Nuclear waste convoy progresses towards German storage site

A trainload of nuclear waste made its way toward a disputed storage site in northern Germany today, despite efforts by demonstrators to block its route.

The train, carrying 12 containers of reprocessed waste from a plant at La Hague, France, to the Gorleben storage site, crossed into Germany yesterday and was held up temporarily by a group of protesters.

Overnight, police said they arrested 15 people who tried to delay the train in the university city of Goettingen. Another 11 were arrested further along the route, but police said the train was not stopped.

The convoy was expected to arrive later today in the town of Dannenberg, where it will be loaded onto trucks for the last few miles of its journey.

Farmers blocked a road in the area with about 100 tractors yesterday. Police removed the vehicles overnight.

The annual waste transport has become a favourite target of anti-nuclear demonstrators. The Gorleben facility is also disliked by farmers in the area who say they fear that having radioactive waste in the area undermines the reputation of their produce.

German authorities have deployed 10,000 officers to patrol the route.