scottish-politics/4205300/use-700million-windfall-to-protect-scotland-from-green-lairds-says-ex-government-minister/
“Peter Peacock also wants a Holyrood inquiry amid claims the super-rich are being handed a “licence to print money” through tax breaks and subsidies on offer to cut carbon emissions.
He fears these incentives are supporting a “dark market” of secret land deals at eye-watering prices, as businesses seek to greenwash their operations.
The former Labour education minister said the Scottish Government could ensure communities benefit from their local land by using the £700 million windfall raised during the recent ScotWind seabed sell-off to purchase estates across the nation.
The move would establish a “sovereign wealth fund” of land.”
That would be the sell-off at giveaway prices – much lower prices than south of the border.
LikeLike
“Failure on climate change would be catastrophic, says Sturgeon”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-61457983
“First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will issue a warning over climate change targets during a trip to the United States later.
She will warn that failure to meet targets agreed at the COP26 summit in Glasgow would be “catastrophic” for the planet.
The first minister will also say the world “looks very different” in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
And she will predict it may result in a Europe-wide rethink on energy policy.”
This looks like two bites of the cherry reporting from the BBC. Sturgeon “will say” this, Sturgeon “will say” that. No doubt there’ll be another report in more or less the same terms, once she’s said it. Still, look on the bright side, if she’s in the US and not Scotland, then given the SNP’s appalling track record in government, the damage might be minimised while she’s away.
LikeLike
Delusional thinking and levelling-down on the agenda, apparently:
“Sturgeon: Renewables could form basis of Scots economy”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-63195532
I love Scotland, and have just returned from an enjoyable (if wet) hill-walking trip there, but I’m very glad that I don’t live there. Being able to see Scotland from the first floor of our house will do nicely for now.
LikeLike
There’s more:
It’s in the Courier, but I found it here at the BBC website:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-63154602
LikeLike
Mark – you have to wonder how many Scottish people are aware that “Mark Speed” is planning to slow them to a stop.
ps – thought we still used miles, but the link uses Kilometers?
wonder how they plan to check how far people have travelled!!!
sometimes you just have to shake your head.
consultation at this point, but wonder how Speed tried to sell his plans –
“aye we need ta save the planet an that, 8yrs isny long, so get on yr bike.
LikeLike
You almost couldn’t make some of this stuff up:
“Scotland’s ‘green’ ferry to begin service using diesel fuel”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-63445479
LikeLike
“The Highland haven insulated from rising energy prices”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-63402811
Hmm. Sort of. Hydro is the renewable power source that makes most sense, IMO, but there’s always the issue of cost.
That £2.7m upgrade” works out at £22,500 per inhabitant. Assuming, say, 2.5 residents per household, it’s £56,250 per household.
I have visited Knoydart twice, for a week’s holiday on each occasion, while climbing its Munros, Corbetts, and its Marilyn, and I arrived by diesel boat, as does pretty much everything that reaches Knoydart. It’s not so “green” as the BBC puff piece makes out. Being protected against rising energy prices is great, but it helps if you have a taxpayer-funded sugar daddy to the tune of £50,000+ per household.
LikeLike
“‘Take to the skies’: Scot Gov agency proposes more and cheaper flights to help ferry fiasco-hit islanders”
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/homenews/23105161.take-skies-scot-gov-agency-proposes-cheaper-flights-help-ferry-fiasco-hit-islanders/
LikeLike
“Nicola Sturgeon accused of hypocrisy on climate change as she jets to Cop 27
Labour accused the SNP of double standards after it last week cut £133 million of funding for energy efficiency schemes in a budget review”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/11/07/nicola-sturgeon-accused-hypocrisy-climate-change-jets-cop-27/
Behind a paywall, unfortunately.
LikeLike
“Scotland loses UK climate change lead, advisers warn”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-63872365
All that money, all that hype, all that destruction of Scotland’s environment, and they’re failing, even in their own terms. Not that success would “tackle climate change” as suggested by the article, given that Scotland must be responsible for less than 0.1% of human greenhouse gas emissions globally.
LikeLike
Here’s the Guardian’s take on that story:
“Sturgeon told Scotland’s climate targets are ‘in danger of being meaningless’
Committee on Climate Change says nation is highly likely to miss 2030 carbon reduction goals because of lack of plans to reach them”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/dec/07/sturgeon-told-scotlands-climate-targets-are-in-danger-of-being-meaningless
Reality bites. The low-hanging fruit has long since been picked, now it becomes difficult and ever-more expensive.
As for “Scotland was meeting only half its target to restore 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres) of peatland a year”, it’s a pity they’re ripping up peat ever faster as they approve more and more windfarms in environmentally inappropriate locations. Utterly incoherent.
LikeLike
“What could 2023 hold for Scottish politics?”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-64108137
Environmentally friendly? Who are you kidding?
LikeLike
“Fears bottle return scheme will not be ready by August deadline”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64484085
LikeLike
“Under the scheme every producer based in Scotland will have to add a 20p to every product that they make before it is sold anywhere in the country.
It will then be charged to the retailer who will in turn bill the consumer.
In order to recoup this money people need to take the empty bottles or cans to a reverse vending machine in a supermarket or designated return point.
Dougal Sharp, founder of Innis & Gunn, told BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland programme there would be an additional 10p to 20p in admin costs per product associated with the scheme.
Put together that could mean consumers face paying an additional £1.60 for a four-pack of the company’s craft beer and £4 for a 10-pack.”
Not sure what figure is nearest, but the “bill the consumer pays” will be eyewatering.
“empty bottles or cans to a reverse vending machine in a supermarket or designated return point”
had to look up https://www.eco-vend.com/2021/05/25/st-georges-school-install-an-ecovend-machine/
ps – many years ago in Scotland at least, if you took your empty glass bottles (pop only?) back to a shop to be reused you got a few pennies.
LikeLike
“Scotland will miss heat pump targets claims WWFScotland will miss heat pump targets claims WWF”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64674520
There is some sense available from the BBC correspondent’s analysis:
Government grants, of course, don’t fall off a magic money tree – we all pay for them. As for WWFScotland, what are they doing interfering in this? And “could” lower energy bills, eh? There’s that weasel word again, and even the BBC (as quoted above) seem to dubious regarding that claim. And if any poor saps put in heat pumps only to have their electricity knocked off by Storm Otto, well good luck with that.
By the way, does the SNP/Green government in Scotland ever hit any of their self-imposed targets?
LikeLike
“Glasgow city council spends £3k a week hiring vans at eleventh hour to comply with LEZ
Hundreds of vehicles belonging to the SNP-run local authority are not compliant with the controversial low emissions zone – so it is simply spending taxpayers’ cash to hire new motors instead”
https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/glasgow-city-council-spends-3k-30424575
That report is about 6 weeks old. Today the Scottish Daily Mail has an update, visible by visiting the BBC website’s summary of Scotland’s papers:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-66562689
The BBC summary (quoted just above) manages to minimise the cost and incompetence. Those £100,000 hire charges were allegedly incurred in a single month, for 131 vehicles.
LikeLike
The BBC has the story now:
“Glasgow council spends £100,000 to hire LEZ-compliant vehicles”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-66567690
LikeLike
Delusional!
