By Maxine McArthur 

West Dunbartonshire Council has been criticised for failing to prepare for a nuclear convoy accident as it passes through Clydebank.

Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, said local councils and the Scottish Government are failing in their duties to protect the public from the risk of accidents involving convoys of nuclear weapons heading for Royal Navy armaments depot at Coulport in Argyll and Bute.

A new report by Nukewatch UK, a group that monitors nuclear weapons movements, highlights Freedom of Information requests from the Greens which reportedly reveal that the council has not conducted risk assessments in relation to the convoys, nor has it taken any proactive steps to inform the public about the risks or explain how the council would respond to an incident.

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By contrast, the emergency plan relating to the Clyde naval and armament bases requires local residents to be informed every three years about how they should respond to an emergency.

Mr Greer said: “It will surprise and shock many residents in West Dunbartonshire to learn that nuclear weapons loaded onto lorries routinely pass by houses and schools in our communities on their way to the navy depot at Coulport.

“Regardless of their opinions on these weapons, what everyone will find disturbing is that West Dunbartonshire Council have not assessed the risk the convoys pose. This is despite councils being Category One Responders and expected to be among the first to deal with any incident.

“West Dunbartonshire Council’s failure to conduct specific risk assessment on the transportation of nuclear weapons is concerning. It means that they have not made any changes to policies or procedures for responding to a major incident. Given that the UK’s nuclear arsenal is stored here, this lack of preparation isn’t acceptable.”

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However, the council claims the issue is dealt with at a national level – despite neighbouring council Argyll and Bute offering details of their assessment plan.

A West Dunbartonshire Council spokesman said nuclear convoys are managed by the Ministry of Defence and the Scottish Government, with input from Police Scotland.

He added: “There is no requirement on the MoD to inform councils of any such transports, although police are always informed and can choose to advise the local authority.

“Related risk assessments are carried out at a national level and covered in the Community Risk Registers.”

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Clydebank central councillor Bailie Denis Agnew said the police and MoD should inform the council in order to allow it to create such a strategy.

He told the Clydebank Post: “It should be incumbent on the armed forces and the police to ensure that West Dunbartonshire Council is informed as and when convoys are moving through the area.