I am writing on behalf of the Green Party about your article dealing with our report on the Runcorn Docks gas leak.

It's really good news that EVC and Manchester Ship Canal have taken on board the issue of a gas-sensing warning klaxon and provision of information.

But really a risk assessment relating to the whole of the estate should be carried out and I fear this will not happen.

Even with a klaxon sounding because of the unregulated nature of the estate if there were open fires these could not be extinguished in time and there could be fatalities. At the least a schedule of VCM deliveries should be given to the industrial units so that they can curtail their burning activities when VCM is being unloaded.

This was something that the owners of the units brought up with us on our first visit. It's interesting though that Manchester Ship Canal state that there are many inaccuracies in our report.

We did send MSC and EVC a copy of it so that they could inform us of what they considered to be inaccuracies so that we could open up the debate - however both declined - I wonder why?

HSE who are the responsible agency for on shore matters were much more amenable to our comments and I suspect they have some sympathy for the points we were expressing. An analogy they offered was that of lightning striking - as a hazard it is one of the highest in potential consequences but the risks are infinitesimal.

Derek Mellor

For and on behalf of

the Green Party Halton