“Humza Yousaf: Scotland can lead world in climate crisis”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-66842054
He might like to ponder the fact that China’s daily GHG emissions broadly equate to Scotland’s annual emissions.
LikeLike
“SNP-Green Government poised to delay climate change plan”
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23905821.snp-green-government-poised-delay-climate-change-plan/
The targets (more ambitious than those set out in the UK Climate Change, naturally) are unachievable, and always have been. No doubt when this becomes apparent, it will be Westminster’s fault.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Said it before, but a target means that’s what you aim for, the Bullseye best result, but any hit on target counts, but most times Pols seem to aim for the stars with a broken bow.
LikeLike
The BBC has the story now:
“Watchdog criticises Scottish climate report delay”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-67345011
LikeLike
“Ministers downgrade Scottish offshore energy projection”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67396526
Except, if I understand it correctly, isn’t true. The figure has long been known to be inaccurate. Meanwhile:
“Scottish Government slammed on freedom of information”
https://theferret.scot/scottish-government-freedom-of-information/
LikeLike
The latest Scottish nonsense, from the BBC, with additional comments from Paul Homewood:
LikeLike
More on the hybrid ferry that runs on diesel:
“Nicola Sturgeon’s flagship hybrid ferry now only runs on diesel as battery too expensive to fix”
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/hybrid-electric-ferry-nicola-sturgeon-31823730
“…the battery broke on the £10million vessel in September and bosses have admitted it could be April 2025 before it’s fixed because the replacement part is no longer available.
It’s now the third problem ferry in Scotland after the controversy over the MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa which are six years overdue and £260million over budget.
Alfred Baird, formerly professor of maritime business and director of the Maritime Transport Research Group at Edinburgh Napier University, said he was consulted on the hybrid ferries but advised against them. He claims officials at the Scottish Government then complained to his bosses about his work and tried to stop his research being published.”
LikeLike
“Climate change target warning over forestry cuts”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67980671
Context:
“Scotland cuts down 16 million trees to develop wind farms”
https://dailytimes.com.pk/1115858/scotland-cuts-down-16-million-trees-to-develop-wind-farms/
LikeLiked by 1 person
It looks like the Ferries disaster comedy is trying to break new records this year ! There are now 4 major ferries out of service and 2 ferry berths. 2 ferries require rusty steel replacement so extending yearly maintenance, 1 is in Liverpool in dry dock no reports on progress and MV Alfred (on hire from Orkney at £1m/month) is now out of work as the berth it uses is closed after a dive inspection revealed major issues with structure, the ferry is too big for most of the ports, why did they not take the other ferry which is slightly smaller and fits in more of the island berths. The other berth is Port Ellen on Islay closed for maintenance requiring passenger transit to Port Askaig by taxi, there are usually 2 ferries on this route 1 is covering on the Outer Hebrides routes . The 2 ferries being built in Glasgow are STILL in the construction stages with further delays on the cards. OMG what next for the people living on the islands, it is bad enough at this time of year with storm this and storm that cancelling crossings, but if there are not enough boats to maintain a good service ??
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think (I certainly hope) that the SNP/Green coalition of chaos is doomed at the next election, and not before time.
LikeLike
Unfortunately this is behind a paywall, but the headline says it all:
“‘Greenwashing’: The ‘farce’ of ScotGov’s eco-friendly fiasco ferries”
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24078151.greenwashing-farce-scotgovs-eco-friendly-fiasco-ferries/
Still, the first couple of paragraphs are visible to non-subscribers, and they tell enough of the story to get the idea:
LikeLike
Yes saw that, the SNP / CMAL ” Ferry replacement plan ” involved cascading out the hybrids to short routes and replacing with fully electric vessels and eventually on all of the shorter routes. They will probably claim the net reduction in gases offsets the dual fuels. BUT all 5 vessels on order from Turkey are diesel, the first may even arrive before the second dual fuel from Glasgow. The BBC will have fun with this !
LikeLike
This is probably my most Victor Meldrew moment when I read this.
” It became apparent later that the yard offered CMAL a deal for three such ships for the price of two – a deal which would have seen three sisters built for less than £90m – a deal which would have allowed for major shuffling among the fleet, allow for great improvements across the network both in terms of capacity and sailing frequency and allow for the disposal of some of the oldest vessels in the fleet – a deal was rejected by the powers-that-be.” The ship is the Loch Seaforth (built in Germany) which runs from Ullapool to Stornoway, it is the largest and fastest in the fleet making 3 trips per day including a night freight run. During the summer the ship is virtually fully booked every sailing !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Behind a paywall, unfortunately:
“Anger as ferry fiasco costs rise after ’emerging’ green fuel risk”
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24093757.anger-ferry-fiasco-costs-rise-emerging-green-fuel-risk/
LikeLike
The ”ferry fiasco” continues OMG , FFS. CALMAC are now in the position of 1 nearly 40 y.o. ferry to support all the Islands from South Uist to Harris while waiting for the other ferries to return from extended overhaul. The support ferry on hire from Orkney is also leaving service for yearly overhaul. How the – does this happen. It is not only the lifeline requirement for people on the islands it is also the freight services supplying food to the shops etc , there are already pictures of empty shelves. We
now also have an argument brewing over Ardrossan port is not suitable for the 2 delayed ferries
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a misleading and ridiculous headline:
“Scotland will bear the brunt of climate costs”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj7vz8vjgrno
“The financial burden of tackling climate change will fall disproportionately on Scotland, the financial watchdog has warned.
The Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) said it would cost the public sector £1.1bn a year – 18% of the Scottish government’s capital budget.
Environmentalists and economists say this is still cheaper than doing nothing – which would result in more having to be spent on the impacts of climate change, such as flooding, in the long term.
The Scottish government has already urged Westminster to provide more funding for important measures like tree planting.
The £1.1bn bill relates to the commitment to reach “net-zero” in Scotland by 2045 and for the UK as a whole by 2050.
That is the point where we will have reduced our planet warming greenhouse gas emissions close to zero, with the remainder being offset by things like trees which absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The figures do not include spending on adapting to more extreme weather events by building more flood defences, for example.
SFC said the financial burden may fall disproportionately on the Scottish government because a greater share of the UK’s overall commitments fall to tree planting in Scotland.
That equates to £207 per person in Scotland compared with £149 in the rest of the UK…”
To be clear, these aren’t “climate costs”, in the sense of problems caused by a changing climate, the costs of adapting to it, etc. No, these are the costs imposed on the people of UK (and apparently disproportionately, on the people of Scotland) by dogma-ruled politicians and those “advising” them. To achieve what? None of it will make any measurable difference to the climate.
18% of the Scottish government’s capital budget, for goodness sake. I am starting to think that these people are mad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Irony is alive and well in Scotland, it seems:
“Scottish grouse moors to be licensed in attempt to protect birds of prey
MSPs vote for controls as it emerges another hen harrier has vanished in area ‘notorious’ for persecution”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/mar/21/scottish-grouse-moors-licensed-msps-vote
LikeLike
“…Jim Fairlie, the rural affairs minister and a former hill farmer, said its measures “would protect our wildlife, support our rural businesses and protect our iconic moorlands”. It would “end the stain and the shame of raptor persecution and [allow] animal welfare to be at the forefront of responsible land management”…”
Wind farms, anyone?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mark – Missed you 14 MAR comment on that BBC article by Kevin Keane BBC Scotland’s environment correspondent.
