Advertisement
Peace group welcomes halting of nuclear trains
Date published: 23 July 2011
Rochdale and Litttleborough Peace Group has welcomed the decision to stop the running of trains carrying highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel rods, from the Sizewell A plant in Suffolk to Sellafield in Cumbria, for the duration of the Olympics in 2012.
However, they highlight current, ongoing and future risks, not just to Londoners, but also to people throughout North West England.
The trains which pass through the Olympic Park in London will be suspended for the duration of the Olympics, in a move long called for by anti-nuclear campaigners.
However, despite this decision, the trains will return after the games are over.
On behalf of the Peace Group, Philip Gilligan said: "Of course, we welcome any plan, even a temporary one that halts the running of these potentially dangerous and deadly trains, but they present a current and ongoing danger which needs to be addressed in a permanent way, not just for the duration of the Olympic Games.
“These trains routinely put anyone along their route at risk, with hazards from potential accidents as well as terrorism.
“The Government, now, plans to build two new nuclear plants in the South East which would mean decades more of these toxic cargoes passing within metres of houses, schools and hospitals, all the way from there to Cumbria.
“The consequences of an incident involving the highly radioactive spent fuel rods on these trains could affect hundreds of thousands of people. This is yet another reason why dirty, dangerous and expensive nuclear power should not play any part in finding the answer to climate change."
Comments
Actually I don't really see the point of "Boywonder" since from his/her evidently crass comments on something they so blatantly know nothing about indicate to me their total lack of historical understanding or political awareness.
No doubt ignorance that members of the founding Committee for Oxfam, who combat famine or war and hunger and the Committee for 100 who founded CND shared the same offices in the 1950s or had similar people active in both speaks volumes of them.
There is no contradiction between campaigning for a change in the government's nuclear policy and campaigning for the government to do more to bring a peaceful end to civil wars. The Peace Group is, of course, aware of and very much welcomes relevant national campaigns and the good work done by members of the World Development Movement, locally. However, we would be delighted to hear of any other relevant national or local activities 'boywonder' may be involved in.
Well said Mr Gilligan.
In a town where councillors prioritise changing their party simply to enable them to get places on committees with paid expenses rather than represent those that vote them in, your group is to be respected for standing up clearly for the issues they believe in. If the rest of the town got off their idle bottoms to make a stand the town wouldn't be the dump it is today.
Have Your Say
Don't really see the point or relevance of the peace group. They have as much chance of changing government nuclear policy as MPs and councillors not claiming inflated expenses to bump up their incomes. It would make more sense to me if they tried to save lives in Africa by campaigning for the Government to do more to stop civil wars and save real lives taken by drought, war or hunger as opposed to 'potential' lives, should there be a nuclear incident.
By boywonder @ 23/07/2011 18:27:54