UNION leaders have stepped up a campaign to save fire stations.

Almost 70 fire stations in England are at risk of closure and scores more throughout the UK face severe downgrading if the Government presses ahead with “unprecedented” spending cuts, union leaders have warned.

In West Yorkshire, fire chiefs aiming to save millions of pounds plan to shut stations including Marsden, Elland and Brighouse.

The Fire Brigades Union claimed that the service was being downgraded “behind the scenes” without proper public debate.

The worst-hit brigades are in big cities, with 17 fire stations under threat in London, 11 in both West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire and 10 in both Greater Manchester and Merseyside, claimed the union. Station closures are also threatened in Berkshire, Hertfordshire, North Yorkshire, Kent and Dorset, said the FBU.

Officials also reported that scores more fire stations are faced with downgrading, with fewer appliances and firefighters.

The Fire Brigades Union hand delivered over 4,000 individual letters of objection to the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service headquarters in Birkenshaw.

The letters from the public, objecting to the proposed cuts to the front line fire service in West Yorkshire, were delivered by David Williams (FBU brigade secretary), John Durkin (FBU brigade chair) and Lee Indriks (FBU Bradford divisional secretary).

About 12,000 letters of objection have been sent to the WYFRS during the public consultation period that has now ended.

Mr Indriks said: “I hope that the amount of public objections will make the councillors of the West Yorkshire Fire Authority sit up and listen.

“The proposals that have been put together by the Chief Fire Officer and senior management will, I have no doubt, lead to an increase in fire related injuries and deaths in West Yorkshire.”

The FBU has been running a campaign aimed at opposing the cuts since the public consultation period began 12 weeks ago.

Councillors on the Fire Authority will discuss and vote on the proposed cuts at a meeting on December 21.

Nationally, Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “People need to realise that this government is now putting public safety at risk. People rely on having a fire station near where they live, so that in the event of any emergency, professionally trained and well-equipped firefighters will come to their aid.

“The cuts have now gone so far that dozens of fire stations are threatened with closure, an unprecedented development in the recent history of our fire service. We cannot just stand back and watch this essential service be systematically dismembered by savage spending cuts.

“People need to understand that behind those big red doors, things are changing in their local fire station. Even where the lights remain on, there could be fewer firefighters, fewer appliances and less fire cover than the public expect.

“Firefighters have excelled again in recent weeks, dealing with floods as well as fires and all manner of emergencies.

“That’s what people expect and firefighters are very proud to deliver an exceptional level of service. But this government is cutting the service to the point where they are putting lives at risk.”

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