The convoy carrying nuclear warheads left the AWE Burghfield near Reading, Berkshire, this morning and has travelled up to RAF Wittering where it will park up over night. Tomorrow (Thursday) it is expected to travel up to Albermarle barracks, on Hadrian's Wall near Newcastle, where it will park up in the high security compound inside the base before leaving for Coulport the following morning.
The last convoy travelled up to Coulport via the A1 and on the by-pass around Edinburgh after protestors had publicised it would come up the A74(!) We're pretty confident it will go through Stirling however because the roadworks on the Kingston Bridge stop it going through Glasgow on the M8.
The convoy will be carrying Trident nuclear warheads for the submarines based at Faslane. Although there is isn't a risk of a nuclear explosion in the event of an accident, a serious accident could lead to the high explosive contained in the warhead detonating and scattering the highly radioactive and toxic plutonium dust over a wide area just like a so called 'dirty-bomb'. Breathing in a minute speck of plutonium, which has a half-life of 24,000 years, can lead to a 50:50 chance of lung cancer. Each warhead contains several kg of plutonium. There is no reliable way of cleaning up after such an accident.
The convoys travel on the busiest roads in Scotland and close to the most built up areas and thousands could be affected in the event of an accident.
Protestors from the NukeWatch network will be out tracking the convoy as well as holding roadside protests as it passes. Last time there were protests in Stirling and in Balloch with protestors dressed as weapons inspectors.
We're trying to organise transport leaving Partick underground at midday on Friday to take people to a roadside protest. More details phone Scottish CND: 0141 423 1222 or Nukewatch on 01436 679194 or Faslane Peace Camp on 01436 820901.
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