The report referring to a large increase in radioactive discharges once again raises concerns about what is actually happening at Dounreay (Alarm at plans for huge increase in radioactive discharges from Dounreay, News, December 23).

It appears saving money is being put ahead of safety.

It has been regularly reported that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) wishes to close Dounreay as quickly as possible. One result is the current controversial transport of 44 tonnes of highly radioactive spent fuel 400 miles by rail, from Dounreay to Sellafield.

The NDA has asserted that savings of millions of pounds can be made by this transport when they previously indicated that the spent fuel could be safely stored at Dounreay.

What should be concerning to Highland Council and Sepa (the Scottish Environment Protection Agency) is that these reported "savings" could be putting the lives of tens of thousands of people at risk from accident or terrorist attack linked to this rail transport, or from any increase in discharges around Dounreay, which are already unacceptably high. I trust that Highland Council and Sepa will act sooner rather than later to reassure the public and to take action before it is too late.

Tor Justad

Strathpeffer