Sir, It seems odd that David Buckle, chief executive of South Oxfordshire District Council, who is a non-elected public servant, should take it upon himself to seek to persuade the contractors to change their plans for demolition of the Didcot A cooling towers.

He clearly seems not to have thought things through. This is disappointing in someone identified as a council leader.

Blowing up large buildings entails risk, which is why it is trusted to professionals. If they consider, given the context and their experience, that 3-5am is the best time of the day, they have good reasons.

Although no expert, I can think of a few:

  •  A few thousand people work and live close by. Contingency planning for anything that might go wrong with the actual explosions is absolutely necessary. Both the day of the week and the time will minimise the risk.
  • A considerable amount of concrete dust particles will be launched into the atmosphere. These are a threat to people with respiratory problems. Despite mitigation with water by the contractors, these could be convected on warm currents. 3-5am is the coolest time of the day and would minimise this risk.
  • The power station is located amid small communities, which will be overburdened by traffic, even at 3am. The roads are inadequate, there is limited parking and considerable policing will be required. As Didcot Town Council leader Eleanor Hards quite rightly says, those who want to view it will get up. Even children, on occasion, manage this (think Christmas morning). It will add to the tale to tell to their own offspring, in time.

Eight thousand people converged on the Tinsley cooling towers site in Sheffield in 2008, to watch the demolition at 3am, causing mayhem (and that demolition went wrong, causing further risk). I’m just hoping that all goes well at Didcot.

Pauline Wilson

Milton Road

Sutton Courtenay