By Newsnet.scot Reporter
The UK Defence Ministry ignored storm warnings and drove nuclear weapons material through central Glasgow and across the Erskine Bridge at the weekend, claims Scottish CND.
The convoy of four specialist lorries and a large escort of vehicles, left the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Burghfield, Berkshire, at 9am yesterday (Sunday), and was tracked by the campaign organisation Nukewatch.
It travelled north via the M6 to the M74, and passed through Glasgow using that motorway before joining the M8 at Tradeston and heading west before travelling across the Erskine Bridge.
Scottish CND allege that the convoy was most likely carrying nuclear weapons between Burghfield and the Trident nuclear base at Coulport.
SCND co-ordinator John Ainslie followed the convoy during its Sunday journey amidst heavy rain, winds, sleet and snow. It passed through Glasgow using the M74 and M8 between 11.35 and 11.55pm last night.
“The Ministry of Defence has shown a callous disregard for public safety by driving nuclear weapons through the centre of Glasgow and over Erskine Bridge while Scotland was being battered by gale force winds,” said Mr Ainslie.
“It is time we abandoned Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) and stopped the madness of taking nuclear bombs through Scotland’s largest city.”
The journey passed without incident, and is one of several thought to be undertaken each year. There were illuminated “high wind” warning sings on the approaches to the Erskine Bridge, which reaches 45 metres above the River Clyde.
Activists in Birmingham filmed the convoy as it passed the English city. The last known similar convoy took place in July 2014.
SNP Westminster Leader and Defence spokesperson Angus Robertson said: “This is hard to believe – while Scotland was being battered with gale force winds and truly awful weather – a nuclear convoy went through the heart of Scotland’s biggest city and over the Erskine Bridge.
“It is totally unacceptable and utterly chilling.
“The people of Glasgow and Scotland have made clear our opposition to nuclear weapons being based on the Clyde, but Westminster remains committed wasting up to £100bn on a new generation.”
SNP MSP Bill Kidd commented: “This practice is deeply worrying and poses an unacceptable risk to the people of Glasgow.
“The idea that weapons of mass destruction are being transported through our city while we sleep is absolutely chilling – and shows the utter folly of basing nuclear weapons just 30 miles from our biggest population centre.”