Partial quote –
“The £1.1bn bill relates to the commitment to reach “net-zero” in Scotland by 2045 and for the UK as a whole by 2050.
That is the point where we will have reduced our planet warming greenhouse gas emissions close to zero, with the remainder being offset by things like trees which absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.”
The “We” being the UK only I take it. You have to laugh or you’d cry at the madness.
LikeLike
“Scotland to ditch key climate change target”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-68841141
“The Scottish government is to ditch its flagship target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030.
The final goal of reaching “net-zero” by 2045 will remain, but BBC Scotland News understands the government’s annual climate targets could also go.
Ministers have missed eight of the last 12 annual targets and have been told that reaching the 75% milestone by the end of the decade is unachievable.
A statement is expected at Holyrood on Thursday afternoon…”
LikeLike
“Farewell to Scotland’s coalition of cranks”
https://www.spiked-online.com/2024/04/25/farewell-to-scotlands-coalition-of-cranks/
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Scotland loses £250bn+ in wealth as overseas interests plunder nation”
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24282417.scotland-loses-250bn-wealth-overseas-interests-plunder-nation/
“One study shows that Scotland outpaced both the UK and Europe on foreign investment in 2022 for the second year in a row – by securing a record 126 inward investment projects in 2022 – up 3.3% on 2021’s 122 projects.
But the concern is that foreign investment requires a return – meaning profit extraction from the country.
It comes as foreign governments including China and overseas firms are known to have major financial interests in Scotland’s offshore wind farm revolution.”
LikeLike
THE SNP’s delayed ferries have been hit by a new farce after it emerged that their special ‘green’ fuel must be imported 8,000 miles from Qatar then driven thousands more miles each year by road.The vessels were designed with ‘dual-fuel’ engines which can run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), designed to cut emissions, as well as conventional diesel.However, eight years after work began on the ferries Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa, the Scottish Government says there is no clear date for when LNG tanks, known as a bunkering facility, will ever be built here.As a result, LNG must be imported in diesel-powered ships from Qatar to a terminal in England and then driven 450 miles to Scotland.It is feared that will lead to emissions far in excess of savings generated by the supposedly environmentally friendly engines.
[No link, picked up from Press reader].
LikeLike
“Scotland misses another climate change target”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce9941nzq4yo
The Scottish government has missed another of its key annual targets for reducing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions….
…It means ministers have now missed nine of the past 13 annual benchmarks for tackling climate change.
This is likely to be the last time progress will be measured against annual targets with the Scottish government confirming in April that it will scrap all but the 2045 net zero goal….
The interim target of reducing emissions by 75% by 2030 was ditched with ministers admitting it was “out of reach”.
The latest figures show that domestic transport emissions have increased and are still the single largest source of greenhouse gases in Scotland….
…Lewis Ryder-Jones, Oxfam Scotland’s advocacy adviser, said: “This ninth failure in 13 years proves that, once again, team Scotland has lost momentum in the highest stakes match in town.“
With Scotland’s annual targets set to be scrapped, it’s deeply concerning that the annual climate goal posts aren’t just being moved, they’re being removed, creating a convenient smokescreen to mask an undeniable lack of sufficient climate action.”
LikeLike
“Shipyard manager removed as new ferry delay expected”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqqqw0r060po
…The Calmac vessel, the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered ferry built in the UK, is due for delivery by 31 July.
Glen Sannox and its sister vessel Glen Rosa were originally due six years ago, but have faced repeated delays and spiralling costs.…
…It comes after shipyard boss David Tydeman was unexpectedly sacked by the Ferguson Marine board in March as he prepared to announce a delay, linked to difficulties completing the LNG propulsion system.
The system requires specialist outside contractors to install “cryo-steel” pipes capable of withstanding temperatures of minus 160C.
His replacement John Petticrew said last month that the yard was on still track to finally deliver the ship to CMAL by 31 July, external without any further cost increases but he also warned of challenges in completing the LNG system.
Sources close the shipyard have told BBC Scotland News a further delay is likely…
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Ferry delivery faces short delay but latest costs on track”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn05r03q7gwo
...In an update to MSPs, interim chief executive John Petticrew said challenges linked to the ship’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion system were the main problem.
Glen Sannox and its sister ship Glen Rosa are the first dual-fuel LNG ferries ever built by a UK shipyard.
The two ferries were originally due for delivery in 2018 but have faced repeated design challenges and cost overruns.…
...In his regular monthly progress update, external to MSPs, Mr Petticrew wrote: “The LNG system has been well-documented as the biggest challenge we were facing since our last report.
“It has proved even more difficult and has impacted the progress in other areas, namely the engine compartments.”…
LikeLiked by 1 person
“The two ferries were originally due for delivery in 2018 but have faced repeated design challenges and cost overruns”
Wonder how many times we will hear a similar statement as NZ deadlines are reached & breached.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Grangemouth closure ‘most likely outcome'”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8vd7r768eyo
An expert body set up to protect communities from the economic impact of tackling climate change says the closure of Scotland’s only oil refinery is now “the most likely outcome”.
The Just Transition Commission – appointed by the Scottish government – said that despite the Grangemouth refinery’s closure being “clearly foreseeable” inadequate planning had left the town unprotected.
It was announced in November that Petroineos, the owner of the refinery, intended to cease operations at Grangemouth by 2025, putting 400 jobs at risk….
LikeLike
“ScotGov’s taxpayer-backed multi-million pound green transport ‘fails'”
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24483929.scotgovs-taxpayer-backed-multi-million-pound-green-transport-fails/
The Scottish Government’s green plan to increase the amount of freight transported by rail by this year which has cost the taxpayer millions has failed to deliver the goods with levels dropping by nearly 20%, the Herald can reveal.
The plan outlined in 2019, seen as a way to cut carbon emissions by taking lorries off Scotland’s roads had a target of increasing the amount of freight by rail by 7.5% by the end of March, as part of a bid to help make a legally binding target to reach net zero by 2045.…
Behind a paywall, unfortunately.
LikeLike
Behind a paywall, unfortunately:
“ScotGov provided ‘false assurances’ on failed green scheme costing taxpayer millions”
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24495001.scotgov-provided-false-assurances-failed-green-scheme-costing/
Ministers have been condemned for providing “false assurances” to the state-owned investment bank over the delivery of the disastrous Deposit Return Scheme that is expected to cost taxpayers millions.
The Herald on Sunday can reveal creditors including the Scottish Government-owned Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB) will lose tens of millions of pounds after the collapse of the state-backed firm responsible for DRS – despite a ministerial letter of reassurance….
LikeLiked by 1 person
“New delivery delay for CalMac ferry Glen Sannox”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c51y1x7lkdwo
Delivery of a long-delayed CalMac ferry has been put back again, the Ferguson Marine shipyard has confirmed.
Glen Sannox is now due to be handed over by the end of September, about five weeks later than the previous deadline.
Interim chief executive John Petticrew said final work, particularly involving the liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion system, was taking longer than expected.
The ship and its sister vessel, Glen Rosa, were originally due for delivery in 2018 but have faced repeated design and construction challenges….
…LNG technology is well established worldwide but the two dual-fuel vessels are the first of their kind built in the UK and are considered “first in class”.
