nuclear-news

ByCraig Williams 15 SEP 2020    

A nuclear weapons convoy passed near Glasgow this morning carrying what is believed to have been six Trident nuclear warheads.

Nukewatch UK claims the convoy left RNAD Coulport this morning on its way to Atomic Weapons Establishment Burghfield near Reading – taking a route which saw it travel over Haul Road to the A82 near Cameron House, before passing through Balloch on the A811 to Stirling.

Including an estimated 26 vehicles, the unmarked convoy is then said to have travelled along the M9 towards Edinburgh, taking the Edinburgh Bypass and then the A68 towards Jedburgh.

Nukewatch UK Campaigner Jane Tallents followed the convoy from the Edinburgh Bypass onto the A68.

She told Glasgow Live: “The convoy took the Haul Road and travelled onto the A82 before passing through Alexandria and Balloch. It was then spotted in Drymen as it made its way along the A811 towards Stirling.”

Having studied convoys like it for the last 30 years, Jane believes it was travelling with approximately six nuclear warheads to AWE Burghfield for the weapons to undergo repair works prior to being returned to RNAD Coulport and put back on the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines.
“We think two warheads were on each truck and one truck was running empty in case any of the others broke down. My guess is that there might have been six warheads on there in total.

“The convoy, which numbered around 26 vehicles, included huge lead-lined lorries carrying the nuclear warheads, along with a fire engine in case of a fire, a moving workshop, a decontamination unit, tow truck and loads of MOD police.

“The journey is usually made six times per year when they take the warheads down to refurbish them and then transport them back up again.”

Nukewatch UK tracks and monitors the convoys that transport the UK’s Trident nuclear warheads by road from Burghfield to Coulport.

Campaigner Jane believes that more people show know of the convoys that travel from Scotland to England via motorways and on small country roads.

She added: “We campaign for an end of nuclear weapons. The fact there is such a risk taken with these convoys is reason enough to get rid of them.

The convoys travel on small roads at various points of the journey and pass peoples’ houses – today it went through the village of Buchlyvie (around 18 miles north of Glasgow).

“Residents in the village could stand on their doorsteps and the nuclear convoy travels about four feet by their doors.”