A THURSO mum-of-four was among protesters who gathered at the airport in Wick yesterday, calling for an end to the transatlantic movements of bomb-grade nuclear material from Dounreay. Kerry Montgomery was joined by far north MP Paul Monaghan and individuals from Skerray and Muir of Ord to make their voices heard in the demonstration organised by Highlands Against Nuclear Transport (HANT). They are furious at the secrecy and lack of consultation which surrounded a flight which left on Saturday morning with the first consignment of highly enriched uranium from the atom plant. The operation to transfer 700 kilos of the fuel to the Savannah River complex in South Carolina over the next 18 months has been facilitated by an £8 million upgrade of the runway.
John O Groat Journal 26th Sept 2016 read more »
NUCLEAR chiefs need to use two Scottish airports to transport deadly waste to the US – because the first airstrip isn’t big enough. Authorities spent £8 million of taxpayers’ money upgrading Wick John O’Groats Airport in Caithness this summer to fly high-grade nuclear waste to America. The waste deal concocted by former Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama meant highly enriched uranium – the basic building block for making a nuclear bomb – was to be flown from Wick to the US in return for “medical grade” uranium to make radio isotopes for detecting cancer. Airport bosses say they “strengthened” the runway over the summer so it could cope with heavy load planes. But they didn’t extend it. It’s now been revealed that the airstrip is too short for a plane carrying nuclear waste and a full tank of fuel to take off from the remote airport. Instead, on September 17, transport chiefs were forced to re-route the C-17 Globemaster jet to RAF Lossiemouth in Moray to fill up its tank before heading to the States on its secretive maiden voyage. Insiders at the base say they have been told the practice is set to be extended for the next year at least. It means the deadly nuclear cargo will take off and land on the outskirts of the Moray town as well as in Wick.
Sunday Post 2nd Oct 2016 read more »