Anyone who has worked in the rail industry will be familiar with the term “organic duckweed”. Roger Ford of Modern Railways magazine coined it to characterise Whitehall opposition to rail electrification. An electric railway is cheaper to run, more reliable, cleaner and quieter. Despite this, the Department for Transport argued against electrification on the ground that some yet-to-be-developed power source, such as ultra-cheap hydrogen from pond algae, might make electric traction redundant. Hence “organic duckweed” as shorthand for successive ministers’ faith in implausible solutions that are – always – just over the horizon.
Now a similar approach is being deployed for aviation. The chancellor claims production of sustainable aviation fuels will – sometime, somehow – offset the impact of the extra flights (Report, 26 January). So, I look forward to my first flight powered by organic duckweed. Until then, the government should enhance more down-to-earth transport systems, rather than indulge in flights of fancy at Heathrow airport.
Allan Dare
Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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