09 September 2007

Nuclear Transports To Scotland

Alex Salmond will be holding a summit of anti-nuclear/anti-Trident campaigners next month.

One of his ideas is to try and ban the transportation of nuclear weapons on Scottish soil.

Convoys of 10 or more vehicles from the Atomic Weapons Establishment (Aldermaston, Berkshire) to the Royal Naval Armaments Depot (Coulport, Argyllshire) up to six times a year.

You might have seen a convoy yourself. Here are some tips to spot one.

What is dangerous is that each convoy travels 400 miles by public road. A MOD freedom of information release revealed that there have been 50 "engineering incidents" and 17 "operational accidents" to convoy vehicles on Scottish roads in the past seven years. Safety incidents recorded include fuel leaks, a series of broken valves and instances of engine and brake overheating. In May 2007, a convoy on its way to Scotland even lost its way near Nottingham and ended up in a residential estate.

Eventually, there will be a major incident, either by accident, or through terrorism.

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