Those closely involved in the project have previously spoken of huge difficulties fitting the LNG equipment into the tight machinery spaces on the ship.
Former chief executive David Tydeman described the design challenges as more complex than for a Royal Navy warship.…
...Ferries agency CMAL blamed poor management decisions, while Mr McColl insisted the difficulties arose from interference and a poorly-developed design specification that had been put out to tender by CMAL far too early.
Amid an angry stalemate over claims for extra costs, at the time totalling £66m, the firm went bust again and was nationalised.
Since then costs have risen further and the total cost of building the two ferries is expected to be more than £400m – four times the original £97m contract price....
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mark – thanks for the link – partial quotes –
“The Ferguson yard won the contract for the ferries in 2015, with the aim of building both ships for £97m. However, costs spiralled amid a series of delays, and the yard fell into administration and was nationalised in 2019. The final cost of the first ship – Glen Sannox – will be around £200m, while the second – Glen Rosa – will be around £160m.
Mr Tydeman, who took over as chief executive in March 2022, told Holyrood’s net zero committee that he believed the ships would be worth around £70m each once complete.”
so around £140m against around £360m spent, something fishy!!!
“After the Ferguson shipyard went into administration in 2019 and was nationalised, the government-appointed “turnaround director” Tim Hair changed design contractor, employing a new firm which is based in Romania. Mr Tydeman said 20,000 technical drawings had been sent to Fergusons during 2020, at a point in lockdown when there were no staff at the yard to check them – something he said “seems unwise”.”
fishy again, “20,000 technical drawings” & nobody checked them!!! they would be computer aided design (CAD) drawings I would guess & could be checked by anybody working from home on a PC.
Someone/people have/will make a tidy sum from this. What a bloody mess, to put it mildly.
but note the quote above – “Mr Tydeman, who took over as chief executive in March 2022, told Holyrood’s net zero committee that he believed the ships would be worth around £70m each once complete.” – money is never wasted if “net zero” is the driver.
ps – not forgetting the Isles people that desperately need these new ferries.
LikeLike
dfhunter,
Yes, I drew attention to these issues not just to point out how awful the Scottish government is (though it is) but to demonstrate the problems and costs over-runs almost inevitably associated with the mad net zero project.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Scottish public spending deficit increases as oil revenues fall”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cze5d1gl62yo
Scotland’s public spending deficit increased by £3.6bn to £22.7bn last year as oil and gas revenues were cut in half.
The annual Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (Gers) report looks at taxes raised in Scotland and public spending for and on behalf of Scotland.
It found the difference was higher than the previous year’s £19.1bn, which had fallen from £23.7bn in 2021-22.
North Sea oil and gas revenues in 2023-24 dropped by £4bn to £4bn.
The deficit represented a 10.4% share of GDP, compared to 8.4% in 2022-23.
Scotland’s revenue in 2023-24 grew by £1.7bn to £88.5bn – an increase of 1.9% from 2022-23.
The government said this reflected growth in onshore receipts being partially offset by falling oil and gas revenue….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perhaps if they hadn’t wasted so much money on net zero’s trashing of the environment, this diversion of funds away from spending on the environment wouldn’t be necessary:
“Nature funding to be used to settle council pay deals”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy7p2y1p1eo
...The Nature Restoration Fund is used to pay for local projects to tackle the nature emergency, ranging from tree planting to restoring waterways.
It is estimated that one in nine species in Scotland is under threat of extinction because of long-term habitat loss and ministers have said restoring biodiversity is “crucial” in tackling the climate crisis.
Last week Finance Secretary Shona Robison said that spending constraints were “unavoidable” because of the “spending challenges” being faced.…
LikeLike
“The pains of plugging budget holes with renewables windfall”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp81gp30e8yo
Worth a read – a decent analysis, as usual, by Douglas Fraser, one of the few decent journalists still working at the BBC.
LikeLike
“A9 dualling should be put to climate test like A96, says Greens leader Patrick Harvie
The former government coalition partner wants the SNP to move away from spending on road building in this year’s crucial budget.”
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/politics/6591322/a9-dualling-a96-climate-greens/
The remaining single carriage sections of the A9 should go through a “climate test” before the SNP Government can spend millions on its dualling project, according to Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie.
The former government minister laid down a marker on further spending ahead of tough financial decisions in First Minister John Swinney’s budget later this year.
Mr Harvie’s suggestion would lead to further delays to the long-overdue commitment to dual the route all the way between Inverness and Perth.
It would be similar to the approach to the A96 Aberdeen-Inverness road, which is also long overdue while a report on its future gathers dust in government headquarters.
LikeLike
“Nicola Sturgeon to headline comedy festival show”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6l82rdqnro
It’s my belief that she headlined one for years – it was called the SNP government.
LikeLike
dfhunter 04/08 ferry costs — They are now removing various pipework and cabling from the Glen Rosa to replace corroded parts on the Glen Sannox to help reduce costs and speed up entry to service. One of the ferries (Caledonian Isles) they are replacing has been out of service since Feb off this year and not likely to be back in service till March next year. The cost will be £M‘s including £1m/month for the ferry on hire from Orkney, lost revenue etc etc. At present there are not enough vessels to cover all the routes, with ongoing yearly maintenance and 1 vessel (38 years old) being retired from service in the next few days. I do not know what the people of the islands must think of all this, the list of failures is endless. It’s not only the vessels, the ports cannot take the new larger sized vessels without substantial renovation .
LikeLiked by 2 people
JamesS – thanks for the update, what a fiasco/mess. But never mind, as Mark comments above Sturgeon can move on & reinvent herself.
Partial quote from Mark’s link –
“Festival Director Krista MacDonald said: “We’re looking forward to celebrating Glasgow as the funniest city in the world, as hundreds of comedians and performers set out to entertain audiences in venues all across the city.”
As the saying goes “not know whether to laugh or cry”
LikeLike
dfhunter, they missed the boat – Glasgow was the funniest city in the world during COP26, not now.
LikeLike
“Ferries saga ship Glen Sannox finally delivered”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cew1wxx0d0jo
The long-delayed ship at the centre of Scotland’s ferries saga has been handed over by the Ferguson shipyard, exactly seven years after it was launched.
MV Glen Sannox, destined for CalMac’s Arran route, is the first new large vessel for the west coast ferry fleet in nearly a decade.
The ferry operator will now conduct several weeks of crew familiarisation trials before the ship carries its first passengers in January.
Glen Sannox was originally due for delivery in 2018 but has faced major challenges in design and construction, sparking the longest-running political controversy of the devolution era.
Costs have risen from an initial contract price of £97m to more than £400m, including £45m of government loans that were never fully recovered.
The handover comes seven years to the day since the ship was famously launched by former first minister Nicola Sturgeon with painted-on windows and plywood funnels.
Since then the Port Glasgow shipyard has faced administration, nationalisation – and years of frustrating setbacks as it grappled with complex engineering challenges to complete the dual-fuel ship.…
LikeLike
Mark, hopefully they will have sorted out which port the vessel will be able to dock and refuel with LNG and how to store the gas at the port. Ardrossan needs a huge face lift and renovation to accommodate 2 large LNG vessels on Calmac’s busiest route . I’m not sure if there is complete agreement ‘where, when, why and how much’ is needed to complete the package. Troon further down the coast is the freight port for Arran at the moment as the ferry does not fit in at Ardrossan and is used by the other ferry during times of strong winds but has no rail link to the port for foot passengers ! Plenty for Kate Forbes to make a monkey of .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mark – partial quote from your link –
“The stalemate saw the firm run out of money – and Ferguson’s fell back into administration in August 2019. It was subsequently nationalised, saving 350 jobs, but the new management under “turnaround director” Tim Hair struggled to resolve the difficulties.
