Caroline Flint MP welcomes High Court ruling;
NGG likely to appeal


15 June 2006

Don Valley MP Caroline Flint has welcomed the High Court decision which identifies Transco (NGG) as responsible for the contamination of land which occurred under a predecessor company, in Bawtry.

Ms Flint said: "The decision is good news for residents of Ivatt Close, Gresley Avenue and the surrounding area and a first stage victory for the Environment Agency who pursued the case. I firmly believe that the polluter must pay for clearing up the damage they cause and this decision confirms the principal that a company inherits the liabilities caused by the actions of its predecessor companies."

NGG were granted leave to appeal and the case is not expected to be settled by the House of Lords until 2007.

Said Ms Flint: "The Government's priority in cases like these is to help the residents by clearing up the contamination first and then deal with who is to blame later. I am very satisfied that the Government put up over £1 million to clear up the first phase of serious contamination and has given provisional approval to Doncaster MBC to move on with Phase 2, again at a cost of about £1.3million."

The work on Phase two is now expected to begin in August.