HELENSBURGH is prepared for the effects of an accident or attack on a nuclear convoy bringing Trident warheads to the Coulport armaments depot.

That's the promise made by Argyll and Bute Council this week after a controversial report from an anti-nuclear group claimed that councils across the UK haven't done enough to prepare for the worst.

The Nukewatch UK report, 'Unready Scotland', says local authorities have breached their legal duty to safeguard the public by failing to assess the dangers posed by the convoys, which run up to eight times a year between Aldermaston and Burghfield in Berkshire and Coulport, passing through 15 local authorities in Scotland along the way.

The Nukewatch report claims that none of the 15 authorities have carried out an assessment of the specific risks of accidents involving the convoys, or told communities how to protect themselves.

The report's authors, David Mackenzie and Jane Tallents, say: “The position of Nukewatch is clear – we do not want the transport of horrific weapons of mass destruction no matter how safe the process is perceived to be made.

“But while these weapons are forced on us as part of a nuclear armed state, let us at the very least confront the community safety issues.

“Waiting for an incident to spur us into action would be to wait too long.”

Ross Greer, Green MSP for West Scotland said: "Residents in Argyll & Bute are only too aware of the existence of these weapons of mass slaughter in the area.

“Regardless of their opinions on nuclear weapons, what everyone will find disturbing is that the council have not assessed the risk the convoys transporting these weapons pose.

“This is despite councils being Category One Responders and expected to be among the first to deal with any incident.

“Argyll and Bute 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.”

A council spokesman told the Advertiser: “Planning to protect and support the public in the event of an emergency is an important part of our work.

“Our risk preparedness assessments are reviewed annually in line with statutory guidance and in the interests of public safety with our local resilience partners.

“The latest assessments were carried out and submitted to the Scottish Government in March 2017.”

The spokesman also confirmed that communication with the public in the event of an accident involving a nuclear convoy in the area would be led by the Ministry of Defence.

Councillor Ellen Morton, who chairs the local authority's Helensburgh and Lomond area committee, said: “I'm not sure any council can say it has 100 per cent foolproof arrangements in place for every scenario possible, but I'm comfortable that there is awareness of the need for good communication between the council and all the other agencies involved.

“The council and the MoD meet on a regular basis and I'm comfortable that there is good awareness of the need to have a clear chain of command in the event of an emergency incident.”

An MOD spokesperson said: "This report appears to be highly speculative and scaremongering.

"Public safety is our absolute priority and robust arrangements are in place to ensure the safety and security of all these convoys – there has never been an incident posing a radiation hazard."