IN RESPONSE to the article concerning the transportation of nuclear flasks on goods trains passing through this part of Kent (News Shopper March 7).

I am a resident on the lower area of the Stapleton Road Estate. I have noticed, while walking my small dog in this area, the passage of these containers on the railway towards Orpington Station and through Petts Wood and Bromley and so on, is quite a regular occurrence.

What really concerns me is the Eurostar train also passes frequently along this line, and although the speed of this train is supposed to be restricted, this is a fallacy.

I am a member of the Royal British Legion branch at Petts Wood, which has a small car park to the rear of the premises, backing on to the railway.

This Channel Tunnel train quite often speeds through Petts Wood Station at this point so much, that on one occasion the air compression just as I was vacating my car tore the door our of my hand and blew paper and other debris around the car park like a hurricane.

I'd say this train was travelling around a speed of 70 mph.

I shudder to think of the outcome if this train was involved in an accident with the goods train carrying nuclear containers.

The powers that be like to tell us things like this do not take place.

They do take place, what about this recent pile-up with the Land Rover straying on to the railway and the resulting terrible carnage when two trains collided?

MICK BATHE

Taylor Close

Orpington