CND calls for nuclear flight ban

The Government today rejected a call by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament for it to stop transporting nuclear cargoes by air over England and Wales. CND claimed the flights, taking place to and from the United States, were a huge danger to the public as they went over highly populated areas.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed the flights had been taking place for many years, but said international safety standards were adhered to and no accidents had ever occurred.

Dave Knight, CND chairman, called for the flights to be stopped. "The likelihood of any type of container withstanding a plane crash is minimal," he said. "It is clearly insane to fly over large centres of population carrying any radioactive material. It is simply not worth the risk to human health.

CND said nuclear materials were flown from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire over south-west England and Wales to the US.