Public meeting announced and deadline date put back in fire plan to cover Horley from Salfords (From Redhill And Reigate Life)

Public meeting announced and deadline date put back in fire plan to cover Horley from Salfords

1:57pm Monday 11th February 2013 in News

A public meeting has been unveiled for this week on plans for a new fire station at Salfords which would leave Horley without a fire engine in the town.

The meeting, due to take place at Bourne Hall in Ewell this Thursday (February 14), has been announced after Surrey County Council put back the deadline for people to give their views on the plans, put forward by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).

The proposals were drawn up following neighbouring West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service's (WSFRS) decision to remove its fire appliance from Horley this April.

The deadline for comments in the eight-week long consultation was to have passed on February 1.

But now the county council has put it back to Monday, March 4, and added this Thursday's public meeting in Ewell from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

Surrey County Council has claimed SFRS' plans for new stations at Salfords and Burgh Heath would mean crews getting to emergencies faster.

Currently, WSFRS operates on a largely historic model that has seen little change over the years, and its area includes the Horley station in Povey Cross Road. However, WSFRS is to withdraw its engine from the town from April 1 as part of a raft of changes across the service being made to save £2.5 million. Its Horley crews will be moved to merge with colleagues at Horsham Fire Station, at which point Surrey County Council has said Surrey firefighters will take over.

A statement from the county council said, if given the go-ahead, SFRS’ plan “would create a chain of fire engines in East Surrey, stretching from Epsom down to the outskirts of Horley. “In-between, firefighters would be based at Reigate and the new Burgh Heath station.” Until the proposed new Salfords station opens, the fire service would operate from a temporary base nearby. Surrey County Council performs the role of fire authority and has the statutory duty for providing fire cover and services in Horley. The move though has been questioned by some fearing the knock-on effects of having fire cover provided from Salfords – about two miles from Horley town centre - may result in slower response times to emergencies in the town and the surrounding area, and particularly the M23 and Gatwick Airport, potentially putting lives at risk. Residents can give their views on SFRS’ proposals by completing a questionnaire at www.surrey-fire.gov.uk/psp, emailing comments to psp@surreycc.gov.uk, or calling 03456 009 009. Alternatively, people can write to Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, Croydon Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0EJ. People can also apply for tickets for this Thursday's meeting, by emailing: psp@surreycc.gov.uk or calling 03456 009 009.