Bathing water quality in England for the 2001 season achieved a new record of 98% compliance with EU regulations, the government announced today.

Out of 406 bathing areas, 397 passed EU tests. This year's results compare with a compliance rate of 95% in 2000 and 90% in 1999. Results for the UK as a whole were also the best to date, at 95%. For the first time ever all nine of the Blackpool-Fylde coastal bathing waters, from Fleetwood to Southport, succeeded in complying with the EU standards.

Environment minister Michael Meacher told a London news conference: "These results will probably do more to help the regeneration of coastal resorts by improving the reputation of beaches than any other single investment". Mr Meacher also informed the conference that Margot Wallstrom, the EU environment commissioner, had decided that because the Blackpool-Fylde bathing waters had complied with the clean-up standards, she is proposing to withdraw the case brought against the UK for previous non-compliance. If Ms Wallstrom had proceeded with the case, and the UK had lost, the costs would have been around £70,000 a day.

"Over half a billion pounds has gone to improving the bathing water quality in the Fylde coast," Mr Meacher said. "What was alarming was that we didn't know what more to do. We took the view that it ought to come right and it has. We will carry on the work to ensure consistent compliance in years to come."

Mr Meacher promised to go for a dip in the sea at Blackpool himself during next year's Labour conference. He told journalists: "I will, but not too early in the morning. I certainly want to commend Blackpool and show that it is entirely safe to bathe."

The government has pledged to invest funds totalling £600m up to the year 2005, aimed at further clean-up improvements and targeted at more than 100 sewage treatment works and several hundred storm overflows.