The UK & Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) today publishes a detailed analysis considering the wide range and large number of transports of nuclear materials around the UK and Europe, and from the UK to other countries. The report highlights nuclear transports are continuing to increase and remain a concern from the perspective of an accident or malicious incident taking place with one of them. Nuclear transport is of particular concern to the NFLA as radioactive materials are at their most vulnerable when they are being transported off site, as they are away from dedicated safe storage facilities and are in an ‘uncontrolled’ environment where they face a greater level of risk. The report considers in detail the following transports: The safety of nuclear weapon road convoys – it considers recent reports by the Nuclear Information Service, ICAN UK and Nukewatch Scotland. The future transport by road of vehicles containing redundant submarine reactors from Rosyth and Devonport to Capenhurst by road. The report highlights the sheer number of road transports involving nuclear materials as well. The transport by rail of spent nuclear fuel from existing and decommissioned reactors, with particular focus on the rail transports of radioactive materials from Dounreay to Sellafield. It also highlights learning points from recent conventional rail transport accidents. The transport of radioactive materials by sea around the British Isles and globally to fulfil international contracts. The transport of highly enriched uranium materials stored at Dounreay by air to a site in South Carolina, United States. There is also reference to a historical list of accidents involving planes with nuclear weapons.
NFLA 22nd June 2021 read more »
