13 November 2005
MAST DESTRUCTION
Aerial ripped down over safety fears
By Norman Silvester
http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/tm_obj ... _page.html
FEARS about the safety of 200 giant phone masts being secretly built across Scotland can be exposed today.
The controversial masts - constructed along rail lines - may not be structurally sound and one has already been dismantled.
It is feared the foundations of the 96ft-high structures are not secure - meaning they could topple on to a line and derail a passenger train.
A mast in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, was taken down two weeks ago because the base was not safe Two more structures - in Burnside, near Glasgow, and in Shields Road, in Glasgow's south side - have also been subjected to checks.
The Sunday Mail revealed in October 2004 how Network Rail planned to build the masts in secret.
The £80million structures provide communications links between train drivers and signal staff.
They are being built at intervals of six miles on main routes, including the Glasgow to Edinburgh line, the west and east coast service to and from London and the West Highland Line.
Network Rail do not have to tell the public or councils where masts are being erected.
People living near masts have complained of illness, with symptoms such as nosebleeds, nausea, dizziness, rashes and loss of memory.
Radiation emissions from similar masts have been linked to outbreaks of cancer and motor neurone disease.
Anti-mast groups have now formed in Fife, Inverness-shire, South Lanarkshire and Glasgow. Locals in Burnside have also formed a campaign group - Parents and Residents Against Masts (PRAM) - and want the Scottish Parliament to change planning laws so Network Rail must ask for permission.
They have a petition of 1500 signatures backing the proposal and have also written to Network Rail Deputy Chief Executive Ian Coucher regarding the latest safety concerns.
PRAM's Mark Mulholland said: "We have concerns regarding the safely of the masts, in particular the consequences of a collapse for railway users and our families, homes and gardens.'
Last night, Network Rail admitted they were carrying out checks on bases used to secure the GSM-R masts.
A spokeswoman said: "During our standard quality checks, we became concerned about the workmanship on one of the mast bases at Uddingston.
"We have asked our contractors to relay the base as it does not meet our very high design standards.
"We are checking some of our other sites