SOUTH WEST Wiltshire MP Andrew Murrison has said he is “appalled” by proposals that could see Mere Fire Station close, as a public consultation on the plans opens today (February 13).
The consultation, launched by Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, will run until May 15 and covers proposals to close eight on-call fire stations.
In Wiltshire, the stations under review are Bradford on Avon, Mere, Ramsbury and Wilton.
Dr Andrew Murrison – South West Wiltshire MP
When questioned about the proposals and the public consultation, Dr Murrison told the Gazette: “I’m appalled by the proposed reduction in cover implied by the consultation document.
“Fear we might lose small Wiltshire fire stations close to the Dorset border was one of the reasons I sought reassurances at the time the amalgamation of the two county services was being considered.
“It’s a challenge to recruit and keep the part-time retained fire fighters who operate small fire stations like Mere. Closing them will make the situation very much worse.
“I would urge my neighbours in and around Mere to respond robustly to the consultation.”
The proposals follow a three-year fire cover review examining data from 2019 to 2024 across all 50 stations in the service area.
The review considered how busy stations are, response times, financial impacts, how incidents could be covered by nearby crews and existing and future community risk.
Chief fire officer Andy Cole said: “No-one wants to close fire stations. As with many public sector organisations, we continue to face significant financial challenges.
“I truly believe these proposals will help better resource the Service and save money, whilst still achieving the level of support our communities expect of us.”
He added that the Authority has not yet made a final decision and urged residents to take part before it meets on June 30 to determine the outcome.
Public meetings and online sessions will be held during March and April.
I think the very idea of closing our Fire station in Mere is absolutely shocking.! We live right next to the A303 and give the amount of accidents etc by the Mere Bypass, this feels shortsighted. How long will we have to wait if there was a serious fire for another station to be dispatched to us. Could be too late!
I cannot believe the closures are even being considered. Living somewhere like Mere. Means ambulances etc can take an age to attend emergencies, fire brigade as 1st response is so important and can save lives.
Being so close to the A303 a major trunk road prone to accidents Means the fire brigade pays an important part in accident response.