Environmental Agency ‘monitoring’ Luton’s Arriva bus depot after 300,000-litre fuel leak

The Environmental Agency says it is “monitoring the area” around Luton’s Arriva depot after 300,000 litres of fuel leaked out from its pipes.

Staff at the Dunstable Road depot have spoken about being subjected to investigation and surveillance by Arriva after the diesel went missing.

A worker, who wished to remain anonymous, told Luton News: “It's going to come to quite a lot because so far all the drains have filled up. Over 300,000 litres of diesel has gone missing."

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “Our specialist officers have visited the premises to ensure that any potential pollution has now been stopped and to assess whether the local environment has been impacted as a result.

“Environmental monitoring of the area continues whilst a full investigation into this incident is underway. As with any environmental incident, we keep enforcement options under constant review.

“Members of the public can report pollution incidents to our free 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.”

The staff member claims there were suspicions Arriva staff had been stealing the fuel before the company realised there was a leak. They said: "I'm embarrassed. The mentality over there: pass the buck, pass the buck.”

The worker continued: “It is a total mess down there. We can smell the fumes.”

An Arriva UK spokesperson confirmed the leaking pipe but insists they took ‘immediate steps to contain it’.

“The safety of our colleagues and customers is always our number one priority and as soon as we became aware of a leaking pipe at our Luton depot, we took immediate steps to isolate and contain it.

“Our inspections of the leak and the site do not suggest there are any wider concerns or impacts but we are working closely with the Environment Agency to ensure our investigations and remedial actions are appropriate, and are following the advice we have received from them.”

Luton Borough Council did not wish to issue a comment on the matter.