Thank you for your letter of the 9th April. I shall take each of your points in turn.

1. Dungeness.
I have never been in favour of nuclear energy. It is very costly and extremely dangerous. It also gives a key area to terrorists. Even with Sellafield in the North of England, problems seem to have been covered up. When I taught at South Kent COT many years ago, I had a student who was in his thirties, who had actually been contaminated.
As a gesture the authorities promoted him to the position of engineer eventhough he was not suitably qualified.

2. Renewable energy.
I am in two minds about 'Wind Farms' they are clean and friendly to the environment but they are not very efficient. Many years ago I studied these as part of my dissertation. The problem is that you need many of them, which can cause a 'blot' on the landscape.

3. GM Foods.
I am against GM foods. My feeling is that food should be as natural as possible. Also, the seed manufacturers use this to make money by preventing the seeds from the plants to be used in future years. This will affect those unfortunates in the 'Third World' countries.

4. Emergency Plan.
I regard this as a joke. To have the correct protection against nuclear attack will cost millions of pounds (£), something the government will not pay out. What is needed is tighter control and a friendly approach to would be terrorists. Passing the responsibility to Local Authorities is another way of ignoring the issue. I am sure that it is easier to sabotage a nuclear power station than try to smuggle nuclear bombs into this country.

5. Cycling.
I fully support all forms of cycle routes. Every day I cycle from my house to work, a distance of 9 miles each way. I would like to see more emphasis placed on companies to provide showers and changing facilities for those who wish to travel this way. I teach in a school where showers are provided so I take a change of clothing with me.

6 Operation Stack.
I campaigned against the noise from the M20 through my village. I was a 'voice in the wilderness' and was told by the Parish Council that I was wasting my time. I wrote to everybody including the Prime Minister and eventually got a result. My view is that freight should where possible, be put on the railways. They should only travel the shortest distance by road. If this is not possible then all lorries should be kept on the motorways and pays an appropriate cost towards pollution and 'wear and tear'.

7. Recycling.
Shepway is not doing enough. I would like to see more encouragement to those who dump car and other waste in the country lanes, to take them to a central place to be recycled. There should be a purge on those who throw litter on the streets. Taking the message to schoolchildren, especially the very young, could make a start. As I tell the pupils at my school, this is our environment so keep it free from litter. Go to any school and see the rubbish that is dropped by children.
Their habit's go with them through their life so start when they are young.

I hope that I have covered all the points mentioned.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
F J Turton