President's Blog

August 22

 
Abinay Ramani raised the question after having lived around the world  -  why is it that the UK is so slow in responding to bad weather conditions? The smallest amount of snow fall, flooding or even leaves on the railway line and transport grinds to a halt. Just what frequency of an event occurring do we need to have serious countermeasures available? Hard frost is a certainty across the UK in winter and so we are well equipped to salt and grit roads, but we don't need a vast fleet of snowploughs in the south. Or do we? Surely the cost to the economy of a day, or even two disrupted by snow, far outweighs the cost of retaining snowplough capacity. Is this the same for recent flooding or are the effects sufficiently local that additional spend on countermeasures is not warranted?

A month's rain in four hours is unlikely to be repeated in the same location so it may be more sensible to 'pay as you go' for the damage rather than try to fight nature on a very wide basis. I am sure this message would not be welcome to the hundreds of businesses and householders that were flooded (with whom I stress I have great sympathy with), after having lived alongside the Thames in Oxfordshire for many years . My question is at at what point do we implement the countermeasures to combat nature? You could extend this to global warming ie. let it happen then manage round the effects. Or have I opened a Pandora's Box?!

Had an evening with the Aberdeen committee and other members. It was fascinating  to hear their views and also light relief from two days of offshore survival training. Being immersed in a swimming pool while hanging upside down in a simulated helicopter and then escaping back to the surface certainly gets the adrenalin running. At least I am now cleared for offshore trips over the next three years..

Despite August being a traditionally 'quiet' month in the business and IMechE calendar, I am still as busy as ever and the new Fellows lunches I attend at Bird Cage Walk HQ are a great chance to hear views from some of the top people in the engineering profession. 

In addition, we are preparing a number of documents for the UK government and with an election looming (any ideas when?) is now the right time to 'set the agenda' for engineering and lobby, lobby, lobby. My area is energy and we are also looking at transport. I am pleased the IMechE is delving into this area at its Managing Carbon Credits and Emissions Event on 11 September, but I want to know if you think there are any other themes other than our current four of Energy, Environment, Education and Transport, that you feel we need to push?

Yours Aye

John Baxter 

August 2

I am sure many of you watched last week's news of the floods. Some of you may even have been affected in some way by the misery they caused.

In my opinion, the chain of events that ensued following the floods proved a graphic reminder of this country's vulnerability of critical services to the effects of weather. 
Severe flooding somewhere in the UK seems to be the norm each summer. The government and the engineering community need to get their act together now as plans for a massive house building programme are developed. Covering more of the SE of England with concrete and tarmac can only lead to more flash floods, in my opinion.

The media may be keen to pinpoint the flooding on climate change but in my view this is just part of the ever changing weather patterns that have happened over the millennia. Isn't it a sobering thought just how easily water supplies can be lost to a huge area of the UK and how close we were to losing one or a number of key electricity sub-stations in Gloucestershire?  My old town of Abingdon had flooding in a number of places that hasn't been seen for 50 or more years. 

We are taking action. In concert with the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institutions are ploughing their efforts and expertise on a submission to government on sustainable energy.  This is a proactive step and will provide ideas on a range of topics but ideas are not enough - actions speak louder than words. With the politicians off on their summer recess and thoughts of an early election as they return in September I am not confident of a clear direction being identified this side of 2008!

I would be interested in your thoughts on what we need to do to bring about change on such a fundamental scale?

Flooding aside, I joined in part of the 'Investing in Alternative Energy' seminar with fellow engineers, bankers, investors and lawyers having an active debate on how to promote this market.  Energy continues to stay with us as a hot topic, and is indeed a key theme for the IMechE. The format of keynote addresses and roundtable cafe sessions was really invigorating and the delegates saw it as very valuable.  I applaud the professionalism on every front that made the event a success. The IMechE prides itself on having a great building steeped in history and in a prime location and being so close to the UK government we have no problem attracting people to use the building. Pity I missed Gordon Brown when he attended a meeting Birdcage Walk recently! 

I was greatly impressed with the breadth and depth of talent from our young engineers when I visited Formula Student at Silverstone. It was an outstanding success and it is already well reported in the main website. All I need to say is what a great showcase for IMechE and a huge thanks to everyone that made it possible.