Terror attack survival plan

Major emergency plans have been drafted to protect London in the event of a terrorist attack.

Tens of thousands of people will be evacuated from the capital in the aftermath of a nuclear or biological attack, while a special nerve centre has been opened by City authorities to keep financial services running following a major terrorist strike.

Both initiatives are in direct response to the 11 September attacks and underline how seriously the Government believes the capital could be in danger from terrorists acquiring weapons of mass destruction.

The Evening Standard can reveal that City authorities and emergency services are drafting the first blueprint to transport thousands - or even millions - of people within hours of a crisis.

It follows the Standard's revelation that London health chiefs are stockpiling antiradiation pills in case of a terrorist attack spreading nuclear debris over the city.

Nick Raynsford, the local government minister, is in charge of a Cabinet sub-committee charged with reviewing London's emergency planning in the wake of the 11 September attacks.

The exodus plan was revealed in a letter from Judith Mayhew, the City of London Corporation's chairman of policy and resources, to the all-party Commons Defence Committee as part of an inquiry into civil emergency preparations.

She wrote: "London is currently looking at methods of mass evacuation in certain geographical areas. This required very precise communication methods as does the message allowing the return of those evacuated."

She proposes arrangements with radio and television stations to broadcast instructions "in a manner which did not overdramatise the situation".

The logistical problems of an evacuation are immense. The Square Mile alone has 5,500 residents plus 280,000 workers who travel to offices each day. Other areas have far denser housing and worse transport links, making mass movement of people far trickier.

Whitehall security experts fear a terrorist incident would cause such panic that people would try to flee the city anyway, causing gridlock on roads.

Planners aim to co-ordinate trains, buses and taxis to move people safely. Train drivers would be issued with protective clothing while hundreds of police would be needed to prevent public disorder at railway stations.

Whitehall insiders say the Army would be called in to protect homes and offices from looters.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has opened its centre which is designed to be operational within an hour of an attack. "After the attack on the World Trade Center we realised it was key that the FSA has to be able to operate if its headquarters have been disrupted," said FSA spokesman John Fryer.

The London Ambulance Service is training 150 staff in specialist procedures to cope with a major CBRN - short for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear - crisis.