MP Hugh Bayley voices concerns over York's fire cover

York Central MP Hugh Bayley went to the Clifford Street fire station to discuss the proposals with North Yorkshire’s chief fire officer, Nigel Hutchinson.

He said afterwards he had voiced his concerns about the plans and was still “not wholly convinced”.

However, he was pleased to hear the fire chief would be meeting representatives of York Civic Trust and York Conservation Trust next month to discuss their concerns, along with the chamber of commerce. He hoped they could be reassured that city centre buildings would not be jeopardised.

As The Press has reported previously, the fire and rescue service is planning to close the Clifford Street station and build a smaller replacement station on the site of a former coach park in Kent Street, where there would be only one fire engine, instead of the two currently based at Clifford Street.

The second engine would be relocated to Huntington fire station on the outer ring road, along with the service’s platform ladder.

The trusts claimed recently that the plans put medieval buildings, including the Minster, at increased risk of destruction, and the Fire Brigades Union (FBO) has also attacked the plans. But the service said the project would improve fire cover to the whole of York, including the historic centre.

Mr Bayley said the fire station visit had long been planned, but it came after he had been approached by the FBU about the fire cover proposals at a recent surgery meeting.

He said his concerns were not only about the departure of the engine and ladder to Huntington but also the loss of the mooring for the fire service boat at Clifford Street.

He said Mr Hutchinson had said a new mooring might be created for the boat in the Foss basin.

Mr Hutchinson had said two fire engines could currently get to the west front of the Minster in five minutes, but under the proposals one would get to the west end in four and another to the east end in six.