He left the firm in early 2022, having been paid nearly £2m for 18 months work, with the two ships far from complete.”
Not bad pay for 1 1/2 yrs.
From his linkedin profile – “About – Highly regarded, experienced and financially astute Chief Executive. Often appointed to define and deliver strategic change and shareholder value, particularly in challenging situations.”
I notice under “Experience” it states – “Turnaround Director Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited Aug 2019 – Feb 2022 2 years 7 months Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Seems the “£2m for 18 months work” may be an error. But still a hefty pay deal for not achieving any “turnaround”.
LikeLike
“Now green transport revolution stalls… as city’s electric buses don’t work in the cold”
https://www.pressreader.com/article/281814289462119
THEY have been hailed as the future of public transport, supposedly not only ‘great for the planet’ but ‘a win for all of us’.
But passengers were left less than impressed when some of the high-tech electric buses serving Scotland’s largest city were brought to a halt by the recent drop in temperature.
The sub-zero conditions caused the batteries in some of First Bus’s Glasgow fleet to drain far more quickly than normal – leaving passengers stranded in freezing conditions.
News of the embarrassing failure comes just months after First Minister John Swinney announced that a further £41.7million was being invested through Transport Scotland’s Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund to deliver an extra 252 buses.
Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Sue Webber said: ‘It displays a total lack of common sense if the SNP didn’t consider Scotland’s cold weather when rolling out this fleet of electric buses. Freezing temperatures undoubtedly impact batteries in electric vehicles. ‘If the SNP want to meet their own targets, they need to ensure that the proper infrastructure is in place, so passengers aren’t left out in the cold.’
LikeLiked by 2 people
Never mind, First Minister John Swinney can say he’s making an investment for the future. Only a matter of time before Scotland gets lovely warm winters 🙂
LikeLike
“Driverless bus service in Scotland to be withdrawn due to lack of interest
Passenger numbers on the UK’s first autonomous buses – a £6m venture over the Firth of Forth – ‘did not meet expectations’”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/17/driverless-bus-service-in-scotland-to-be-withdrawn-due-to-lack-of-interest
The UK’s first driverless bus service, originally heralded as a breakthrough of global significance, is being withdrawn from service because too few passengers used it.
The autonomous buses, operated by Stagecoach, have been running between Fife and Edinburgh along a 14-mile route over the Forth road bridge since May 2023 to relieve the heavy congestion which can bring traffic to a standstill.
The CAVForth service, a collaboration between Fusion Processing, the coach-building company Alexander Dennis, Napier University in Edinburgh and the Bristol Robotics Lab – a joint venture between the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England – was touted as the most ambitious and complex in the world.
Built at an estimated cost of more than £6m, partly funded by the UK government, the fleet of five single-decker buses had the capacity to carry 10,000 passengers a week but needed two crew on board for safety reasons.
In a brief statement, Stagecoach said that actual passenger numbers “did not reach expectations” and suggested this was a delay to the technology’s rollout rather than a setback…..
LikeLiked by 1 person
An autonomous bus with two crew. That’s the ticket.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Seem to remember this story being pushed on BBC news at the rollout, what a waste of taxpayers money. Found this link –World’s first ‘driverless bus’ service starts in Scotland – BBC Newsround
LikeLike
“‘Green’ ferry emits more CO2 than old diesel ship”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy87e72yg3o
The carbon footprint of a “green” ferry soon to be deployed on CalMac’s Arran service will be far larger than the 31-year old diesel ship that usually serves the route.
An emissions analysis by CalMac has calculated MV Glen Sannox will emit 10,391 equivalent tonnes of CO2 a year compared with 7,732 for MV Caledonian Isles.
The dual-fuel ferry has more car capacity but requires larger engines which also emit methane, a greenhouse gas with a far greater global warming effect than CO2.
Ferries procurement agency CMAL, which owns the ship, said the comparison was “inaccurate” as Glen Sannox is a larger vessel.
The size of Glen Sannox is a factor in its carbon footprint, but so too is the liquified natural gas (LNG) fuel which is less climate-friendly than previously claimed.
One expert on transport emissions told BBC News that if the “upstream” carbon cost of importing LNG from Qatar is included in the emissions calculation, it might be better to run the new ship on diesel.
Prof Tristan Smith, from University College London’s Energy Institute, said: “In a best case scenario there’s a negligible benefit of using LNG, and at worst there would be a deterioration.”...
I’m so pleased that the years of delay have been so handsomely justified!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
“‘Eyewatering’ £100m spent on repairs in Scotland’s ‘ferry fiasco’ over past decade
Government plans for publicly funded operator CalMac have been mired in controversy, with replacement vessels delayed and costs spiralling”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/05/eyewatering-100m-spent-on-repairs-in-scotlands-ferry-fiasco-over-past-decade
The bit that the Observer omits, of course, is how problematic the “green” replacement ferry for Arran has been. Instead we get a highly misleading positive report on that:
CalMac’s fleet is currently undergoing a revamp, with six new vessels – including the late and over-budget MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa – due to enter service in the coming years to replace the ageing ferries already in use. Along with seven new small vessels currently out to tender, a third of the fleet is likely to soon be replaced.
“The replacement programme will provide more reliability of service, which is what islanders need and deserve,” said a spokesperson for Transport Scotland. “In the meantime, it is essential from a health, safety and reliability basis that maintenance and repairs are carried out on vessels where and when needed.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a joke.
LikeLike
MV Isle of Mull is not long back from overhaul with the slide evacuation system condemned from deterioration of the glue in the slides. The vessel can now only carry a maximum of 47 passengers, lifeboats only ! The vessel was launched 1987 to carry 962 passengers and 70 cars to sail on the busy Oban to Mull route. Calmac have been unable to source like for like replacements (worldwide), a new system would require structural changes to the vessel which would take months to complete. The vessel is another case of way overdue replacement now costing M’s. ”Luckily” at this time of year the average passenger numbers from South Uist is less than 47 per sailing !!!! The cost of vessel replacement would have been eaten up by the overspend on the Arran debacle. The cost of the SNP’s (Sturgeons) hubris is coming home.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Electric buses withdrawn over ‘technical failures'”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2w2nd5g17o
First Bus has withdrawn 30 buses from its fleet in Glasgow after “technical failures”.
The issue was raised in December with affected vehicles now temporarily replaced by ultra-low emission diesel buses from across the UK.
They were part of an order of 50 electric buses in 2023, with batteries designed to run for over 370km (229 miles) from a single three-hour charge.
BBC Scotland understands that the problem is not linked to the batteries or electric vehicle technology and no safety risk is posed…..
But BBC Scotland declines to tell its readers what the problem is.
…The electric vehicles were built by Alexander Dennis at its manufacturing base in Larbert at a cost of £19.7m….
