Save Brighton Fire Station

Labour in Brighton and Hove has given total support to the campaign to Save Preston Circus Fire Station.

Plans to close Preston Circus Fire Station in Brighton and open a new one at an unnamed location have caused concern amongst firefighters who have approached local politicians for support and today launch a website to save the fire station.

The cost of a new fire station is believed to be in the region of £4m. The money is to be raised from the sale of the existing fire station and homes provided for firefighters, who couldn't otherwise afford to live near fire stations that provide fire cover for other parts of East Sussex.

Nancy Platts, Labour parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion said:

"The economics of this just don't stack up. ESFRS have spent nearly £1m on refurbishing the existing station and now, when public spending is tight, they want to use valuable resources to move to a new station. If there is spare cash, it should be spent on more firefighters and equipment to better serve the residents of Brighton."

Local firefighters are not convinced of the need for a new fire station.  Steve Liszka, firefighter and FBU rep said:

"The current location serves the local population well because when we are responding to an emergency, we have control of the traffic lights at Preston Circus. We can easily head in any one of five directions to get to all parts of the city. The site of the new station is shrouded in secrecy, although local rumours suggest it could be built in New England Street. If this is the case, why are we bothering to move such a short distance? Another reason cited for the relocation is that Brighton needs a community fire station. I find this claim to be rather strange as at Preston Circus we already work very closely with the local community, receiving regular visits from schools, youth and disabled groups.

If the public are concerned about the sale of Preston Circus, we invite them to visit our website www.savebrightonfirestation.com where they can write to ESFRS and the Fire Authority to make them aware of their worries. They can also sign the e-petition we have registered at 10 Downing Street."

David Lepper, Labour MP for Brighton Pavilion said,

"The fact that the former Co-op and Woolworth stores remain empty suggests that this might not be the best time for the Fire Authority - or anyone else for that matter - to put a major asset on the market. I am not aware of any public discussion about the proposal since the beginning of the year, though it will obviously be a matter of public interest for people living, working and owning businesses in central Brighton, and in particular residents living near the Station and the chosen new location. It's that wider public discussion that I'm calling for."

In a letter to the Chief Fire Officer for East Sussex, Des Turner MP wrote that selling the fire station and building a replacement would not "represent good value for money" and that he "can see no service benefits in relocating the fire station".

You can also find out more from the official Save Brighton Fire Station website.

Also see the petition at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Preston-Circus/
or join the Facebook group.