A collision would be "inevitable", MPs warn

A huge expansion of the sites, some of which could be as big as a major city, is proposed under the Energy Bill.

But a Commons Transport Committee report says maritime and shipping bodies have not been consulted about where they should be situated.

A future collision with a vessel would be "inevitable", the report warns.

The government sees the giant wind farms as key to achieving its aim of meeting 10% of Britain's energy needs using renewable resources by 2010.

Crash 'inevitable'

But the damning committee report says the entire project has been "woefully mishandled".

It expresses bewilderment that shipping bodies were not consulted and questions why the Department of Transport was not involved by the Department of Trade and Industry in drawing up the plans.

It urges the government to put existing projects on hold until they have been checked by shipping bodies.

The commercial interests of energy firms "should not compromise marine safety or the country's economic interests", the report says.

"We believe that some sort of collision, at some time, is inevitable and that plans must be put in place to deal with it, " it warns.