LikeLike
MV Glen Sannox has officially joined the real world , she actually made a loaded inaugural sailing yesterday in case of bad weather today. The official CALMAC website now lists Glen Sannox as the main carrier for the Arran crossing, Troon to Brodick route. Due to strong winds today’s sailings are liable to disruption and cancellations at short notice so please check the website before rushing of to get a turn on the boat. There is a shuttle bus running from Ardrossan port to Troon port to meet the vessel sailing time table. There is also a video on YouTube of yesterday’s sailing from Brodick (search Glen Sannox) and I do agree with Dave on the rock there is a feeling of achievement as it is a fine looking vessel. What’s next ? A9 dualing maybe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Scotland ‘unlikely’ to meet 2030 car use target”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyw5vxdkndo
Scotland is “unlikely” to meet its 2030 climate change target to reduce car use, according to public spending watchdogs.
The Scottish government set out to reduce kilometres driven by 20% – however a report found it had made “minimal progress” since the pledge five years ago.
Audit Scotland, which oversees Scottish government spending, and the Accounts Commission, which oversees local government spending, said there was a lack of leadership and “no clear plan” for meeting the target.
First Minister John Swinney insisted last year the target could still be met, but the government recognised there was still “some way to go”.
The report said: “A lack of leadership has resulted in minimal progress against the demanding policy intention.
“It is not clear if the Scottish government remains committed to the target as key documents remain in draft form,
“There is no costed delivery plan or measurable milestones, and arrangements for monitoring and scrutinising progress are insufficient.”...
LikeLike
Mark – what a joke. Partial quote –
“The Scottish government declared a climate emergency in 2019, and set new targets for reducing emissions by 2045. Interim targets were also announced, including a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. In 2022, it said its efforts to reduce car use by 20% against the 2019 baseline were “stepping up a gear”.
However, last year it axed its trial of scrapping peak rail fares – meant to encourage people to use public transport – after saying the £40m price tag could not be justified. Following this decision in August, Mr Swinney said he believed the 2030 target could still be met, and said it “obviously requires changes in behaviour from members of the public”.
In November, the Scottish Parliament passed legislation to remove the interim emissions reduction target for 2030, after experts said it was no longer credible.”
Big ambitions, big talk, no-brainer that it will ever work. Then the usual fall back B/S –
If it “obviously requires changes in behaviour from members of the public” it would be helpful if you spelled them out & asked a few questions to the “Scottish public” before making stupid targets.
LikeLiked by 1 person
dfhunter,
The SNP government is a study in reality mixed with faith. They also dropped their GHG reduction target in the short term while maintaining the long term target, even though the failure to hit the short-term target is good evidence that the long-term target is unachievable.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Also find it funny that they state –
“The Scottish government set out to reduce kilometres driven by 20%“
Well if the roads are nose to tail traffic, like around Edinburgh for example, all you get is more exhaust fumes. Only return to the area once per year now, but the roads are a nightmare.
Then we get “There is no costed delivery plan or measurable milestones”
Wonder how many Scots think in “kilometres” rather than “miles”?
LikeLike
My wife and I agreed when we retired to use the over 60’s bus pass as often as possible, not necessarily to reduce our km’s , really because it was free. We have gradually found the number of appointments, social meetings, grandchildren collections, and of course weekends away to Oban or Anstruther etc are becoming more and more difficult to coordinate. We take the car ! The train is becoming more expensive and the number stopping at our local station at convenient times ( out with commuter peaks ) is again not very easy to coordinate or guarantee connections. So we take the car even to meet the city link buses halfway. All the advertising for relaxed cheap trains or take the free bus looks wonderful as they go past snowy mountains or slowly passing Edinburgh Castle, try getting home without delays and cancellations.
LikeLiked by 2 people
To elaborate on the use or don’t use the car scenarios can include the cost of booze ! We regularly make trips to Carlisle (130 miles or 210km ) to stock up on booze for the family and any friends with a thirst. With the minimum price set at about £6.00/litre more than English prices including no offers or bogof deals you get the cost of fuel back quite easily. It’s like the old booze cruises to Calais !!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think this must be a record for ferries out of service , at the moment we have 4 of the major ferries stuck in dock due maintenance issues. 1 is sailing at reduced capacity, only 45 passengers out of a max of 8 – 900 due life raft failures, and finally a ferry sitting in port not certified for open waters between November and March. Most of this has been a direct result of the delays to the 2 new Arran ferries entering service and pushing out other ferries long past their sell by dates. We also now have a further delay on the other Arran ferry and also delays to the 2 ferries being built in Turkey which again compromises the retirement and replacement process ! Calmac have issued a revised vessel deployment programme and timetables until all is resolved , but it feels like there is a bit of ” we are where we are , so make the most of it”. There is a webcam on Mull overlooking the ferry port at Craignure, I have regularly seen lorries and delivery vans left behind as the regular ferry can only carry at max 36 cars any mixing with with even 1 artic lorry hugely reduces numbers, its a 3 hour wait till the ferry is back again. I have regularly heard SNP ministers talking about the ” fleet of renewables” I hope they perform better than the ferries fleet !
LikeLike
JamesS,
I feel for the poor beleaguered islanders. My wife and I have plans to holiday on Sunday Scottish islands, but those plans are on hold until this shambles is sorted out.
As well as the difficulties this must be causing to every day life, I suspect it will damage the tourism industry too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve just watched the 17.05 ferry Craignure (Mull) to Oban leaving at 17.23 , they managed to clear the dock this time. But, the sailing will not now connect with the 18.05 train to Glasgow , next train 21.30, doesn’t get in till after midnight . I don’t believe the people in charge understand how their wonderful decisions can make Islanders everyday needs so difficult to achieve.
LikeLike
“Ministers scrap green heating plans for new homes”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3e40pe9185o
The Scottish government is to scrap flagship plans to make homeowners switch to greener heating soon after buying a new home.
The acting net-zero secretary Gillian Martin told MSPs that the draft Heat in Buildings Bill, external would no longer be put forward in its current form.
She said the legislation – drafted by the Scottish Greens as part of the Bute House Agreement – would “make people poorer.”
But Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie, who drafted the bill, said the decision “flies in the face of the climate ambitions that this government is supposed to have”.
Ms Martin said she would introduce a bill only when she could be satisfied it would both decarbonise houses and decrease fuel poverty….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mark – thanks for the link. Interesting Analysis by Kevin Keane, BBC Scotland Environment guy at the end –
“The Heat in Buildings Bill was once described to me as “game changing” legislation designed to reduce the massive carbon footprint that comes from heating our homes.
Our gas boilers are the main culprit; lots of individual devices inefficiently burning fossil fuels to create the heat.
At least a million of them needed to be replaced by 2030 to meet the Scottish government’s now abandoned interim climate change targets.
The legislation would have meant anyone buying a home would have had to change to a green heating system – like a heat pump – within, say, two years of the sale being completed. The exact time frame had not been decided.
But with the 2030 target now scrapped, and a much delayed energy strategy still not forthcoming, the pressure is off.”
Not sure if the comments are for or against –
“Chunty 10:52 Gas boilers “inefficiently burning fossil fuels” is factually incorrect. Modern condensing boilers are very efficient, upwards of 90% if set up correctly. All legislation like this would do is turn our towns and cities into even more of a ghost town as people wouldn’t want to buy an older property they are going to have to spend 10s of thousands on upgrading purely to meet some punitive law.”
