MP David Ward hits out over plans to merge Shipley and Idle fire stations (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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More concerns over West Yorkshire fire service shake-up plans
7:00am Tuesday 16th October 2012 in News
MP David Ward
A Bradford MP who has backed a petition against the planned closure of two fire stations said he was “sceptical” about assurances over public safety.
David Ward, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bradford East, yesterday urged the public to sign an online petition to stop the proposed closure of Shipley and Idle fire stations as part of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s plans to save about £8million.
Under the controversial plans, their crews will be merged at a new station in Canal Road, Bradford, which would mean doubling response times for firefighters to reach emergencies in some areas.
Mr Ward and Bradford Council Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Jeanette Sunderland previously raised fears lives could be put at risk with chief fire officer Simon Pilling and Fire Brigades Union (FBU) representatives.
Mr Ward said yesterday: “The chief fire officer was certain in his own mind that there would be adequate cover but we are less than certain about the alternative site for a new station proposed for Canal Road.
“We are somewhat sceptical about the statistics they have shown us about the speeds that emergency vehicles can get to certain areas.
“It could take nine minutes to get to serious cases but the FBU will tell you – and they have evidence they have filmed – that if there is a fire in a room then in five minutes it will be more or less gone.”
Coun Sunderland, who launched the petition to save Shipley and Idle stations, said “vulnerable” people living in flats on Thorpe Edge and Ravenscliffe would face the longest response times under the fire service proposals.
She said: “The time it will take to get to fires in some areas of my ward will double and the figures that the fire service have produced are just for fires, they have not shown us figures for responding to road accidents.”
To sign the online petition, visit http://bradfordlibdems.org.uk/en/petition/stop-the-closure-of-shipley-and-idle-fire-stations
Comments(17)
Truth77
says...
8:48am Tue 16 Oct 12
Shame on them
Mik_e
says...
8:51am Tue 16 Oct 12
Although supposedly cutting back, senior fire officers are provided with expensive cars, at a cost of many thousands of pounds per annum, when much smaller & cheaper ones would suffice, are no savings being made with regard to this ?
Albion.
says...
10:04am Tue 16 Oct 12
angry bradfordian
says...
11:16am Tue 16 Oct 12
Albion. wrote:I asked this the last time the union were threatening that lives were at risk.
Are there some areas which will actually have a shorter response time because of this?
I assume that a new station on Canal Rd would actually be nearer to more densely populated areas like Manningham, so more people may be saved in these areas. Wouldn't expect an unbiased opinion from the union though!
scottie dog
says...
11:24am Tue 16 Oct 12
angry bradfordian wrote:No more than I would expect an unbiased opinion from the fire brigade chiefs.
Albion. wrote:I asked this the last time the union were threatening that lives were at risk.
Are there some areas which will actually have a shorter response time because of this?
I assume that a new station on Canal Rd would actually be nearer to more densely populated areas like Manningham, so more people may be saved in these areas. Wouldn't expect an unbiased opinion from the union though!
A Casual Observer
says...
1:09pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Marty12
says...
1:55pm Tue 16 Oct 12
scottie dog wrote:Apart from the fact that the chiefs are public servants with a duty not to lie. The unions however...
angry bradfordian wrote:No more than I would expect an unbiased opinion from the fire brigade chiefs.Albion. wrote: Are there some areas which will actually have a shorter response time because of this?I asked this the last time the union were threatening that lives were at risk. I assume that a new station on Canal Rd would actually be nearer to more densely populated areas like Manningham, so more people may be saved in these areas. Wouldn't expect an unbiased opinion from the union though!
Marty12
says...
1:57pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Mik_e wrote:Why not give them bus passes instead?
Keep in mind that MPs will support anything that could win them a few votes. Although supposedly cutting back, senior fire officers are provided with expensive cars, at a cost of many thousands of pounds per annum, when much smaller & cheaper ones would suffice, are no savings being made with regard to this ?
;-(
Marty12
says...
1:59pm Tue 16 Oct 12
A Casual Observer wrote:Yes they will. People who can't make their mind up about anything, don't like real-world policies and who haven't a clue about public finances will always be attracted to the wishy-washy-aren't-I
Mr. Ward's party ought to have thought of all this before they climbed in bed with the Tories. No one will ever vote Lib Dem again!
-nice party.
Dragon Saddle
says...
3:52pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Stop playing the blame game. We are ALL guilty of allowing previous Governments to run up the national credit card. That's why we are in this mess.
A Casual Observer
says...
5:08pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Marty12 wrote:Except that now we all know full well that they are not the "nice party" as they dropped their knickers to share power with the Nasty Party.
A Casual Observer wrote:Yes they will. People who can't make their mind up about anything, don't like real-world policies and who haven't a clue about public finances will always be attracted to the wishy-washy-aren't-I
Mr. Ward's party ought to have thought of all this before they climbed in bed with the Tories. No one will ever vote Lib Dem again!
