Explosive issue

The catastrophe which has overtaken VW – and who seriously believes it is the sole culprit – is another fall-out of green hysteria and wholly unrealistic emissions targets.

Why on earth did the powerful auto industry not tell government bureaucrats the target was unachievable, rather than accepting it and finding a way to circumvent it?

The industry was developing entirely new designs to eradicate most emissions in the 1980s when regulators peremptorily insisted all engines be fitted with catalytic converters.

Research was halted, so engine designs are essentially those of the 1920s, and bus drivers in particular should be banned from leaving them running for long periods when parked.

Yet diesel is far less explosive than petrol, and its wholesale replacement by the latter in cars, buses, lorries and trains will lead to a serious rise in deaths by fire after accidents.

Dr John Cameron

Howard Place

St Andrews