“ChrisBee1961 11:00 to Chunty “And a CCGT power station is about 60% efficient and then you have transmission losses on top of that, typically 5 to 10%”
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Crack found in hull of new Glen Sannox ferry”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cddyny75q8lo
The new Glen Sannox ferry has been removed from service because of a crack in the ship’s hull, according to the ferry operator CalMac.
The brand new vessel only began operating in January after being delivered almost seven years late and costing more than four times the original contract price….
...The order for Glen Sannox and another ship were placed with the Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow nearly a decade ago.
But disputes over the design and claims for extra costs saw the shipyard fall into administration, and then be nationalised in 2019.
The ships have ended up costing more than four times the £97m contract price.…
LikeLike
Saw the ferry report on the news last night, totally, I don’t believe it, how t f, what next ? Dave the rave on the rock (Arran) will be in tears !
The other point I was going to make, we have been trying to get either a grant from Home Energy Scotland for insulation or the full ECO4 in conjunction with a renovation project on our 1800 built house. We have receive acceptance for funding from both, the hard part is getting a registered ”Insulation Installer” or ECO 4 company to work with our builders, none of them want to know ! We have had a company say they would look at it once the renovation is complete, he just could not accept the insulation was an integral part of the renovation. The ECO 4 guy wanted to rip up all the new flooring to fit an ASH system . Our builder actually warned us it would be very difficult to achieve any coordination.
THIS IS SCOTLAND
LikeLiked by 1 person
New Arran ferry Glen Sannox now back in service after a quick weld repair. This is the second repair since joining the fleet in January, third time ———– ? We shall see !
LikeLike
“‘Huge blow’ as Ferguson Marine loses out on new CalMac ferries contract to Polish firm
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited confirmed it had snubbed Ferguson Marine and handed work to an overseas yard instead.”
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/huge-blow-ferguson-marine-loses-34875817
LikeLike
We now have a new comedy of errors developing on the ferries. The 40 y o ferry serving the Oban to Mull run has broken down at the Craignure berth with gearbox issues, effectively closing the berth till repaired. This ferry was covering for the usual ferry which is a wee bit broken and is covering for the Barra ferry which is a big bit broken ! All traffic will have to go by the much smaller Fishnish crossing and go round to the Corran crossing which is even smaller. To crown it of there are major roadworks at the mainland side . Won’t be home till late Darling.
LikeLiked by 1 person
JamesS,
Our plans for a holiday in the western isles will continue to be deferred, in the hope that this shambles is eventually put right.
That alternative route via Fishnish is hugely problematic and will cause many problems and great inconvenience.
LikeLike
Mark , looks like things are improving at Calmac, Outer Hebs. have full coverageish , Mull has 2 vessels both small but doing more runs. Colonsay, Coll and Tiree have regular runs. Islay vessel still to be overhauled so only 1 for a bit yet, unless the new Isle of Islay arrives from Turkey. Mallaig to Skye very weather dependent. So all together looking a bit better.
LikeLike
JamesS,
That’s good to know. Maybe my wife and I will get our holiday in the Outer Hebrides sooner than we feared.
LikeLike
“SNP abandons plan to force Scots to scrap their gas boilers
Climate minister admits alternative heat pump scheme is ‘simply unaffordable’”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/04/03/snp-abandons-plan-force-scots-scrap-gas-boilers/
The SNP has abandoned its plan to force householders to scrap their gas boilers and install heat pumps after admitting that it was unaffordable.
Alasdair Allan, the SNP’s acting climate change minister, said a new Heat in Buildings Bill “moves away from penalising individuals” who refused to get rid of gas-powered heating….
In an extraordinary U-turn on the SNP’s previous stance, Dr Allan admitted that the cost of living crisis made it “simply unaffordable” for many householders and businesses to “make great changes in the near future” to their heating systems.
The minister said the Bill would aim to decarbonise heating by 2045 but he provided no other deadline or timetable for the switch, or any costs….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mark – thanks for the good news update. Reality finally trumps SNP net zero targets/dogma. From the link one unhappy green chap gets to give his well thought out response –
“But Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Greens co-leader who unveiled the original plan to get rid of boilers, accused his former SNP colleagues of setting targets that were “utterly meaningless without action and leadership”.
He said the new Bill stripped “out almost all of the serious policy measures”, adding: “This will keep more people stuck on gas, which is bad for our planet and will continue to punish people all across our country by forcing them to fork out while the fossil fuel companies post record profits.”
LikeLike
More Green disconnect from reality in that quote from Patrick Harvie. Someone should quietly let him know that gas is one quarter of the price of electricity in the UK, and he’s the one who wants consumers to fork out (for electric heat pumps) while energy companies make record profits.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Seems Patrick Harvie to stand down as Scottish Green co-leader – BBC News dated 2 April 2025.
Seems He (Holyrood’s first openly bisexual MSP was dropped into the article for some reason) has had a long career as Scottish Green. Seems, as Mark says above he had nothing but green playbook/dogma to back up his claims. From my part of Scotland “heed be calld minus a brain”
LikeLike
“Scottish government drops target to cut car use by 20%”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1jxk9949e5o
The Scottish government is dropping a key climate change target to cut car use in Scotland by 20% by the end of the decade.
The aim – which was a previous SNP manifesto commitment – was to reduce the amount of kilometres travelled by car across the country in order to cut harmful emissions.
But car usage in Scotland has only fallen by 3.6% since before the Covid pandemic.
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop told MSPs that the goal was “not realistic and will need to be changed”.…
…She told the MSPs: “We know we’re behind, there has been many factors to that but what is key now is to look forward and ensure our route map is as it should be.
“We’re looking at a more phased approach now, so we probably won’t be delivering as ambitiously as we originally would have intended, but I think that is a reality check that we have to do that.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mark – thanks for the BBC link, seems that reality finally trumps unrealistic commitments.
But wait, partial quote, bold by me –
“In January Audit Scotland, which oversees Scottish government spending, and the Accounts Commission, which oversees local government spending, said there was a lack of leadership and “no clear plan” for reducing car usage. The watchdogs concluded Scotland was “unlikely” to meet the 2030 target.
In the wake of that report, Hyslop appeared before Holyrood’s Public Audit Committee, telling MSPs the 20% target was being reviewed.
The transport secretary said ministers would take advice from experts at the Climate Change Committee on what it should be – with this expected in May.”
Wonder what green NGO’s have to say about this –
“Caroline Rance, Friends of the Earth Scotland’s head of campaigns, called the development “shameful”.
She said: “One third of households in Scotland don’t have access to a car, in our cities it’s closer to a half. These are typically the poorest households, and poor public transport options means they are cut off from school, work and health appointments.
“Meanwhile, 2,700 people die every year from toxic air pollution and many more suffer from poor health because of it. Ministers failing to get a grip on car dominance means failing to protect these people.””
I used to live in Edinburgh & public transport options were/are great, so Caroline is talking BS.
LikeLike
Bit O/T – SNP spending on ‘woke’ civil servants rises by nearly 50pc in two years
Partial quote – “the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) civil servants on the department’s payroll rose from 105.6 in 2022/23 to 152.7 in 2024/25 – an increase of 44.6 per cent.
The median average salaries surged by more than 70 per cent in only three years, from £28,236 in 2021/22 to £48,638 in 2024/25.
