HAVE YOUR SAY ABOUT FIRE STATIONS

Plans for a new community fire station for Whitehaven on land at the cemetary end Meadow View proved highly controversial when they were discussed at the Bransty and Harbour Community Forum this evening (Tuesday 23rd) at St Gregory’s and St Patrick’s School, Esk Avenue, Whitehaven.

The aim of the proposals is to reduce response times for fires in the highest risk areas of Whitehaven. However, members of the public, including rank and file firemen, were most concerned that both travel times from the site for fire engines, and travel times to the site for fire fighters, may actually be worse.

Highway Engineers have apparently had an input into the proposals, and have considered the congestion, but looking at the nature of the roads where they are proposing to move the fire station, and the parking and congestion problems, it does look as though residents and firefighters with concerns about this site have a point.

The public is now being asked to comment on the proposals and people have until noon on 12th March to contribute, before the fire service submits its final business plan in spring.

You can comment on the proposals by email to:

communitystations@cumbriacc.gov.uk

or by writing to

Community Fire Station Consultation
Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service
Station Road, Cockermouth,
Cumbria CA13 9PR.


This is part of a series of consultations about the future pattern of fire service throughout Cumbria. It is planned to set up a major PFI project for the whole of the North West, which in Cumbria will include new fire stations in Whitehaven, Carlisle, Workington, Patterdale and Penrith. These will replace existing fire stations. The intention is to start work in 2009 with stations up and running in 2010 or 2011.

Other meetings in the series of consultaions in Cumbria are:

January 25 at 11am, at The Courts, Carlisle;

January 25 at 11am, at Cleator Moor Civic Hall;

February 12 at 7.30pm, at the NFU Offices on Cromwell Road, Penrith;

February 21 at 7pm, in St Peter’s Church Hall, Woodhouse, Whitehaven;

February 22 at 6.30pm, at the Copeland Athletic Stadium, near the West Cumberland Hospital;

March 2 at 10.30am, in Harraby Community Centre, Edgehill Road, Carlisle.

The plans are also on show in libraries online at www.cumbriafire.gov.uk

If you have a view on this, don't assume it's a done deal: write in to the consultation, and let your county councillors know what you think.

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