Havenbridge House in Great Yarmouth
Concerns over Great Yarmouth coastguard centre which covers Norfolk and Suffolk taken to House of Commons
Anthony Carroll
Friday, October 26, 2012
11:59 AM
Campaigners fighting to stop a controversial shake-up of coastguard services have taken their battle to the House of Commons .
A Transport Select Committee is looking at the government’s proposals to close a number of coastguard rescue centres – including the one at Hvenbridge House in Great Yarmouth.
Campaigners fear this will put safety at risk because vital local knowledge will be lost, although the Government believes the service will be improved and modernised.
The select committee recently met representatives from various organisations with concerns before questioning UK Shipping Minister Stephen Hammond and Maritime and Coastguard Agency CEO Sir Alan Massey.
Dennis O’Connor, of the National Coastguard SOS Campaign, said it was clear the committee had “grave concerns” about the plans. “This is the second such inquiry the committee has conducted and it was obvious from ministerial responses that, whilst there may well be plenty of determination to close stations, there appears to be very little ability to formulate and implement a plan which is both credible and safe,” he said.
But Suffolk Coastal MP Dr Therese Coffey said she had sought reassurances there would be effective cover. “More resources will be put into our local coastguard offices that actually carry out the rescues,” she said. “Safety will be a top priority.”
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11 comments
@CoastalJoe - Thank you for this helpful explanation.
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point du jour
Sunday, October 28, 2012
@Dogberry - Dr Coffey has been busy elsewhere this week. She has been awarded the Special Recognition prize in the Westminster Dog of the Year Show.
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point du jour
Sunday, October 28, 2012
‘Increase tragedies on our coast’, where have we heard that before ? Yes, back in 1994 when the RAF decided to move the SAR (search & rescue) flight from Coltishall to Wattisham. Campaigners at the time also said we would see an increase in tragedies & lives would be lost. Has that been the case over the last 18 years, NO... The new Coastguard Control Centre at Fareham will make no difference whatsoever to the excellent response times that our local Lifeboat Crews and Coast Rescue Teams already give us. Vital local knowledge always has & will continue to be with the respective lifeboat coast rescue team. No one knows the area better than the crewteam at the sharp end of the job. Before anyone asks: Yes, combined service of 24 years, as Lifeboat Crew & Auxiliary Coastguard Officer here in Norfolk.
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double-dutch
Saturday, October 27, 2012
As usual - Dr.C shows she hasn't a clue!
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Dogberry
Saturday, October 27, 2012
This will lead to an increase in false alerts and hence needless callouts due to a decrease in contact between recreational water users and the MCA thanks to the loss of local knowledge and awareness and the increase of calls being handled by operators elsewhere in the country. The staff at MRCC Yarmouth are extremely competent and courteous and are well-grounded not just in the pecularities of the local marine geography and resultant conditions but also in the habits of many recreational and professional water users. It will also introduce needless delays in the tasking of resources for the same reasons in which case, to miss-quote specifically as a regular water user making use of Yarmouth MCA: If I should die, think only this of me; that there's some corner of a local town that's saving the government a couple of quid. PS Ms Coffey has shown her clear lack of awareness of the situation by the quote given; learn the realities of the situation before repeating an accountant's words.
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Snapper
Saturday, October 27, 2012
This will lead to an increase in false alerts and hence needless callouts due to a decrease in contact between recreational water users and the MCA thanks to the loss of local knowledge and awareness and the increase of calls being handled by operators elsewhere in the country. The staff at MRCC Yarmouth are extremely competent and courteous and are well-grounded not just in the pecularities of the local marine geography and resultant conditions but also in the habits of many recreational and professional water users. It will also introduce needless delays in the tasking of resources for the same reasons in which case, to miss-quote specifically as a regular water user making use of Yarmouth MCA: If I should die, think only this of me; that there's some corner of a local town that's saving the government a couple of quid. PS Ms Coffey has shown her clear lack of awareness of the situation by the quote given; learn the realities of the situation before repeating an accountant's words.
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Snapper
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Ms Coffey is referring to Local Coastguard Rescue Officers who carry out shore based rescues but they do NOT answer 999 calls. This is done by Coastguard officers in the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres 50% of which are being axed in the current plan which is being investigated by the Transport Select Committee. The closures will mean increased delays by 10 minutes according to Sir Alan Massey Chief Exec of the MCA. COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.... by anyone's standard.. it will increase tragedies on our coast
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CoastalJoe
Friday, October 26, 2012
And not a peep from Yarmouths overpaid MP !
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"V"
Friday, October 26, 2012
@truth_hurts - Thanks.
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T Doff
Friday, October 26, 2012
Southwold, Lowestoft, Gorleston, Winterton, happiest urge, Mundesley, Cromer, sheringham etc etc. all on call 247 for rescues
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truth_hurts
Friday, October 26, 2012
Can someone please tell me what and where the "local coastguard offices that actually carry out the rescues", to which Ms. Coffey refers, are?
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T Doff
Friday, October 26, 2012