-nice party.
A Casual Observer
says...
5:14pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Dragon Saddle wrote:No, we are in this mess because of the unregulated greed of Capitalism. Labour governments always increase public spending, Conservatives always cut spending, but both were caught out by the out-of-control American mortgage market and the greed-driven bankers and Vulture Capitalists.
These cuts are designed to save money, not lives. Sign the petition, share it and tweet it.
Stop playing the blame game. We are ALL guilty of allowing previous Governments to run up the national credit card. That's why we are in this mess.
The Tory cuts to public spending are entirely unnecessary, highly vindictive, and aimed at targeting the poorest and most vulnerable in society, who are told they must suffer in order that the rich continue to cling to their wealth. The Lib Dems are complicit to the Tories Class War now being waged against the people.
That's why we are in this mess.
Albion.
says...
5:57pm Tue 16 Oct 12
A Casual Observer wrote:YOU are why we are in this mess.
Dragon Saddle wrote:No, we are in this mess because of the unregulated greed of Capitalism. Labour governments always increase public spending, Conservatives always cut spending, but both were caught out by the out-of-control American mortgage market and the greed-driven bankers and Vulture Capitalists.
These cuts are designed to save money, not lives. Sign the petition, share it and tweet it.
Stop playing the blame game. We are ALL guilty of allowing previous Governments to run up the national credit card. That's why we are in this mess.
The Tory cuts to public spending are entirely unnecessary, highly vindictive, and aimed at targeting the poorest and most vulnerable in society, who are told they must suffer in order that the rich continue to cling to their wealth. The Lib Dems are complicit to the Tories Class War now being waged against the people.
That's why we are in this mess.
allinittogether
says...
6:44pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Marty12 wrote:You my friend should go into stand up comedy. That's just pure gold!
scottie dog wrote:Apart from the fact that the chiefs are public servants with a duty not to lie. The unions however...
angry bradfordian wrote:No more than I would expect an unbiased opinion from the fire brigade chiefs.Albion. wrote: Are there some areas which will actually have a shorter response time because of this?I asked this the last time the union were threatening that lives were at risk. I assume that a new station on Canal Rd would actually be nearer to more densely populated areas like Manningham, so more people may be saved in these areas. Wouldn't expect an unbiased opinion from the union though!
A Casual Observer
says...
11:40pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Albion. wrote:Oh really? How do you work that out? Is it because of all those illicit Billions I have stashed in off-shore accounts? Or perhaps the Mansion I live in? The financial mess is not, and can not be, the fault of those at the bottom of the pile. Anyone with more than two brain cells can see that.
A Casual Observer wrote:YOU are why we are in this mess.
Dragon Saddle wrote:No, we are in this mess because of the unregulated greed of Capitalism. Labour governments always increase public spending, Conservatives always cut spending, but both were caught out by the out-of-control American mortgage market and the greed-driven bankers and Vulture Capitalists.
These cuts are designed to save money, not lives. Sign the petition, share it and tweet it.
Stop playing the blame game. We are ALL guilty of allowing previous Governments to run up the national credit card. That's why we are in this mess.
The Tory cuts to public spending are entirely unnecessary, highly vindictive, and aimed at targeting the poorest and most vulnerable in society, who are told they must suffer in order that the rich continue to cling to their wealth. The Lib Dems are complicit to the Tories Class War now being waged against the people.
That's why we are in this mess.
Albion.
says...
6:35am Wed 17 Oct 12
A Casual Observer wrote:Too many choose to remain at the bottom of the pile! You are restricted by negativity, everyday you hijack every thread that you can to bleat on about how the Tories are intent on wrecking everything! Your personal lot won't change whoever is in power, because you won't be bothered to make it change. "Anyone with more than two brain cells" is managing better than you are (including me!).
Albion. wrote:Oh really? How do you work that out? Is it because of all those illicit Billions I have stashed in off-shore accounts? Or perhaps the Mansion I live in? The financial mess is not, and can not be, the fault of those at the bottom of the pile. Anyone with more than two brain cells can see that.
A Casual Observer wrote:YOU are why we are in this mess.
Dragon Saddle wrote:No, we are in this mess because of the unregulated greed of Capitalism. Labour governments always increase public spending, Conservatives always cut spending, but both were caught out by the out-of-control American mortgage market and the greed-driven bankers and Vulture Capitalists.
These cuts are designed to save money, not lives. Sign the petition, share it and tweet it.
Stop playing the blame game. We are ALL guilty of allowing previous Governments to run up the national credit card. That's why we are in this mess.
The Tory cuts to public spending are entirely unnecessary, highly vindictive, and aimed at targeting the poorest and most vulnerable in society, who are told they must suffer in order that the rich continue to cling to their wealth. The Lib Dems are complicit to the Tories Class War now being waged against the people.
That's why we are in this mess.
idleone says...
7:17am Tue 16 Oct 12