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Concerns raised in UK Parliament about safety of communities along nuclear weapons transport rout

Nuclear transport support questioned  Carluke Gazette 15 May 18 Local MSP Claudia Beamish voiced concerns about the transportation of nuclear weapons during a recent Parliamentary debate. The issue was raised following the release of the report ‘Unready Scotland’ which analyses the gaps in the civil response to transport incidents involving nuclear weapons.

Convoys transporting high explosives and radioactive material travel between the Royal Naval Armaments Depot in Coulport and sites in England, which takes them through parts of South Lanarkshire, the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. Ms Beamish questioned whether civil authorities such as the police, fire and rescue and local authorities are given enough support to ensure sufficient plans are in place to respond to emergencies of this nature. She said: “As a campaigner for nuclear disarmament I consider nuclear weapons morally unacceptable and internationally illegal. However this debate wasn’t about that.

It was about how safe their transportation is through our communities on our roads and railways. “My colleague Mark Ruskell MSP, who called for the debate, highlighted that generic risk assessments are relied upon by local authorities and information on managing hazards is only provided to the public near the Clyde Naval base but not to residents living near the route……..https://www.carlukegazette.co.uk/news/politics/nuclear-transport-support-questioned-1-4739756

May 16, 2018 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general