Scottish fire stations' shake-up following major review

Two new fire stations will be built and seven will close following a major review by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).

The two new stations will be built in Glasgow and East Lothian at a cost of more than £20m.

Yorkhill Station in Glasgow, along with Musselburgh station, will close, as well as five long-term dormant stations in the Highlands, Shetland and Stirlingshire.

The review includes decisions on changes at more than 30 stations across Scotland.

An earlier proposal to shut Marionville station in Edinburgh was dropped.

The SFRS said the decisions had been made with "community safety and firefighter safety as the primary considerations".

But politicians in the Borders have criticised the downgrading of services at Hawick Fire Station.

The SFRS board met on Monday to formally approve the changes.

The two new stations will see the construction of two-pump stations at Cowcaddens and Tranent and the closure of single-pump stations at Yorkhill and Musselburgh.

The dormant stations being closed are Crianlarich in Stirlingshire, Fetlar on Shetland, and Nethy Bridge, Ratagan and Isle of Muck in the Highlands.

Six volunteer staff will be consulted on potential redundancy before any final decision on the future of a further three long-term dormant stations – Colintraive and Kerrera in Argyll and Bute, and Corriecravie on the Isle of Arran.

The SFRS said more than 60 staff from areas with lower operational demand would be redeployed into other safety-critical roles across prevention, training and operational delivery.

It said about 20 new on-call roles would be created.

The service said three combined aerial rescue pumps would be permanently replaced with dedicated high-reach appliances at Dunfermline, Perth and Greenock.

The delivery of all changes will take place within the next five years.

The changes follow a 12-week public consultation that received more than 3,600 responses.

John Henderson, SFRS assistant chief officer, told BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast the "modernisation programme" looked to "match its resource to risk and demand.."

He said: "We've moved from eight legacy services into one service over the last 13 years or so, but many of our fire station infrastructure has not changed during that period of time.

"We still have fire stations that are at least 30 to 40 years old that were built on risk from the past.

"Whilst we've seen a reduction in accidental dwelling fires and a reduction in fire casualties and fire fatalities, we also see a changing risk in increasing wildfire, floods, and technology risks."

Henderson said the changes were a "sensible use of resources."

He said: "What we're trying to do is maximise our estate to make sure we meet the needs of the community for the future.

"Across these proposals we free up around 60 posts that can be reinvested in key areas such as prevention-based activity and training-based activity."

Yorkhill, which has one full-time pumping appliance will close and the second full-time appliance at Maryhill will be reinstated.

In Hawick, one pumping appliance which is currently crewed by full-time firefighters during the day will now be crewed outside those hours and at the weekend by on-call firefighters.

Borders MSP Rachael Hamilton said she believed the Hawick decision had been made because of budget pressures rather than public safety.

"It has also failed to take proper account of future developments in the area, including the planned Center Parcs resort," she said.

"The case for retaining a full-time service at Hawick Fire Station is overwhelming.

"The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has made the wrong decision, and it will put public safety at risk."

Henderson said: "Hawick as a station is not closing. It will continue to operate as a 24/7 fire service cover.

"We're just changing the model of how that is provided.

"Yorkhill is a reconfiguration of resources around the Glasgow area to try and make the most sensible use of the resources that we have in those areas.

"But the communities won't see a reduction in the service they receive."