Fire engines in west London look doomed after London Mayor Boris Johnson agreed to reduce numbers in the capital.
Appliances from Chelsea, Willesden and Ealing stations are expected to be lost after a London Fire Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) meeting on March 9 saw members vote in favour of the permanent removal of 13 engines.
The Mayor’s office say savings will be invested into frontline officers, but other politicians and union reps have said he is treating voters with disdain and risking lives.
The 13 engines,including those already mentioned and Wandsworth , which regularly assists with incidents in Hammersmith and Fulham, were temporarily removed from frontline services over two years ago.
In November last year, getwestlondon reported that the London Fire Commissioner recommended to permanently take the fire engines out of service in a bid to save money from the 2016/17 budget, and opposed an option drawn up by the LFEPA to have them returned to service.
Last month Mr Johnson said he favoured the option of removing the engines, and following this month’s meeting the decision was ratified.
There is a possibility that some of the 13 engines previously removed would return to service, with cuts falling on other stations, but Chelsea’s Fire Brigade Union rep Stephen Stephenson thinks this is unlikely. He said: “We are assuming that it is the 13 fire engines that are already missing that are going to go.
“It’s sad. The public don’t want it, the local authority as a whole don’t want it but Boris wants it and he’s being aided by the commissioner.
“We know we are stretched but I don’t think some of these politicians realise what it means - they do not have to make the extra journey times. We have to make do and amend but the challenges we face rescuing people will be greater.”
'Fires and deaths at record low'
A spokesperson for the London Mayor said: “After carefully considering the issues raised by LFEPA and the results of the public consultation exercise, he decided to direct LFEPA to follow the Fire Commissioner’s preferred option.
“Fires and fire deaths in London remain at a record low as the London Fire Brigade continues to do an excellent job. In the two and half years since these 13 appliances have been held back from the frontline, response time targets have continued to be comfortably met.
“The savings achieved by their permanent removal will now allow more money to be invested in frontline officers, and help fund vital long term work to continue reducing the number of fires and deaths in the capital for many years to come.”
'Mayor's disregard for the safety of Londoners'
Labour’s London Assembly member Murad Qureshi said the plans were going ahead despite 82% of Londoners opposing them. He said: “Boris Johnson’s dictatorial approach in forcing through these cuts betrays his utter disdain for proper democratic process.
"Local people in Kensington and Chelsea are going to be understandably furious that the Mayor has ignored their views and forced through his cuts to their local fire services.
“The Mayor’s decision to impose these cuts shows a disregard for the safety of Londoners, particularly when alternatives were available. Last time the Mayor axed fire engines in Kensington and Chelsea the result was an increase in how long it takes fire crews to get to incidents.
“Boris should have learnt from that mistake and backed down on these unnecessary cuts.”