This meant that the taxpayer-funded budget for the directorate also rose by more than 60 per cent, from £32.2 million in 2021/22 to £51.9 million in 2024/25.”
Had to look up what (FTE) really means – “FTE takes into account part-time workers”
LikeLike
“Truckloads of Scotland’s rubbish will be sent to England, experts say”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0r1de24pdgo
Up to 100 truckloads of Scotland’s waste will be moved each day to England once a landfill ban comes in at the end of the year, the BBC’s Disclosure has been told.
The Scottish government is banning “black bag” waste from being buried in landfill from 31 December but acknowledges that there are not currently enough incinerators to meet the extra demand.
The ban, which covers biodegradable municipal waste (BMW), will apply to pretty much all domestic and commercial waste….
...More waste is already being sent to incinerators – or energy-from-waste sites – but not enough of them will be ready by the 31 December deadline.
It is leaving a “capacity gap” which is estimated by Zero Waste Scotland to be 600,000 tonnes in the first year of the ban.
Some councils and commercial waste companies have been approaching rubbish handling operators in England to negotiate “bridging contracts”.
Because most incinerators run with very little spare capacity, it would mean sending Scotland’s excess waste to be landfilled in England….
...David Balmer, a waste expert from ERS Remediation, told the Disclosure programme: “You’re looking at the equivalent of between 80 and 100 trucks minimum running seven days a week to take this material to a facility in England or abroad.“
And there are concerns that logistically the transportation might not be fully achievable.
Alasdair Meldrum, director of waste management consultants Albion Environmental, said: “We’ve probably not got the trucks and vehicles to actually move it.“
He added: “You’ve got the environmental impact of all that transport, it’s nonsensical, but the people who have invested in incinerators are saying ‘we’ve invested all this money because of the ban’.
“So, we’re stuck in a really hard place.”…
Why do dates have to be written in tablets of stone? Why do politicians keep on insisting on making things worse? Especially in Scotland.
LikeLike
What a joke, nothing to add.
LikeLike
“New climate change targets for Scotland unveiled”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c056gv2q9q5o
A new set of targets to tackle climate change in Scotland over the next 20 years has been unveiled by the Scottish government.
Annual targets were abandoned by Scottish ministers last year after they were repeatedly missed but the pledge to reach net zero by 2045 was retained.
The new target states emissions need to fall by an average of 57% over the next five years and by 69% by 2035, when compared with 1990 levels.
The targets will be met using a carbon budgeting system and the proposals will be voted on by MSPs in the autumn.
The Scottish government want to move to a system of measuring emissions using carbon budgets over five-year periods instead of annual targets….
I’ll bet they do!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry to bring up the ridiculous ferry situation again, it’s now becoming even worse. We now have 4 vessels being built in Turkey with a staggered delivery timetable starting over a year late, probably miss the summer rush. The vessel being built in Scotland requires more time and money and won’t be ready till next year. The original vessel on the Arran route the Caledonian Isles has been out of service since January 2024, after completion of sea trials before returning last week a further problem has been found and is now back in dry dock. The vessel it was to replace has now been forced to take mandatory time out for Health and Safety work and delayed maintenance . Cost so far no one wants to admit what it truly is in real terms.
LikeLiked by 1 person
JamesS – Thanks for update, what a mess.
LikeLike
“Scotland missing out on millions in private jet taxes, charity says”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0rvzqxyglro
Private flights at the Scottish government-owned Glasgow Prestwick Airport increased by more than a third last year, according to figures from Oxfam Scotland.
The charity says there were more than 12,000 private flights in and out of Scottish airports in 2024, with the busiest being Edinburgh, Glasgow Prestwick and Inverness....
…The rise reflects a global trend in private jets being used increasingly by the super-rich, with climate scientists warning that they can be up to 30 times more damaging for the planet than scheduled flights...
…At Prestwick the number increased from 1,845 in 2023 to 2,437 in 2024, with July seeing the largest number of private arrivals and departures – 453 that month.
That coincided with the prestigious Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club, which took place from 14 to 21 July....
LikeLike
“Drivers face 80-mile diversion on North Coast 500 route”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg9079q2qno
A major electricity upgrade in the north-west Highlands could leave drivers facing an 80-mile road diversion over the winter months.
SSEN Transmission is managing plans to bring a renewable energy cable from the Western Isles ashore at Dundonnell but part of the project will involve closing a three-mile stretch of the A832.
Residents have launched a petition against the closure – which covers part of the North Coast 500 – over claims it would have a heavily detrimental impact on local services.
A spokesperson for SSEN Transmission said the firm was “actively considering” feedback from the community and is working “on solutions to minimise the impact of the closure”.
The project, which will see renewable power generated in the Western Isles fed into the National Grid, involves running a cable underground between Dundonnell and Beauly.
Part of the work will involve closing the A832 for 14 hours every day between 07:00 and 21:00 in two blocks from 27 October to mid-December and then again from January to March 2026….
LikeLike
This may merit a more detailed look if I can find the time:
“Scottish government reveals plan to reach net zero targets by 2045”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c30v97m59dyo
…Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin told MSPs that Scotland was already being affected by flooding, heatwaves and wildfires, and that parliament had to act.…
Because reducing Scotland’s less than 0.1% contribution to global greenhouse emissions will prevent all those floods, heatwaves [sic] and wildfires in Scotland that are solely attributable to human-made greenhouse gas emissions?
LikeLike
“Scottish government drops heat pumps bill for second time”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg43639zdg7o
The Scottish government has dropped legislation for greener heating systems in homes and businesses for the second time this year.
A heat in buildings bill aimed at driving the switch from the likes of gas boilers to heat pumps was originally drawn up by former Green minister Patrick Harvie.
That bill was torn up earlier this year amid concerns it would increase fuel poverty but ministers promised to bring forward alternative proposals. [My emphasis].
Now that too has been scrapped, with Housing Secretary Mairi McAllan saying she wanted to see “crucial detail” in the UK government’s forthcoming warm homes plan before taking a bill through parliament.
The issue has instead been pushed back beyond next year’s Holyrood election.
Harvie said the latest delay was a “pathetic capitulation” and an “act of climate surrender“. [sic]
Environmental groups also hit out, with Friends of the Earth calling it a “cowardly decision” and WWF Scotland saying it was a “major setback”….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice (global heating) weather up in sunny Scotland at present, just perfect for a heat pump.
You have to laugh at “Friends of the Earth calling it a “cowardly decision”. Well send your top, well payed team to the highlands in winter then report back.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If someone wants a heat pump, well, let him buy one. No-one is standing in his way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Doug Brodie’s article about the Scottish government’s consultation on its mad net zero plans can be found here:
https://metatron.substack.com/p/dissecting-scotlands-economy-wrecking
LikeLike
“Diesel trains to run on new £144m electric line”
vhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxgyzl5d2qo
A quarter of the trains running on the newly-electrified £144m rail line between East Kilbride and Glasgow Central will be diesel, ScotRail has confirmed….
…ScotRail said only about 75% of services would be operated by the new greener electric trains with the rest remaining the current polluting diesel trains.
ScotRail said it was in the process of procurement for a new fleet but no timescale was given for when they would begin service.…
…the six-carriage class 156 diesel trains, which operate at rush hour, will continue to run in their existing format….
LikeLike