UK coastguard stations to be cut by more than half

Maritime Journal -

Coastguard service providers and those whose lives depend on their efficient response to emergencies will be both astonished and devastated by the UK Government’s decision announced on Thursday to slash the country’s coastguard stations from 18 in number to only three operational full time.

The round the clock stations will be at Aberdeen, Dover and Southampton/Portsmouth, with a further five ‘daylight only’ stations surviving at Swansea, Falmouth, Humber, either Belfast or Liverpool, and either Stornoway or Shetland. A small station on the River Thames in London will also remain.

UK Shipping Minister Mike Penning said the full time centres would be ‘maritime operations centres capable of managing maritime incidents wherever they occur’, while the sub-centres would be ‘fully integrated into the national network around the coast and operating during daylight hours’.

The Department for Transport is required to cut its spending by 15% over the next four years as an outcome of the recent Comprehensive Spending Review. It is also considering selling  the operation of the country’s ageing search and rescue helicopter fleet to a French/American consortium but that decision was postponed on Thursday due to a ‘possible issue’.

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