March 2003

 
Campaigners are calling for a public inquiry into nuclear transportation following the derailment today of a nuclear-waste train in Bridgwater.

The engine of a train pulling a nuclear flask came off the rails at Bridgwater Sidings. Normally the 150 tonne flask would contain highly radioactive spent fuel elements from Hinkley Point but on this occasion was empty. Campaigners complain that the flasks are more vulnerable than the nuclear industry lets on and that radioactive contamination of a wide area could occur if the flasks fell awkwardly.

Philip Booth, Gloucestershire Green Party spokesperson said, "Transporting nuclear-waste through our local towns and villages like Dursley and Stonehouse poses many hazards. If these flasks fall on their side or upside-down, perhaps down an embankment, and the lid opens then the coolant water could escape. This is crucial to the safety of the hot fuel elements which within hours would overheat and burn, allowing deadly plutonium to contaminate huge areas downwind. The fire-brigade is taught how to check for coolant loss in which case they have a very short time to rectify these unwieldy flasks."

Jim Duffy (1) from the campaigning group "Stop Hinkley", added, "Since Hinkley A shut down and defuelling started there have been an increasing number of movements of this dangerous spent fuel. BNFL, their owners have been negligent in developing the technology for local dry-storage of the fuel which they claim would take ten years (2). British Energy who own Hinkley B station do not want to reprocess their spent fuel which is unnecessary and costs them £300 million a year, contributing to their recent bankruptcy. So the Hinkley B fuel could be dry-stored on site, preventing the risk-laden movement of their particular fuel through the west-country."

Philip Booth said,"There have also been reports of radioactive material being found at loading and unloading depots, in the grease that builds up on the waste flasks, in the train wagon dirt and in soil. Radioactive contamination up to 25 times the international safety limit has been found on the outside of spent nuclear fuel flasks travelling between Britain and mainland Europe. Scandals in France and Germany about badly contaminated flasks have led to suspension of transporting nuclear waste several times."

Philip Booth concluded, "The Green Party has again called for a full, open public inquiry into all the issues surrounding the movement of this fuel in Gloucestershire. The possibility of terrorism, vandalism and tunnel-fires should be looked at and nuclear-train speeds reduced back to 45 mph from the recently increased 60mph limit. In London the Green Party members in the London Assembly have successfully campaigned for a formal inquiry into the impact of nuclear trains carrying waste through London. We need a similar inquiry here to establish all the facts and options. "

Philip Booth, Press Officer, Gloucestershire Green Party,
30 Middle Street, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 1DZ
Tel: 01453 767977      E-mail: philip.booth2@virgin.net

Notes:

(1) Jim Duffy - Stop Hinkley Coordinator 01984 632109 and 07968 974805

(2) Magnox fuel run in BNFL stations differs from AGR fuel run in British Energy stations. No method has been develpoed for local dry storage of Magnox fuel which is technically feasable for AGR (Advance Gas Reactor) fuel. Green groups advocate the local dry storage of highly radioactive fuel to minimise risks from accidents and increased routine radiation doses to people who live alongside railway lines. The fuel flasks allow a small but cumilative gamma dose to the public and caesium particles leach out of the flask paintwork and can be inhaled by local people, possibly triggering cancer. Government Planning laws require a safety distance of 100 metres of inhabited buildings and gardens from stationery flasks anf fifty metres from moving flasks. These regulations are flouted on every passage of flasks from Hinkley through the west-country.