By Alan Irving

Last updated at 12:54, Friday, 30 March 2012

More than 200 nuclear workers will start the move from Sellafield to Workington next month.

The workers will transfer into the Cattle Movement Centre where they will share the building with staff from the Rural Payments Protection Agency.

It is part of Sellafield’s plans to cut down drastically on the number of cars travelling to and from the nuclear site. There could be a reduction of a few thousand over the next few years.

In addition, nine hundred people are due to re-locate to the planned Albion Square office complex in Whitehaven.

Sellafield Ltd said yesterday: “We are in the advance stages of moving up to 220 office staff to the Rural Payments Protection Agency building in Workington, which will begin at the end of April. Longer term we plan to occupy the Albion Square office development in Whitehaven, which the NDA, Copeland council and Britain’s Energy Coast are currently pursuing.

“We are committed to working with local stakeholders to help reduce congestion on the roads of west Cumbria and are actively pursuing work streams which will have a positive impact on the number of vehicles accessing the site.

“We are currently undertaking our annual review of single vehicle occupancy tokens.”

Some staff hold tokens because of special working needs but by reducing the numbers it is hoped to encourage more car sharing.

As the Cattle Movement Centre is owned by the government, Sellafield Ltd will not have to pay rent but will cover the cost of essential services over a three-year term.

Copeland council leader Elaine Woodburn said the council was in discussions with Sellafield Ltd about the borough getting maximum benefit from Sellafield’s staff re-locations.

Meanwhile a decision is awaited on whether the ‘Sellafield Express’ service from Carlisle will run again after its six-week trial.

First published at 11:28, Friday, 30 March 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk