This morning Boris visited Harold Hill to open the new fire station - the first built in London since the GLA was created in 2000.
This opening marks the culmination of years of campaigning from local residents. Back in 2000 reorganisation of the Fire Brigade led to the removal of a fire appliance from Hornchurch Fire Station. There was bitter opposition in Havering and I presented a petition to the Fire Authority in early 2001. Five years later the new London Safety Plan was published, providing statistics on attendance times. Havering was performing much worse than the other London boroughs.
The case for replacing the fire engine was clearly made, but there was a problem. In the intervening years a new vehicle had been stationed at Hornchurch, providing specialist services to deal with road traffic accidents. With sections of the A12, A13 and even the M25 in Havering, the new vehicle was very busy saving lives and could not be moved.
The solution - build a brand new fire station in a location with easy access to the road network.
Harold Hill Fire Station shares a site with the local police base, paving the way for London's emergency services to work more closely together. The building is equipped with rainwater collection tanks and other modifications that will ensure energy and water efficiency. It provides 28 new fire fighting jobs and there have been plenty of applications from staff who want to work at the site.
Boris threw caution to the wind, sliding down the station's pole before unveiling the plaque and declaring the station open.
8 comments:
Funny how you didn't mention anything about the hundreds of London Firefighter who lobbied the opening of the new station. Not because the authority has opened a new station but because the authority and the so called elected member Brian "The Toad" Coleman have renaged the proposed resting platforms and issued the firefighters with unusable recliners. This has been brought about because the fire authority wants to change to 12 hour shifts so that can close fire stations at night and force firefighters to work day shifts. If you are going to report on the good work of the authority please report on the not so good news of the welfare of the residents of London. Thanks K Robinson
Love the pictures Roger. It didn't look that peaceful on the news this evening though...
Hi Adam, I always like to get to events early and avoid the crowds...
The demo was quite large and intimidating, and focused around the points made by K Robinson. I'm sure we haven't heard the last of this.
And now we have written confirmation that Boris has been up the pole.
Roger,
I understand your desire to spare Brian Colemans blushes, but your blog of this event is like a news report from Pravda in the 1970's. Generally your blog provides a pretty accurate account which is why it has earned much respect. I don't expect you to slag off your colleague here, but I really think the Maoist approach to your blog is, lets say, slightly Unconservative?
I agree with Rog T. I have always found this blog worth reading. But the lack of any mention of the demonstration is very disappointing. Just a passing mention would have been resonable - but we got nothing.
That is one ugly 'building'...just a shed basically. Compare and contrast with the lovely fire stations of the past such as Westminster (I'd guess Edwardian) or Heston (Deco). This is just awful.
I think the building's appearance commands more attention than does Brian Coleman, and even a shed is far more useful.
Post a Comment