The GLA is calling for an urgent review of safety and emergency procedures for the transportation of dangerous nuclear waste through Battersea and other parts of London.

The GLA's Nuclear Waste Trains Investigative Committee has been looking into the issue since March and published its report this week, urging the Government to review emergency planning and security measures.

The fact the committee has doubts about the safety of waste being transported through Battersea will be of alarm to many residents - especially in the current climate of heightened fear of a terrorist attack on the capital.

The trains carry spent fuel, which has been used in power stations in the south-east, through London and over Battersea Bridge to Sellafield in Cumbria, where it is reprocessed.

It is carried in specially built train carriages designed to withstand high impacts.

But the committee, which includes Wandsworth Councillor and GLA member Samantha Heath, is particularly worried about the emergency services lack of training in the event of a radiation leak.

Only the fire brigade currently take part in a nuclear exercise and one of the reports recommendations is that all services receive the training.

Coun Heath said: "There are issues around transportation of this waste that London needs to have an interest in.

"The fact we have always had terrorism in London means we are quite well prepared but security is something that needs to be considered, especially in light of the current situation."

Ms Heath wrote to the energy minister Brian Wilson to ask for a public safety review this week.

The report, which was compiled with the help of British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL), Railtrack, local authorities and the emergency services, makes several other recommendations including the use of an alternative rail route away from densely populated areas.

Battersea MP Martin Linton is backing the GLAS request for a review: "I think it's important we go ahead with a review of the risks of a nuclear accident.

"London carries much greater risk of terrorist attack than the rest of the country so we need to be prepared for every eventuality."

A spokesman for the Department of Trade and Industry said the report and its recommendations would be given full consideration.

October 23, 2001 11:00