Fire chiefs agree move for city appliance

A meeting of the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority yesterday agreed to move one of two appliances based at Clifford Street to Huntington station, along with the aerial ladder platform with just one appliance left in the city centre at the new proposed multi-million-pound station in Kent Street.

As part of the plans, two fire engines and the incident response unit will also be located at Acomb.

The fire authority yesterday almost unanimously agreed to the proposals – with one absention – despite heritage campaigners including York Civic Trust protesting that the lack of cover puts the city’s historic buildings at risk.

As part of the decision, the authority also agreed a 12-month review would be carried out following implementation of the proposed changes and promised a sufficient number of bays will be built at Kent street to accommodate a second fire engine if deemed necessary at a later date.

Chief fire officer Nigel Hutchinson said “The changes will ensure the best distribution of fire engines across the entire City of York area. The overall number of fire engines will remain the same as at present but with a much improved level of service being delivered to 31,000 people who live in the north of the city.

“While 3,500 people within the Clifford Street area will receive a slightly slower response for a first fire engine to arrive as a result of the station move this move is more than offset by a corresponding faster response to 45,000 residents in the south and east of the city.

“The historic buildings within the city of York will receive a comparable level of service to that which is currently provided.”