Evacuation terror plan

Plans were unveiled today for the mass evacuation of London in the event of a terror attack.

Hundreds of thousands of people will be moved out of the capital by train, coach and car. The Army and police will commandeer transport and set up roadblocks to create exit

routes, while councils outside London will arrange temporary shelter.

Announcing the contingency plans for the first time, anti-terror minister Nick Raynsford revealed how the huge transit operation would work in the wake of a chemical, biological or conventional strike.

The plans were unveiled as the Government's other preparations for an attack were described in a damning report as "outdated and incoherent". A leaked Metropolitan Police study warns that Whitehall's emergency advice to the public and business is either inadequate or non-existent.

The report, which has been obtained by the Evening Standard, criticises the "lack of a central focus for counter-terrorism in government" and calls for an overhaul of current plans. Mr Raynsford denied ministers were unprepared, but revealed Home Secretary David Blunkett will soon announce fresh moves to inform the public better about what to do if terrorists strike.

The minister added that the mass evacuation guidance, sent to all town hall chiefs today, "is not linked to a specific threat".

"We do not want to cause alarm. It is part of sensible preparations to cope with any eventuality," said Mr Raynsford. "In the event of an incident in part of London, there must be contingencies in place. The aim is not just to help people leave the city safely but to provide information for those authorities receiving them outside."

The plans do not relate to the evacuation of the entire capital as moving eight million people at once is impractical. But it does cater for the mass evacuation of a whole area such as the City or West End, with 300,000 residents and workers.

The minister said evacuation of part of the capital would be "a last resort" but needed to be anticipated.

Many people will be expected to leave the city by private car and the main road arteries will be cleared to help them. Others will be moved by commandeered trains, coaches and buses. If the Tube is not affected by the attack, it will also be used. Council staff will be posted to railway stations and other locations outside London to pick up passengers and give them accommodation. Mr Raynsford also published new guidance today on how to decontaminate buildings from chemical or biological damage. A highly-critical Panorama documentary called London Under Attack will this weekend allege serious flaws in current Government plans. The Tories have already seized on the Met study, commissioned from senior former Army and police experts by the Yard's anti- terror chief David Veness. The report, which has been suppressed by Whitehall, states that Government policy is "founded on the outdated premise of preventing public panic by saying as little as possible".

Tory security spokesman Patrick Mercer said: "The Government's refusal to tell Londoners what is going on is patronising and dangerous. We need a single Minister for Homeland Security to get a grip on the situation."

But Mr Raynsford said the wide variety of possible terror attacks from a Madridstyle bombings to a gas attack, made it difficult to issue public advice.

"There is a terrible risk that people will get in their minds one response that may not be suitable for all circumstances. It is not like the Second World War when everyone knew they had to go to the Underground."