PLANS to increase the speed limit of nuclear trains have been greeted with anger by GLA member Darren Johnson.
British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) and Railtrack are planning to increase the speed by almost 50 per cent, bringing them up to 60mph on certain sections of track. Trains carrying spent nuclear fuel regularly travel through densely-populated areas including Hither Green, Lewisham and Chislehurst Junction on the way to the Sellafield reprocessing plant, in Cumbria.
Railtrack confirmed trains operated by Direct Rail Services could now theoretically travel at up to 60mph across the entire route but, in practice, it would not affect the speed of trains travelling through London.
Lewisham resident and chairman of the waste trains committee Mr Johnson said: "This is very worrying news, coming at a time when the risk of sabotage and terrorist attack is greater than ever, and the trains are currently suspended in the US."
The committee report, published last month (October), called for an urgent technical review of the risks from the trains.
November 13, 2001 12:40
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