PR1503 - 5 March 2009

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Dacorum Borough Council has formally signed off safety works undertaken by BP at the Buncefield oil depot site.

The sign-off follows a year of inspections by the Borough Council, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Environment Agency to check that BP had met 55 safety criteria set out in a legal agreement drawn up in February 2008.

Up until now planning restrictions have meant that the company could use its existing tanks at the depot for storing aviation fuel only. The stringent criteria were set to ensure that the HSE and Environment Agency could confirm to the Council that they both were satisfied with the safety of operations at the site before any moves by BP towards storing ground fuel like petrol or diesel.

Cllr Ian Reay said:"The safety of local people and businesses and the prosperity of the Maylands business area has always been our primary concern. However, we have to recognise the national significance of fuel supply through Buncefield.

"The list of safety criteria which we have now signed off was compiled from reports by the Buncefield Standards Task Group and the Major Incident Investigation Board. We have done all we can to ensure the highest possible standards of safety at the site."