Plaid Cymru Ceredigion's Cllr Penri James has secured the backing of Plaid Cymru's European representative Jill Evans MEP to support growing calls in Ceredigion that Network Rail frequently publishes the radiation levels from the railway telecommunication masts which it plans to erect in Llandre, Bow Street and Llanbadarn Fawr. Network Rail will be legally required to monitor emission levels at the proposed masts but there is no legal requirement for them to make these statistics public at present.

Along with Cllr Penri James, Plaid Cymru's Deputy President Jill Evans MEP visited Llandre where Network Rail has already erected the first of its three railway telecommunication masts on the Cambrian Line railway in Ceredigion. During the visit, Cllr Penri James highlighted the concerns of local residents over the proximity of the mast to the village.

The photograph shows Jill Evans MEP at Llandre with Cllr Penri James, with the Network Rail mast in the background.

In July 1999, the European Council adopted a series of reference levels to serve as the basis for maximum emission levels in European member countries in order to limit the general public's exposure to electromagnetic fields in the European Union. A working group has now been established and between 2007 and 2008 it will monitor the progress of member countries in implementing the 1999 recommendation.

Cllr Penri James said:

"OFCOM requires that Network Rail, like other mast operators, must collect data on the emissions coming from the transmitters. However, there is currently no legal requirement for them to make this information available to the general public. As a gesture of goodwill to local residents, I have repeatedly asked Network Rail to make these statistics available to local community councils and elected representatives so that residents can be assured that emissions stay below Network Rail's stated targets".

Jill Evans MEP added:

"The European Union has already taken important steps in publishing recommended maximum electromagnetic levels and I expect that emissions from Network Rail's transmitters will be within these guidelines. However, I believe that given the concern that local residents have shown over the locations of these railway masts and the need for transparency on the issue, Network Rail should now consider making the emission data publicly available to put the minds of local residents at ease".

Notes:

More details on the European Council's Recommendation of 12 July 1999 (Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC) can be accessed here.